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Season 5: Issue 6 Monday 30th March 2009

AUSTRALIA’S GREATEST CURRENT PLAYER PART 2 ? WORLD CUP PREVIEWS ? AND REVIEWS

LOCAL LEAGUESPhoto: John Punshon KICK OFF! GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL GETS UNDERWAY ACROSS VICTORIA

SL SE3 FIXTURES / BLIGHTY BATTLES / VPL Round 5 FOOTBALL FEATURE Sunshine Georgie’s Wayne Wallace WAYNE’S WORLD Captain Wallace Content At Cross WAYNE Wallace and Sunshine George Oakleigh, Georgies hadn’t lost three games in Cross were part of a miracle on Ed- a row under O’Dell and most pundits consid- ward Street last Friday night and it had ered the side unlucky not to take more out of nothing to do with Georgies winning its opening four games. 1–0 away from home against Oakleigh “It’s not like we weren’t playing well. If it Cannons. was you could go home and say to yourself No the miracle I’m referring to was the fact we were beaten by better sides but we’ve been that George Cross coach Andy O’Dell didn’t really unlucky so far and we just haven’t been get sent off the bench! getting the breaks.” And when the fi nal whistle went and Wallace O’Dell didn’t care much about not getting and his teammates embraced, O’Dell, ever the the breaks when he locked his men into their showman, made a beeline for the large travel- dressing rooms after losing 1–0 to Richmond ling contingent of George Cross fans next to at Kevin Bartlett Reserve a fortnight back. the players’ race and raised both clenched fi sts You didn’t need to gain access to the rooms to into the night air in an unabashed display of hear O’Dell’s tirade after a game that Georgies triumphalism and sheer joy. deserved to get something out of. But there’s also a miraculous element to 24- “Andy’s a winner and he’s very passionate year-old Wallace’s story because he didn’t about football. When you lose by a daft goal start playing football until he was 17, prefer- (against Richmond) that really riles him a ring to put his talents to use as a rugby league lot. When we got nothing out of that game he player. couldn’t hold himself back. “I was a bit small when I was younger and “The club’s been up and down for years and it wasn’t really till I shot up a fair bit that I we’ve really set ourselves to stay in Premier started to think about playing football,” said League this year and I think the committee Wallace. and supporters will be pleased if we can do Trials were arranged for the Hull-born teen- that. ager with Unibond League outfi t Bridlington “It’s a great club to play for, it really is. I’m Town (currently playing in the Northern just happy playing here and it’s an honour to Counties East League Premier Division) and captain a club like this. the Seasiders liked what they saw. “I’m not interested in chasing the money Wallace didn’t take long to become a fi rst because I’m comfortable over here and happy team regular and in only his third full football at George Cross. Our supporters have been season won the club’s young player of the year fantastic and we’d like to reward them.” award. “Football’s a bit more technical over here in ber and later that month after an operation to But despite how contented the big man is at But after the next season he broke a bone in a way. It’s a lot more physical back home and insert pins in the injured hand he went back to George Cross it’s his personal life that may his foot, returned to action too soon and broke given that I’m a fairly physical type of player England for eight weeks. have a telling infl uence on the length of his it again. His second comeback ended just as I took some time to adjust. I kept getting “It was great to see everyone again but to be tenure here. abruptly when he broke a bone in the other booked for going into tackles that would have honest I couldn’t wait to get back here. Every- It’s diffi cult for Wallace and girlfriend Dan- foot. been fi ne back home but eventually I got used one back home is doing the same things they ielle to continue to nurture a long-distance He hardly played for three seasons and was to things and was able to change the way I were doing when you left. Nothing’s changed. relationship. Danielle spent six months here forced to endure lengthy periods of phys- played.” “I love the laidback lifestyle over here. Ev- last year and a second trip to Melbourne ended iotherapy but combined with strengthening Wallace proved his versatility last season by eryone here is pretty much chilled out and it yesterday when she fl ew back to England. exercises he fi nally overcame what threatened fi lling in for 10 games as a central defender to makes a big difference to you when you can “I’ll go home at the end of the season and to be a career-ending complaint. cover for an injured teammate and the 2008 fi nish work and go to the beach. Back home I we’ll have to make a decision as to whether When O’Dell brought out midfi elder Anthony season proved spectacularly successful as went to work when it was dark and came back or not she moves out here. I want to live out Bowsley during the 2007–08 off-season he’d George Cross clinched the Division One title from work when it was dark.” here for ever but at this stage all I can say (to inadvertently found the link that would unite returning to its traditional place among Victo- Wallace arrived back at Chaplin Reserve in George Cross fans) is that I’ll defi nitely be Wallace with the Chaplin Reserve outfi t. rian football’s elite. early January and is reaping the benefi t of a here next season anyway.” Bowsley texted his pal back in England and One of the motivational keys to the club’s two-month pre-season. Season 1977 was the club’s last championship told him what it was like playing here and success was the clever manipulation of the us “I just got my head down and went for it like success at the highest level in this state and when O’Dell offered to bring out the tall and them syndrome effected by O’Dell. The the other lads did. I’ve always done a hard George Cross has many fans that can remem- central midfi elder it didn’t take Wallace long canny coach kept reminding his charges that pre-season so it was nothing new to me.” ber that triumph and long for it to be repeated. to make up his mind. “everyone has written us off” and emphasised What is new though is the number of new They can rest easy that one of the linchpins in He quit his job and headed for Melbourne. He the point that they’d been given a wonderful faces in the squad, due primarily to the need their side will be wearing their famous colours was a fully qualifi ed electrician back home opportunity to silence their critics. to revamp it given the tougher standard of for at least another season and a half. and he soon arranged gaining an A-grade “It was a great season for us all round. We had competition in Premier League and partly due And who knows what can be achieved in that electrical licence here. He works for Easy Liv- a great start to the season despite people say- to some retirements. time? Maybe, just maybe, they’ll relive former ing Home Elevators and his employment has ing that we’d go straight down again. When “We’ve got a lot younger side this year and a glories with another championship to their enabled him to gain a three-year sponsored we got beaten 3–1 by Westgate we got written lot more depth. Last year we were limited and name thanks to a team led into battle by their visa. off again and Andy used that a lot to get the we only had about 17 players in the fi rst team very own braveheart. “When I fi rst came out I only had two or three lads fi red up.” squad. This year we’ve got around 23 or 24 weeks for pre-season before playing in the Georgies won the 2008 championship by three and at this level of competition you probably By Craig Mackenzie league and to be honest I didn’t really know points from Dandenong Thunder. Wallace need somewhere around that number.” Photo by Peter Kakalias what to expect,” said Wallace. broke his hand in a work accident in Novem- Going into last Friday night’s clash with

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Contact efi [email protected] or call 0439974490 p2 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 [email protected] SOCCER HOTLINES THIS WEEK’S LINE UP LIGHTS OUT FOR SOCCEROOS! The Qantas Socceroos pledged their Buckley. paring for their next World Cup Qualifying Football Insight 3 support for Earth Hour by commit- “We are very proud to be associated with match against Uzbekistan in Sydney on ting to a ‘lights out’ whilst in camp at an environmental campaign such as Earth April 1. On Saturday night they turned off Errea Scoreboard Page 4 Parramatta on Saturday night. Hour, that originated in Australia and has their hotel lights with many millions of oth- Gully v Knights 5 Earth Hour, an Australian-led worldwide now grown into a global movement,” he ers to show their support for this worth- initiative, aims to raise awareness about added. while campaign,” said Buckley. Cannons v Georgies 6 climate change by encouraging individuals In 2007, Earth Hour’s fi rst year, 2 million Earth Hour is worldwide campaign that and businesses to turn off their lights for an people switched off their lights in support aims to educate the community about the Eagles v Lions 7 hour on a designated day. of the campaign. In 2008, the number of threats of climate change, informing indi- This year’s Earth Hour was between people participating grew to a staggering viduals and businesses about the difference Monday Night Football 10 8.30pm and 9.30pm on Saturday 28 March 50 million worldwide. they can make by reducing their emissions Blast From The Past 11 2009. This year Earth Hour aims to reach 1 at home and in the workplace. It is an ini- “Climate change is a world-wide issue billion people in 1,000 cities around the tiative of the World Wildlife Fund. Big Tone’s Top 50 - Part 2 14 and one we all have responsibility to raise world. awareness around,” said FFA CEO, Ben “The Qantas Socceroos are currently pre- MacKenzie At Large 16

London Calling 26

Football Focus 27 WOLVES HEAD DOWN UNDER Perth Glory has pulled off a pre-sea- and runner-up in the UEFA Cup. Dennison from Entourage Management Front Cover son coup with the club set to play It will be the fi rst time in a decade that Services who helped facilitate the tour. Fawkner’s Adam Zilic (left) puts the an international friendly against four a top level European club has played in It is expected that Wolverhampton will pressure on Northcote’s Tass Tzou- times FA Cup winners Wolverhamp- Perth and Glory Deputy Chairman Mr Lui spend approximately 12 days in Perth as lis Photo: John Punshon. ton Wanderers at Members Equity Giuliani said it is the start of many new part of a pre-season program which will Stadium in July. initiatives that Chairman and Owner Mr culminate in two matches, one against the Perth Glory and Wolverhampton have Tony Sage has committed to implementing Glory and another yet to be confi rmed. agreed in principle to the pre-season match this season and beyond. “Not only will we test ourselves against in Western Australia with the fi nal arrange- “This is a watershed moment in Perth a club playing at the highest levels in Eu- ments and contracts to be confi rmed by the Glory’s Hyundai A-League history,” Mr rope, we’ll also get a great opportunity to powerful English side and Football Federa- Giuliani said. observe their professional training stan- tion Australia in the coming days. “Perth Glory is committed to winning dards,” said Mr Giuliani. Wolverhampton currently sits top of the on and off the fi eld and this is one of many “They’re well managed by Mick McCa- Goal! Weekly is available every Monday from all good newsagents. Championship and are odds on to re-join successful opportunities that we’re set to rthy who is a no nonsense bloke. I know the elite Premier League competition next announce in the coming months. him well and we’ve kept in touch so it’ll be Publisher season, alongside the likes of Manchester Perth Glory fought off stiff competi- great to come up against him. Alimental Enterprises Pty Ltd tion from numerous clubs on the east coast “I’ve told Mick about Perth, what a great PO Box 142 United, Liverpool and Chelsea, after a six Port Melbourne VIC 3207 year absence. They currently sit fi ve points to bring Wolverhampton to Western Austra- place it is and the strength of support for Tel 9645 1440 clear of second placed Birmingham and lia in an exclusive deal that will see them football in this town. nine ahead of Reading in third with just six play only in the west coast. “There will be plenty of opportunities Printer Streamline Press matches remaining. Glory Coach Dave Mitchell, who has a for local football supporters to take part in 155 Johstone St Wolves have a long and successful his- strong relationship with Wolverhampton activities throughout the week and we’re Fitzroy VIC 3065 tory that dates back more than 120 years Manager Mick McCarthy, was instrumen- very much looking forward to welcoming Tel 9417 2766 and includes three First Division Champi- tal in the negotiations while Mr Giuliani Wolves to Western Australia,” said Mitch- Distributer onships, four FA Cups, two League Cups also acknowledged the assistance of John ell. All Day Distribution Pty Ltd PO Box 42 North Carlton VIC 3054 Tel 9482 1145 GIRLS FOOTBALL RULES OK! News Room 03 9645 1440 Twelve hundred girls, from all over Advertising 03 9645 1440 Victoria, descended on Ballarat over Email [email protected] the weekend, to play in the fi fth annu- Letters [email protected] al Totally Girls Soccer Tournament. Web www.goalweekly.com The tournament, which is designed to Editor Costa Koutropoulos develop grass-root football in the region Art Director Carlos Ibarra and offer a path-way for talented female Design/Creative Ivan Andreevski footballers, also featured pink footballs plus Production MJ Ali. encouraged the participants to dress up and Regular Contributors have fun. Nat Adamopoulos, Mark Boric, Bruce The competition is the only tournament in Darnell, Andrew Fisher, Roy Hay, Markian Australia open to female players of all skill Jaworsky, George Katsamboukas, Eddie Krncevic, Bart Hulley, John Kyrou, Sebastian level. Kipman,George Kouroumalis, Michael Lilika- The number of participants in the tour- kis, Josip Loncaric, Craig MacKenzie, Jeremy nament has increased dramatically since it O’Neil, Teo Pellizzeri, Walter Pless, Tony began in 2005 with only 380 players and Persoglia, Julius Ross, Roger Sleeman, Mike Salter, George Stogiannou, Reuben Schem- refl ects the growing popularity of females bri, Lachlan Taylor, Elias Simopoulos, Michal playing the game. Under 11 Pink Panthers pose with Sarah Richardson and Ursula Hughson of the Skrodsky, Addy Wetzler, Bruno Zovko, Leroy Around 100,000 girls and women are Melbourne Victory Womens League at the 2009 Total Girls Soccer Tournament in Ballarat Jerome Robinson (UK), Adam North (UK). playing football in formal competitions Victoria. L-R Hannah Kozaris, Brooke Hodder, Sarah Richardson, Ursula Hughson, Lalor Photographers across Australia and the FFV reported a 20 Burgess, Cassie Anstis Adam Butler, Therese Duffy, Daniel Flis, Dean per cent increase in women’s registrations Grant, Geoff Jones, Peter Kakalias, Darryl in Victoria in 2008. was particularly special given it was only girls that there is defi nitely some talent out Kennedy, Lee McCormick, Mark McGeady, The launch of the national W-league two ago that she was playing in competition there,” she said. John Punshon, Brett Robson, Steve Starek, George Stogiannou. competition in 2008, is likely to have a posi- for her local Warrnambool team. And her advice to any girls at the Totally tive impact on girls football and local Mel- Hughson said the level of interest in W- Girls Football Tournament keen to follow in Goal! Weekly endeavours to be as accurate bourne Victory players, Melissa Barbieri, league at the tournament was high and she her footsteps was to “give it a go and have as possible with everything it publishes. Sarah Richardson and Ursula Hughson were had seen some strong talent that which is fun.” The Fair Trading Act 1999 requires Goal! Weekly to disclaim any belief in the truth or in attendance at the tournament to support sure to strengthen Melbourne Victory’s tal- falsity of information which is supplied to it the grass-roots game. ent pool in years to come. By Emma Field and which is published in other than editorial Ursula Hughson’s visit to the tournament “You can see just from watching these content. Photo by Michael Brown

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p3 ERREA SCOREBOARD VPL Round 5

Altona Magic P W D L F A PT v Green Gully Cavaliers 1. Richmond Eagles 5 4 1 0 10 1 13 Paisley Park Complex 2. Dandenong Thunder 5 4 1 0 5 1 13 Sat 4 Apr KO 7:30PM 3. Green Gully Cavaliers 5 3 2 0 5 0 11 Oakleigh Cannons 4. Heidelberg Utd 4 2 1 1 4 5 7 v 5. South Melbourne 4 2 0 2 9 4 6 Preston Lions 6. Oakleigh Cannons 5 2 0 3 5 4 6 Jack Edwards Reserve Sun 5 Apr KO 1:00PM 7. Melbourne Knights 5 2 0 3 4 5 6 8. Sunshine Georgies 5 2 0 3 2 5 6 9. Hume City 5 1 1 3 5 5 4 Sunshine Georgies v 10. Altona Magic 3 1 1 1 1 1 4 Dandenong Thunder 11. Preston Lions 4 0 1 3 3 14 1 Chaplin Reserve Sun 5 Apr KO 3:00PM 12. Whittlesea Zebras 4 0 0 4 0 8 0 Melbourne Knights v Richmond 5 (R Cardozo 2 N Kalambokis 2 M Catalano) Preston Lions 1 (B Georgioski) Hume City Oakleigh Cannons 0 Sunshine Georgies 1 (WM Wallace) Mansion Stadium Green Gully Cavaliers 1 (P Cardozo) Melbourne Knights 0 Sun 5 Apr KO 3:00PM Dandenong Thunder 2 (SJ Bailey R Davidson) Hume City 1 (T Baser) Heidelberg Warriors v Altona Magic (Playing Monday) Whittlesea Zebras v South Melbourne (Playing Tuesday) South Melbourne v

ALTONA V GREEN GULLY: to the season, and will be looking for maxi- a tough assignment against the Lakeside Richmond Eagles Sat 4th Apr, 7:30pm Paisley Park mum points in this important clash. After boys. The visitors have again begun their Bob Jane Stadium Round six kicks off with a blockbuster playing fi ve consecutive away games, the season in red hot form and can go into this clash between the league’s most consistent Knights could fi nally be playing at newly fi xture with plenty of optimism. After a Sun 5 Apr KO 4:00PM teams of the last decade. Champions Altona named Mansion Stadium (formally Knights slow start South Melbourne has hit some Magic has found points hard to come by Stadium); however whispers are that this great form, this game will be a good test early on this season, and you can be sure fi xture could still be reversed. Please check towards their title ambitions. DRAW Whittlesea Zebras Green Gully won’t be feeling any sympathy www.footballfedvic.com.au for confi rma- v for their hosts. This one has a draw written tion. DRAW Last 5 Meetings: Rich 2-0 South (2008), all over it for me. DRAW South 1-0 Rich (2008), South 0-1 Rich Heidelberg Utd Last 5 Meetings: Knights 0-1 Hume (2008), (2007), Rich 2-3 South (2007), Rich 0-1 Last 5 Meetings: Gully 1-1 Altona (2008), Hume 0-2 Knights (2008), DNP South (2006) To Be Confi rmed Altona 0-0 Gully (2008), Gully 5-1 Altona Mon 6 Apr KO 8:30PM (2007), Altona 2-3 Gully (2006), Gully 1-1 Altona (2006) SUNSHINE V DANDENONG: WHITTLESEA V HEIDELBERG: Sun 5th Apr, 3:00pm Chaplin Reserve. Mon 6th Apr, 8.30pm to be confi rmed. The boys from Sunshine pulled off the sur- The Zebra’s are a team short on confi dence, TOP OAKLEIGH V PRESTON: prise of the week, defeating the Cannons on coach Ivan Jolic is under pressure to turn SHOTS! enemy territory. They will need to pull out around the fortunes of the club before the Sun 5h Apr, 1:00pm Jack Edwards Reserve Thanks to our friends at Erreà the Top another rabbit from the hat when they take season gets away from them. Heidelberg The Cannons succumbed to their third Scorer of this season’s VPL will receive consecutive 1-0 defeat at home, and will be on red hot Dandenong on Sunday. Dande- will start the match as heavy favourites and a $500 gift voucher. looking to make amends when they take on nong continue to see the league alight with should be to strong for their hosts. the Lion’s in the early Sunday match. The some magnifi cent results and delighting AWAY WIN. Lions received their second mauling within their supporters at the same time. Apologies three weeks and look short of confi dence. to Thunder fans, but I think Sunshine is go- Last 5 Meetings: Heid 1-2 Whitt (2008), Richmond 3 Sunshine Georgies 4, Dandenong Thunder 1 ing to cause another massive upset. Whit 1-2 Heid (2008), Heid 2-2 Whitt Richmond 5 Preston Lions 1, Oakleigh Cannons 0 Sunshine HOME WIN Georgies 3, Green Gully Cavaliers 1 Melbourne Knights 2, HOME WIN (2007), Heid 3-1 Whitt (2006), Whitt 1-2 Dandenong Thunder 2 Hume City 3 P W D L F A PT Last 5 Meetings: Prest 2-0 Oak (2008), Oak Heid (2006) Melbourne Knights 6 4 0 2 7 6 12 Green Gully Cavaliers 6 3 1 2 7 7 10 1-2 Prest (2008), Oak 0-1 Prest (2007), Last 5 Meetings: Sun 1-2 Dand (2008), Whittlesea Zebras 4 3 0 1 11 3 9 Richmond 6 3 0 3 14 10 9 Prest 0-0 Oak (2007), Oak 3-1 Prest (2006) Dand 0-2 Sun (2008), Dand 0-2 Sun (2004), For those who like a fl utter on the V.I.S 4 3 0 1 9 5 9 Sun 1-0 Dand (2004), Sun 0-1 Dand (2000) English betting sites, this week’s outside South Melbourne 4 3 0 1 8 4 9 Hume City 5 3 0 2 7 8 9 bet is Sunshine to infl ict the fi rst defeat on Sunshine Georgies 5 2 1 2 8 6 7 MELB KNIGHTS V HUME CITY: Heidelberg Utd 4 2 1 1 5 3 7 Sun 5th Apr, 3:00pm Mansion Stadium. SOUTH MELB V RICHMOND: Dandenong. This week’s safe bet: Oakleigh Altona Magic 4 2 1 1 4 3 7 Oakleigh Cannons 5 1 1 3 5 12 4 Both sides have experienced patchy starts Sun 5th Apr, 4:00pm Bob Jane Stadium. to beat Preston. Remember bet responsibly. Dandenong Thunder 5 0 1 4 5 12 1 Match of the round sees the Eagles face Preston Lions 6 0 0 6 3 14 0 p4 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 VPL Round 5 The Premiership GULLY’S LATE SHOW Cardozo Polishes Off Golden Boot And Knights

GREEN GULLY MELBOURNE CAVALIERS 1 - 0 KNIGHTS 2008 VPL leading goalscorer Pablo Since the VPL was renamed in in 1991 Cardozo has scored his fi rst league from the old State League, the 2009 Cava- goal for the Green Gully Cavaliers, liers are the only team to go the fi rst fi ve and it could not have come at a bet- rounds without conceding a goal. ter time. The under 21’s went down to the Knights With fi ve minutes remaining in the round 2-1 at Green Gully Reserve, completing a fi ve clash between the Cavaliers and the tough week in which the youngsters have Melbourne Knights, Cardozo lobbed the played 3 games in advancing Knights goalkeeper Josh Fluss, a 6 days, having beaten Preston last Sunday, 30 yard effort that took once bounce before aswell as beating the VIS midweek. Gully’s hitting the back of the net. youngsters showed some spirit in the sec- The second major story of the day, came ond half, coming back from 2-0 down, with at the opposite end of the ground. Gully James Stehini scoring a contender for goal keeper Steven Tilovski was out of the to- of the season. day’s match with a groin injury, and reserve goalkeeper Patric Ndongo stepped up to the Crowd: 1000 plate, and in his debut league match for the Cavaliers, was arguably best on ground for Man of the Match: Patric Ndongo his wonder saves in the fi rst half. The Melbourne Knights must have thought Green Gully v Melbourne Knights High- they had won Green Gully bingo when they lights: Green Gully Show - Saturday April saw Tilovski on the sidelines, and early on 04 10:30am Channel 31 Green Gully Un- in the game, wanted a crack at Ndongo. der 21’s v Melbourne Knights Under 21’s However, Ndongo stood up to be counted Highlights: on judgement day. After the match, Patric Green Gully Show - Saturday April 18 revealed the serious discussions he had had 10:30am Channel 31 with his coach David Winton about showing character and about being tested in a pres- sure situation. Patric was just as happy as anybody to have kept a clean sheet. The third major story of the day, sees the 2009 Green Gully team setting a new re- By Markian Jaworsky Pablo Cardozo fi nds his golden touch again and scores the late winner cord for the modern day Victorian Premier Photos by D.Flis & S.Starek League. for Gully against the Knights. Photo: Steve Starek

Gully keeper Patric Ndongo shows why he was MOTM with another fi ne Knights captain Craig Elvin wins the aeriel contest in the hugely debut save from the boot of Matthew Grbesa. Photo: Steve Starek anticipated clash on Saturday. Photo: Daniel Flis

Monday 30th March 2009 p5 Issue #6 The Premiership VPL Round 5 GLEAMING GEORGIES Hat Trick Of Home Losses For Cannons

OAKLEIGH SUNSHINE CANNONS 0 - 1 GEORGIES In a shock Round 5 VPL result the Oakleigh Cannons succumb to their straight third home defeat with a one goal to nil loss to the plucky Sunshine Georgies side on Friday night at Jack Edwards Reserve. Oakleigh traditionally come out with all guns blazing and put teams under pres- sure very early but Sunshine weathered the storm and managed to take the lead through a goal by captain Wayne Wallace after 18 minutes of play. Oakleigh then peppered the ‘Cross for the remainder of the game but were unable to break down the stubborn resistance of Andy O’Dell’s men. The Cannons created numerous oppor- tunities but the ‘Cross held fi rm. O’Dell’s side is improving with every week and be- ginning to show signs of gelling at a venue where the Georgies had not experienced a lot of joy over their most recent past few visits. Oakleigh Cannons’ home form is now an obvious concern as they dropped their third successive game at Jack Edwards Reserve by the same score of 1 goal to nil to leave them with a record so far of two wins and three losses and currently sitting mid table. A visit to fortress Jack Edwards Reserve is normally a daunting task for any side in the VPL, with not many teams emerging with much a share of the spoils let alone three points, so for them to drop 9 points at home will no doubt leave John Anas- tasiadis shaking his head and looking for immediate answers. For Sunshine this win is the perfect Oakleigh’s Jerry Karpeh hooks one over Neal Hooks on Friday night. reward for a couple of really promising performances against three of the better Kioussis, Mur teams Subs: 50 Gasparinatos for Hatzikostas, in the early stages of their league campaign 75 Kioussis for Matkovic, 88 Mur for – Richmond, Oakleigh and Heidelberg, re- Frnjic spectively - and this win could be just what catapults the team away from the danger Yellow Cards: Franjic, Diaco zone and sights set towards the top fi ve. They also have a two win and three loss Sunshine Georgies: record and now sit equal on points with a Starting Line Up: John, Schwal, Clancy, cluster of teams on the verge of the upper Wallace, Konstas, Cini, Papadopoulos, reaches of the league table. Koutsoupias, Hooks, Webster, Sapa- Next week Oakleigh face an interest- zovski, ing home game against the Preston Lions Subs: Baros, Sweeney, Zico-Black, where they will be looking to reverse their Pecora, Cogger recent run of bad results and Sunshine’s tough start to the season continues when Subs: 52’ Cogger for Schwal, 55’ Baros they host Stuart Munro and the red hot for Kotsupias, 75’ Sweeney for Sapasovski Dandenong Thunder who are yet to taste defeat in this their fi rst season in the top Yellow Cards: Konstas fl ight Goals: Wallace 18’ Match Details: Oakleigh Canons: Venue: Jack Edwards reserve Cagalj, Rosman, Drakos, S, Waterson, Crowd: 1200 Franjic, Drakos A, Damianos, Matkovic, Hatzikostas, Diaco, Karpeh, By Reuben Schembri Subs: Wynne, Obradovic, Gasparinatos, Goalscorer Wayne Wallace gets in front of Oakleigh’s Bill Damianos. Photos by Peter Kakalias p6 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 VPL Round 5 The Premiership HIGH FIVES FOR EAGLES Richmond Continues To Set The Pace RICHMOND PRESTON EAGLES 5 - 1 LIONS Unbeaten Richmond hosted lowly the ball to him, a neat fi nish seeing the former box but he found McCluskey in space, Salcin Preston Lions on Friday at Kevin Bartlett Essendon Royals midfi elder also get on the making a save from a fi erce shot. Match details: Reserve looking to maintain top spot on scoresheet for the fi rst time this campaign. Play was delayed for several minutes whilst the Victorian Premier League table. A free-kick by Cardozo from thirty-fi ve yards the Preston physio tried to stem the bleeding Richmond: P.Zois, D.Black, E.Karahan, Richmond entered the game coming off a was saved by Damir Salcin as it headed for the from Salcin’s nose that resulted from receiving S.McCluskey, D.Tsiaras (T.Antoniadis 9’), tight 1-0 win over Sunshine Georgies. Preston top corner, the Lions keeper holding the ball a ball to the face. Lupce Koceski had a sot on R.Cardozo, N.Kalambokis, M.Catalano bounced back from a heavy defeat by South with his second grab as he fell to the ground in the left inside the penalty area which was partly (J.Heieke 63’), L.Kindtner (E.Sivic 78’), Melbourne to draw 0-0 with Green Gully the the twentieth minute. Two minutes an intercept saved by Zois, Karahan blocking an effort from N.Robinson, A.Viola. week before. in their attacking half saw Richmond put the the rebound on the line. The Eagles started positively, a ball from Lions to the sword once again, Robinson taking The seventy-second minute saw Karahan Goals: Kalambokis 14’ 75’ Catalano 16’ Car- Danny Black being nodded down by Nick the ball forward until spotting the unmarked into the box and slightly over hit a cross to dozo 23’ 45’ Robinson to send Nick Kalambokis away before Cardozo on his left. Another good fi nish from Kalambokis, who managed to get his head to the Chris Toleski made a crucial tackle. Erhan Kara- just outside the penalty area followed, the ball but not steer it towards goal. Cardozo put Yellow Cards: Karahan 4’ Cardozo 61’ Viola han entered referee Hakan Anaz’s book after Eagles fl ying high at 3-0 up inside the half-hour a shot wide but it was his ball to Kalambokis a 70’ only three minutes for a high tackle on Michael mark. minute later which would bring about the next Red Cards: None Bosevski on the halfway line. Blaze Georgioski put a free-kick over the Eagles goal. Picking up the lofted ball into the Dimitri Tsiaras sent Kalambokis free to the crossbar, and Serkan Oksuz found himself clos- area, Kalambokis sent it into the back of the net Preston Lions: D.Salcin, M.Miskas, right of the penalty area, the centered ball being ing in on goal but just unable to get past Stuart with a neat chip to make it 5-0. B.Georgioski, C.Toleski, I.Filipovic, cleared away by Toleski before Robinson could McCluskey who blocked his shot into the side A minute later Kalambokis made a strong run R.Dolevski (R.Najdovski 63’), B.Bicovski, meet it with a strike. Michael Catalano found netting as Preston tried to rally. A pass from into the penalty area, going down under a tackle I.Arsovski (L.Koceski 46’), M.Bosevski, Kalambokis at the edge of the penalty area but Kindtner found Robinson who beat a man but which Anaz dismissed penalty appeals over. S.Oksuz, Z.Popovic (M.Ladnjak 46’). his fi rst touch was just a little too hard to enable had a shot saved by Salcin. From another free- The Lions scored a consolation goal in stoppage him to get a shot in. The home side was then kick Preston tested Peter Zois when a low drive time, a fi nely crafted effort from Georgioski. Goal: Georgioski 90 forced into an early substitution when Tsiaras from Bosevski required a good save. It was a Finding the ball in the middle of the park he pulled up clutching a hamstring, Terry Anto- clearance from Zois which sent Robinson away switched it out to Oksuz on the left wing before Yellow Cards: Arsovski 37’ Ladnjak 51’ Miskas niadis entering the fray. late in the half, the Richmond striker having a arriving at the top of the box to meet the cross 53’ It was a cross from Karahan that led to the shot saved by Salcin but being brought down himself and slam it past Zois to get the Lions on Red Cards; None opening goal after fourteen minutes. The ball by the keeper has he sought to tuck away the re- the scoresheet. The fi nal whistle soon blew to was headed away as Richie Cardozo challenged bound. Before the penalty could be taken Zeljko bring about a remarkable third successive 5-1 Man of the Match: for it at the far post, but fell to Kalambokis on Popovic was carried off the pitch on a stretcher win for the Eagles over Preston. Lorenz Kidntner (Richmond) the edge of the area who carried it across the top after a serious hamstring tear. Richmond still head the table on goal differ- of the box before unleashing a shot to notch his Richie Cardozo assumed penalty taking duties ence from Dandenong Thunder, and will face Venue: Kevin Bartlett Reserve fi rst goal of the season. and dispatched the ball past Salcin to put Rich- stiffer opposition in the form of South Mel- Crowd: 600 Just two minutes later Richmond doubled the mond 4-0 up at the break. bourne at Bob Jane Stadium on Sunday. Preston lead. Lorenz Kindtner won the ball in his own Bosevski put a free-kick way over the bar will also be travelling, meeting Oakleigh half, passing to Kalambokis who found Cardozo four minutes after play resumed, before Rich- Cannons in an early kick-off at Jack Edwards By Mark Boric driving up the middle. Catalano had made a run mond went close themselves from a set-piece. Reserve that day. Photos by N.Risteski & P.Psarros on the outside to the left, and Cardozo slipped The ball had fallen to Antoniadis in a crowded

Action from KB Reserve on Friday night HIigh fi ves all round as the Eagles enjoy the romp against the Lions BAYSWATER INDOOR SOCCER CENTRE AUSTRALIA’S 5-A-SIDE SATURDAY MORNING COURTS AVAILABLE No 1 INDOOR SOCCER SOCCER CLINICS SCHOOL : YOUTH : CENTRE JUNIORS, MIXED & MEN’S SKILLZ (6-12) CORPORATE GROUPS TINY TOTS (3-5) IDEAL FOR END OF 13 BURTON COURT, BAYSWATER PHONE 9729 1999 Email: [email protected] SEASON BREAK-UPS

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p7 The Premiership VPL Round 5 THUNDER KEEPS RUMBLING Hume Sent Home Packing In Defeat DANDENONG HUME THUNDER 2 - 0 CITY Dandenong Thunder maintained Ryan Davidson up front into the lone its cracking pace in the Premier striker role and introducing Joe DiIorio League with an entertaining 2-1 into the hole just behind Davidson. home victory over Hume City on Hume’s Sterjovski, went close to the Saturday evening. goal of the round, striking an excellent Both teams treated spectators shot with the outside of his trusted left to an open match in warm condi- foot, which curled tantalisingly past the tions with numerous chances at both upright. ends. At the other end, Davidson spurned an The visitors pushed forward from the excellent chance following a beautifully start looking to attack down the fl anks weighted Colin Quirk pass. through Tony Sterjovski and skilful Quirk himself then missed the chance young teenager Ramazan Savran whose of the game when he somehow man- movement was creating problems for the aged to shoot over the bar with an open Thunder defence. goal at his mercy, soon after the start of Both keepers saw action early on with the second half. However Thunder fans Hume’s Lou Acevski denying Thunder didn’t have to wait long for further cel- midfi elder Sam Bailey, his fi rst ever goal ebrations when Davidson added a second for the club, from close range. goal from a spot-kick. A clever DiIorio At the other end, Thunder keeper Stuart dummy allowed a Jack Hingert pass to Webster’s smart work at his near post, spring open the visitors’ defence, putting denied Hume centre half, Tansel Baser Davidson in the clear. His Hume name- an effort from a corner rebound. sake, Jason Davidson pulled him back The visitors enjoyed the bulk of pos- in the area to concede the penalty, which session in the fi rst half, putting together Ryan coolly converted. some good passing moves. However as The chances continued to come for both they pushed forward, a swift Thunder sides but the home side enjoyed the counterattack in the 25th minute, led to clearest openings as Quirk and DiIorio Successful penalty taker Ryan Davidson clenches his fi sts in triumph over skipper Veton Korcari’s misskick which missed clear shots on goal. Quirk cel- beaten Hume keeper Lou Acevski. found Bailey who slotted the ball into ebrated what he thought was Thunder’s head home from close range, before the them. That was our plan in the fi rst half the net past the exposed Acevski. third goal, but the referee ruled a push on experienced combination of Sterjovski in the fi rst 15 minutes, to try and take the A hamstring injury to Korcari forced a Hume defender. and Baser combined in the 86th minute, crowd out of the game.” Dandenong coach Stuart Munro to For the visitors, striker Zoran Pet- to beat Thunder keeper Stuart Webster reshuffl e his pack, pushing midfi elder revski missed an excellent chance to for the fi rst time this season. City pushed hard for an equalizer in Lineups: the dying moments, however Thunder were able to close out the match to se- Dandenong Thunder: cure their fourth win in fi ve matches. Webster, S., Hingert, J., Bahnsen, N., Thunder coach Stuart Munro com- Osman, L., Wilford, A., Armenian, H., mented after the match, “ Obviously Quirk, C., Davidson, R., Stergiopoulos, you’ve got to be happy when you get a M, Korcari, V. ( DiIorio, J. 29’) result. We created a lot of chances today. We weren’t as effective as we’ve been in the previous four games, but that’s full Hume City: credit to Hume. They put us under a lot Acevski, L, Baser, T., Davidson, J ( of pressure in the fi rst half. I was quite Ucarii, C. 75’), Pir, S., Harrhy, N., surprised by the changes they made at Erdogan, I., Opazo, A.( Thompson R. half time because their little number nine 45’), Beni, B., Sterjovski, T., Savran, R,( ( Savran), was causing us problems with Munoz, J 45’), Petrevski, Z. his movement…Full credit to Levant Os- man and big Aaron Wilford at the back. I though they were very solid for us today. Scorers: I thought it was Lev’s best game so far Dandenong Thunder: Bailey, S. (24’), this season.” Davidson, R. ( 54’ pen) Hume City assistant coach Lee Tsoumerkas commented after the match, Hume City: Baser, 86’ “We’re very disappointed with the result. We came here to attack. We wanted to Man of the Match: Osman, L. win. We played well in patches. Maybe a Venue: George Andrews Reserve bit of a lack of concentration cost us. But Crowd: 2000 fair credit, we came back from 2-0 down and gave it everything. At the end we By George Stogiannou could have nicked a point… We came at Photos by George Stogiannou Thunder players gather round goal scorer Sam Bailey (front left). p8 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 VPL Round 5 - Monday Night Football - Part 1 The Premiership WARRIORS FACE MAGIC Tonight At Olympic Village KO 8.15pm HEIDELBERG ALTONA UNITED V MAGIC Tonight’s VPL action is from Olym- bring Petta to Olympic Village. pic Village and sees Altona Magic “Last year we tried to get Bobby over visit Heidelberg United, with both the line. We knew about the move that was sides eager to tuck away some cru- coming about, in terms of him going to cial early season points. Sydney. As soon as Sydney let him go it Heidelberg (4th, 7pts) completed the came across me immediately. We contacted league double over the Magic last season, him and it wasn’t hard at all, it happened in defeating the eventual premiers in both a couple of days.” fi xtures. The home side have started the Team captain Ouliairis spoke in glowing season solidly after a blip in the fi rst round terms of the former Celtic and Feyenoord and will be looking to consolidate their star’s impact on the playing group. spot amongst the top four. “He’s a different class. He’s 35 and he’s Bergers coach George Katsakis ex- still just gliding past players like they’re plained that while he was relishing the not even there. He’s teaching us new things chance to test his squad against the 2008 every day. He’s always giving players VPL champions he would still be wary. advice. He’s been playing on the left side, “They are they champions and we’ve taking on players, whipping balls in. He’s got to be careful and good at what we always creating something.” do. I think it’s going to be a good game, The Magic sit 8th with 4 points, with a the reason we always have good games game in hand after their Round 2 match against Altona is that both sides like to play against Preston was abandoned. football.” Magic coach Vlado Tortevski is antici- “I think if we go into this game and at- pating an improved performance from his tack like we did against them last squad who became the latest casualty of year we can walk away with a good result.” Dandenong Thunder’s undefeated start to United skipper Tony Ouliaris said that a life in the Premier League, going down 1-0 change of focus after the 4-1 loss to Oak- at George Andrews Reserve last week. leigh in Round 1 had helped his side earn 7 “The loss at Dandenong wasn’t expected. points from their next three fi xtures. We can play much better than that.” he “We’re a good attacking team, but said. we’ve been concentrating as a unit on “We played a really bad fi rst forty-fi ve defending, from the strikers back. Our goal minutes and they (Thunder) wanted it has been not to concede a goal. We know more.” we’ll at least get one and one nil’s enough Tortevski explained that his team were for us.” adjusting after turning over some Katsakis highlighted the contribution personnel in the off-season. made by newly-signed forward Osagie “This is just the beginning of the sea- Ederaro, with the former Nigerian youth son. In the pre-season we’ve worked hard international impressive since signing from to fi t a couple of new players in the team. Wollongong in the NSWPL scoring 3 goals We lost three or four fi rst eleven players, in four matches. who are hard to replace with young boys. “He’s a livewire. His ability to run at But we’re working hard.” players and his immense speed is creating Tortevski knows that his side will have a lot of problems for people. We’re not to be at their best to take down their hosts, playing him as a striker, we’re fi nding he’s challenging his squad to fi ght hard for a more benfi cial to us on the right side of result. midfi eld.” “If we play the game like we started Heidelberg landed a coup for their the season against Hume City we’ve got a Former Celtic and Feyenoord star Bobby Petta struts his stuff in the VPLtonight. club - and the VPL - when they snared the chance of coming out with the three points. signature of former Dutch international If we play the way we started against Dan- Heidelberg have got a very good team on Bobby Petta for the 2009 season. denong, we’ll be in big trouble.” paper, big names. We’re going there to play By Chris Aloi Katsakis revealed how he managed to “We’re looking forward to this game our best and to try and win the game.” Photos by John Punshon against Heidelberg United. We know

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p9 The Premiership VPL Round 5 - Monday Night Football - Part 2 ZEBRAS HEAD SOUTH TO BREAK DUCK At Bob Jane Stadium On Tuesday KO 8.30pm

WHITTLESEA SOUTH ZEBRAS V MELBOURNE The Whittlesea Zebras will Tex Apostolikas will be looking to host South Melbourne at Bob provide his side with their fi rst goal Jane Stadium on Tuesday of the 2009 campaign. To do this he night. must be ready to convert any oppor- With the Zebras fi nding them- tunities that come his way. selves in uncertainty regarding the The main factor in South’s great availability of their usual home form in the last few weeks has ground of Epping Stadium, an been the supremacy throughout the agreement was reached late in the midfi eld, with both Joseph Youssef week between the two clubs and and Sebastian Petrovic dominating, Football Federation Victoria to play whilst the fl amboyant Fernando De the match at Lakeside. Moraes has rediscovered his form, The teams will come into the as well as chipping in with a goal game in contrasting form. Whittle- last week against the Knights. sea have opened the 2009 season In attack, South will rely on the with four straight losses and without veteran Kiwi Vaughan Coveny, who scoring a single goal. In contrast, with Goran Zoric provides South South have won their last two en- with one of the most dangerous and counters against rivals Preston and potent attacking partnerships in the Melbourne Knights, scoring 9 goals competition. The duo have scored in the process. a combined total of 5 goals in the If the Zebras are to trouble South past two weeks and Coveny is just they will need to take the game to two goals shy of 100 league goals them from the outset. In a stadium for South, with his 98th coming and environment that the South in last weekend’s 2-1 win over the players are used to, it is vital for the Knights. Zebras to gain the early ascendancy Kick-off on Tuesday is at in order to silence the parochial 8.30pm, with South fans needing to South fans. purchase a ticket for the contest as To do this, their experienced South is the away side even though players really need to step up, the match is at Bob Jane Stadium. including Josip Kozic, Terry Anto- Whittlesea members will have the niadis and Steve Martin. All three same entry entitlements as per their face the tough task in instilling membership. Zebras forward Tex Apostolikas will be hoping to put a diffi cult week belief and confi dence into the strug- By George Kouroumalis for the club behind it with a much needed win against the in-form gling squad. Former South striker Photo by John Punshon South Melbourne.

p10 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 Australia v England BLAST FROM THE PAST THE MOTHER OF ALL BATTLES Going Head To Head With Blighty FC While the Australia versus England rivalry at cricket goes back deep into the 19th century and there were plans to send a football team from this country to tour England in 1884, there have been relative- ly few occasions when the two countries have met on the football fi eld. The Football Association in England did provide occasional trophies and fi nancial support to the game in this country, but the fi rst touring team did not appear until 1925. In all it played 25 matches winning them all including the fi ve test matches against Australia. It was a strong side including Tom Whittaker, later to be a superb manager of Arsenal, Stan Seymour of Newcastle United, and Jimmy Davison of Sheffi eld Wednes- day. In all 139 goals were scored and only 14 conceded, four of those being scored by Australia in the test matches. In 1937 an English amateur team toured and this time Australia won two of the three test matches played. The English team were no mugs, and included Bernard Joy of the Corinthian Casuals and Arsenal. Australia won 5–4 in Sydney in front of 37,295 and by 4–3 in Newcastle and the tour raised more than $30,000 at the gate. England won the other eight games apart from the two tests. The next tour was by a very professional outfi t which arrived in 1951. All twenty matches were won by the visitors with Jackie Sewell of Shef- fi eld Wednesday scoring 35 of the 157 goals and Joe Hagan of Sheffi eld United getting 28. Aus- tralia suffered a 17–0 thrashing on a mud heap in Terry Greedy moves to his left as Trevor Francis misses a penalty that could have won the match for England at Olympic Park in 1983. Sydney on 30 June, the heaviest ever defeat of the It fi nished 1-1 after Phl Neal had scored an own goal for the Socceroos and Francis had scored earlier. Photo: John Punshon national side. Poor Norman Conquest was in goals for Australia that day. Frank Mitchell, then with Rooney were also in the team. Alan Davidson, Joe Watson, John Kosmina and On 12 February 2003 Australia played England Chelsea, was originally billed to travel and his England came returned in 1983 to take on the Graham Jennings. for the fi rst time in England. It was part of Sven- picture was used in the pre-tour publicity material Socceroos managed by Frank Arok, after Les In 1991 England came to Australia once again Goran Eriksson’s warm-up for the European but he did not appear. He would have been the Scheinfl ug decided it was more important for the for a single game against the Socceroos at the championships, so he started with a full senior fi rst Australian to represent England had he done future of the game if he accompanied the Youth Sydney Football Stadium. Another one-nil win to eleven, then replaced them all by promising so. The Australian test sides included Tom Jack, team to the World Cup in Mexico. This led to his England was the result. Australia gave everything youngsters in the second half. This was a major Frank Parsons, who scored in the fi rst test in Syd- permanent replacement by Arok. Three games but could not score. I remember being in the press blunder, as Frank Farina’s Socceroos led by the ney, skipper Bob Lawrie, Bob Bignall, Gordon were played in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, tent after the game when skipper Paul Wade, his irrepressible Harry Kewell went on the rampage ‘Bunny’ Nunn, and Ron Lord, who was to be the with the fi rst and third drawn, while England legs locked with cramp and still in his gear, was and were two-nil up in the fi rst half. England Australian keeper at the 1956 Olympic Games. scraped home one-nil in Queensland. Arok fi elded answering everything requested by the media, could not cope with Tony Popovic and Craig It was twenty years before another English the basis of the side he took through the World while his team-mates were already showered and Moore at set pieces, while Stan Lazaridis and team toured and it won all nine games in 1971 Cup qualifi ers in 1985 including Charlie Yankos, on the bus heading for the after-match festivities. Scott Chipperfi eld tore it apart down the left side. though by much narrower margins than was the Mark Viduka led the line. Popovic and Kewell case previously. The two tests in Sydney and Mel- scored in the fi rst half. The second half was bourne were only one-nil victories for the tourists marginally better for England as Wayne Rooney who had Mick Mills of Ipswich, Ken Wagstaffe, became the youngest player to win a full England then at Hull City and Peter Grummitt of Sheffi eld cap while Jermaine Jenas and Francis Jeffers also Wednesday in the squad. looked sharp. Brett Emerton added another goal On 31 May 1980, England came back to Sydney. for the Socceroos and Jeffers scored a consolation Australia lost 1–2 in a one-off game. Gary Cole, for England. But after 120 years Australia had now with Melbourne Victory, scored the Soc- fi nally beaten England at what it likes to think is ceroos’s goal from the penalty spot. Mark Jank- its own game. ovics and Ken Boden joined him in attack, while Words by Roy Hay Tony Henderson, John Yzendoorn and Jimmy Photos sourced by Roy Hay

Ron Lord in his days as a goalkeeping Paul Wade exhausted at the Tony Henderson takes on Trevor Cherry of England in 1980. Photo: Les Shorock coach. Photo: Les Shorrock collection end of the 1991 game. Photo: Roy Hay Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p11 SOCCER SIDESHOW A Little Bit of This That And The Other Dept.

COUCH

THE PORT MELBOURNE SOCCER CLUB POTATO “SHARKS” Celebrating 40 years The River Plate Football Academy Australia This week’s football “We will always fi ght on” invites all players between 7 to 16 years of age television & radio listings. PFA Australia to join our upcoming coaching programs: Play The World Game @The Best Club In Melbourne Autumn Coaching program: Easter Clinics South/Eastern Suburbs: We are looking for players of all ages Start 21st March till 13th June Join UK Academy Coach (UFEA recognised) North/ Western Suburbs: and development specialist Small Sided Football The Victorian Start 10th April till 3rd July 5 to 8 Year Old – “Shark Bites” Football Show Term Fees: $450 per term of 12 weeks (conditions apply) Lee Waddington for our Easter clinics. Just Fun, Fun, Fun Starts Wed 4th March 6pm Every Wednesday C31 8pm School Holiday Clinics: Dates: April 6th & 7th Girls, Girls, Girls – Ages 11 to 16 For 7 to 13 years old, Venue: Glenroy, Melbourne Wednesdays 6pm The Green Gully Southern Region: ONLY OPEN TO PFAA ACADEMY PLAYERS Lois Twohig Res, Dandenong North Boys U10, U12, U14, U16, U18 Football Show 3 days, Mon 6th April to Wed 8th April 9am untill 1pm Come And Play On The Best ground In Melb Every Saturday C31 10.30am Dates: April 8th & 9th All Teams Have Payed Qualifi ed Coaches Eastern Region: Venue: Glenroy, Melbourne U10- Wednesdays 6pm Parkhill Primary School, Open to all players aged between 7 –17 years old Parkhill Drive, Ashwood U12 – Thursdays 5.30pm Tues 14th April to Thurs 16th April U14 – Tuesday – Thursdays 6pm U16 – Thursdays 6pm 9am until 1pm Dates: April 14th & 15th U 18 – Tuesday – Thursdays 6.30pm Clinic fees: $150 for the 3 days. Venue: Cranbourne, Melbourne Availability: bookings being taken now Special Offer for Boys U18 Players enrolling in the Autumn Program will receive a %50 Open to all players aged between 13-17 years old Unbelievable never to be repeated OFF the 3 day school holiday clinic.(condition Apply) WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS - Asian Group A & B FEES ONLY $270 Please Note that Indoor and outdoor boots are required for Wed Apr 1 Australia v Uzbekistan 7.00 pm Fox Dates: April 16th & 17th Why Pay More - Don’t Miss Out all clinics and programs. Only A Few Places Left Join Now!! Sports 1 Players are encouraged to bring own lunch and drinks. Venue: Brighton, Melbourne Wed Apr 1 Korea v DPR Korea 9.55 pm Fox Sports 2 Some food and drinks will be available ... Open to players aged between 7-17 years old Thurs Apr 2 Bahrain v Qatar 1.25 am Fox Sports 1 CLUB PHONE – 96451408 For Enquiries Email: Thurs Apr 2 Saudi Arabia v UAE 4.25 am Fox Sports Register for all camps by emailing All enquiries for Juniors are to go through [email protected] Vicki Matzakof – 0401556953 1 [email protected] Vic2005optusnet.com.au For Enrolment, Send the complete form with an attached ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE cheque made to: River Plate Oceania Inc, to POBox 79 Check out www.pfaaustralia.com for more details Nicki Zapantis – 0402237408 Sat Apr 4 10.40 pm Fox Olinda, Victoria 3788 or call 03 9525 5844 [email protected] Blackburn v Tottenham www.riverplateaustralia.com Sports 2 Sun Apr 5 Newcastle v Chelsea 12.55 am Fox Sports 2 Sun Apr 5 Arsenal v Manchester City 12.55 am FOOTBALL Viewers Choice Sun Apr 5 Bolton v Middlesbrough 12.55 am View- WAG OF THE WEEK ers Choice QUOTES Sun Apr 5 West Brom v Stoke 12.55 am Viewers Choice ‘Do I support a London football team? I Sun Apr 5 West Ham v Sunderland 12.55 am View- do. I support Manchester United.’ ers Choice - CAPRICE Sun Apr 5 Fulham v Liverpool 2.25 am Fox Sports 2 Sun Apr 5 Everton v Wigan 11.55 pm Fox Sports 1 Mon Apr 6 Man Utd v Aston Villa 12.55 am Fox Bryan Hamilton : ‘I think in the end it Sports 3 will be down to Manchester United and Arsenal.’ Victoria Derbyshire: ‘So you clearly haven’t ruled out Liverpool then?’

‘Let’s see what RTE Sport has in the way of sport this week’ - DARRAGH MOLONEY Monday 30th March 8:00am World Cup Ecuador vs Brazil LIVE 10:15am World Cup Peru vs Chile LIVE ‘The trouble with football these days is 3:30pm World Cup Germany vs Liechtenstein that there are too many Madonnas in 5:15pm World Cup Lithuania vs France the game’ - 5 Live caller Tuesday 31st March 5:30am Blue Square Premier Woking vs Cambridge ‘Hagi has got a left foot like Brian Lara’s Utd LIVE bat’ - DON HOWE

Wednesday 1st April 5:30am U21 International England vs France LIVE ‘Hagi could open a tin of beans with his 11:30am World Cup Venezuala vs Colombia LIVE left foot’ - RAY CLEMENCE

Thursday 2nd April ‘We are now in the middle of the centre Football of the fi rst half’ - DAVID PLEAT 1:45am World Cup Bulgaria vs Cyprus LIVE 5:45am World Cup England vs Ukraine LIVE 8:15am World Cup Ecuador vs Paraguay LIVE ‘The lad got over-excited when he saw 10:15am World Cup Chile vs Uruguay LIVE the whites of the goalpost’s eyes.’ 12:15pm World Cup Brazil vs Peru LIVE - STEVE COPPELL 2:15pm World Cup Bolivia vs Argentina 4:00pm World Cup Andorra vs Croatia 5:45pm World Cup Turkey vs Spain ‘The Saudis would struggle in Europe 7:30pm World Cup Greece vs Israel because of that problem with those 11:00pm World Cup Scotland vs Iceland prayers fi ve times a day.You don’t know if they’re going to turn up for training.I’m Friday 3rd April Caroline Celico Age: 20 0:45am World Cup France vs Lithuania Insignificant other: AC Milan Attacking Midfielder, Kaka being serious.’ - DON HOWE 2:30am World Cup Poland vs San Marino

Saturday 4th April 4:30am Bundesliga Arminia vs Schalke 04 LIVE 9:30pm SPL Dundee Utd vs Hibernians LIVE

Sunday 5th April 1:00am SPL Celtic vs Hamilton LIVE 2:00am Serie A Atalanta vs Fiorentina LIVE 4:00am Magners League Munster vs Leinster LIVE PEDRO’S PIT 6:45pm Bundesliga Hamburg vs 1899 Hoffenheim Authentic Italian Pizza 8:30pm Eredivisie Roda JC vs Ajax LIVE 10:30pm SPL Falkirk vs Rangers LIVE 327 Bay Street, Port Melbourne Tel: 9646 4110

Monday 6th April 2 LARGE TRADITIONAL SUPER TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS 4:30am Serie A Udinese vs Inter LIVE PIZZAS DELIVERED LARGE TRADITIONAL PICK UP 11:30pm MUTV:EPL Man Utd vs Aston Villa $24 $10 p12 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 Issue #6 STATE LEAGUE SE3 - SEASON 2009 Round 1 Round 9 Round 16 Sat 28 Mar 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Springvale City Dorset Recal Res Sat 30 May 3:00PM Sandringham City v Noble Park Utd RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 25 Jul 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Peninsula Strikers Dorset Recal Res Sat 28 Mar 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Nunawading City Centenary Park Sat 30 May 3:00PM Brandon Park v Peninsula Strikers Freeway Res Sat 25 Jul 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Noble Park Utd Keeley Park Sat 28 Mar 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Boroondara Eagles Parkfi eld Res Sat 30 May 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Croydon City Arrows Carlson Ave Res Sat 25 Jul 3:00PM Springvale City v Brandon Park Ross Res Sat 28 Mar 3:00PM Brandon Park v Berwick City Freeway Res Sat 30 May 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Southern Suburbs Macleay Park Sat 25 Jul 3:00PM Nunawading City v Waverley Wanderers Mahoneys Road Res Sun 29 Mar 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v North Caulfi eld Keeley Park Sat 30 May 3:00PM Springvale City v Berwick City Ross Res Sat 25 Jul 3:00PM Berwick City v Boroondara Eagles Jack Thomas Res Sat 6 Jun 3:00PM Sandringham City v Waverley Wanderers RJ Sillitoe Res Sun 31 May 3:00PM Nunawading City v North Caulfi eld Mahoneys Road Res Sun 26 Jul 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Sandringham City Caulfi eld Park

Round 2 Round 10 Round 17 Sat 4 Apr 3:00PM Brandon Park v Waverley Wanderers Freeway Res Sat 13 Jun 3:00PM Sandringham City v Berwick City RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 1 Aug 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Nunawading City Macleay Park Sat 4 Apr 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Sandringham City Macleay Park Sat 13 Jun 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Boroondara Eagles Dorset Recal Res Sat 1 Aug 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Springvale City Carlson Ave Res Sat 4 Apr 3:00PM Nunawading City v Noble Park Utd Mahoneys Road Res Sat 13 Jun 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Waverley Wanderers Centenary Park Sat 1 Aug 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Berwick City Centenary Park Sat 4 Apr 3:00PM Springvale City v Peninsula Strikers Ross Res Sat 13 Jun 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Brandon Park Parkfi eld Res Sat 1 Aug 3:00PM Sandringham City v Southern Suburbs RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 4 Apr 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Berwick City Keeley Park Sat 13 Jun 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Nunawading City Keeley Park Sat 1 Aug 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Croydon City Arrows Parkfi eld Res Sun 5 Apr 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v North Caulfi eld Dorset Recal Res Sun 14 Jun 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Springvale City Caulfi eld Park Sun 2 Aug 3:00PM Brandon Park v North Caulfi eld Freeway Res

Round 3 Round 11 Round 18 Sat 18 Apr 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Southern Suburbs Dorset Recal Res Sat 20 Jun 3:00PM Brandon Park v Sandringham City Freeway Res Sat 8 Aug 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Noble Park Utd Centenary Park Sat 18 Apr 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Springvale City Parkfi eld Res Sat 20 Jun 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Noble Park Utd Carlson Ave Res Sat 8 Aug 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Sandringham City Dorset Recal Res Sat 18 Apr 3:00PM Sandringham City v Nunawading City RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 20 Jun 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Peninsula Strikers Macleay Park Sat 8 Aug 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Brandon Park Keeley Park Sat 18 Apr 3:00PM Brandon Park v Boroondara Eagles Freeway Res Sat 20 Jun 3:00PM Nunawading City v Croydon City Arrows Mahoneys Road Res Sat 8 Aug 3:00PM Springvale City v Boroondara Eagles Ross Res Sat 18 Apr 3:00PM Berwick City v Waverley Wanderers Jack Thomas Res Sat 20 Jun 3:00PM Springvale City v Southern Suburbs Ross Res Sat 8 Aug 3:00PM Berwick City v Nunawading City Jack Thomas Res Sun 19 Apr 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v North Caulfi eld Centenary Park Sun 21 Jun 3:00PM Berwick City v North Caulfi eld Jack Thomas Res Sun 9 Aug 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Waverley Wanderers Caulfi eld Park

Round 4 Round 12 Round 19 Sat 25 Apr 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Waverley Wanderers Macleay Park Sat 27 Jun 3:00PM Springvale City v Croydon City Arrows Ross Res Sat 15 Aug 3:00PM Nunawading City v Springvale City Mahoneys Road Res Sat 25 Apr 3:00PM Nunawading City v Brandon Park Mahoneys Road Res Sat 27 Jun 3:00PM Nunawading City v Peninsula Strikers Mahoneys Road Res Sat 15 Aug 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Berwick City Parkfi eld Res Sat 25 Apr 3:00PM Springvale City v Sandringham City Ross Res Sat 27 Jun 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Noble Park Utd Macleay Park Sat 15 Aug 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Southern Suburbs Carlson Ave Res Sat 25 Apr 3:00PM Berwick City v Croydon City Arrows Jack Thomas Res Sat 27 Jun 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Sandringham City Carlson Ave Res Sat 15 Aug 3:00PM Brandon Park v Croydon City Arrows Freeway Res Sat 25 Apr 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Peninsula Strikers Keeley Park Sat 27 Jun 3:00PM Berwick City v Brandon Park Jack Thomas Res Sat 15 Aug 3:00PM Sandringham City v Peninsula Strikers RJ Sillitoe Res Sun 26 Apr 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Noble Park Utd Caulfi eld Park Sun 28 Jun 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Southern Suburbs Caulfi eld Park Sun 16 Aug 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v North Caulfi eld Macleay Park

Round 5 Round 13 Round 20 Sat 2 May 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Croydon City Arrows Centenary Park Sat 4 Jul 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Brandon Park Carlson Ave Res Sat 22 Aug 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Sandringham City Parkfi eld Res Sat 2 May 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Southern Suburbs Parkfi eld Res Sat 4 Jul 3:00PM Sandringham City v Boroondara Eagles RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 22 Aug 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Brandon Park Centenary Park Sat 2 May 3:00PM Brandon Park v Springvale City Freeway Res Sat 4 Jul 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Nunawading City Parkfi eld Res Sat 22 Aug 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Waverley Wanderers Dorset Recal Sat 2 May 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Nunawading City Carlson Ave Res Sat 4 Jul 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Springvale City Centenary Park Res Sat 2 May 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Berwick City Macleay Park Sat 4 Jul 3:00PM Berwick City v Southern Suburbs Jack Thomas Res Sat 22 Aug 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Boroondara Eagles Keeley Park Sun 3 May 3:00PM Sandringham City v North Caulfi eld RJ Sillitoe Res Sun 5 Jul 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Croydon City Arrows Caulfi eld Park Sat 22 Aug 3:00PM Berwick City v Springvale City Jack Thomas Res Sun 23 Aug 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Nunawading City Caulfi eld Park Round 6 Round 14 Sat 9 May 3:00PM Nunawading City v Boroondara Eagles Mahoneys Road Res Sat 11 Jul 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Croydon City Arrows Keeley Park Round 21 Sat 9 May 3:00PM Springvale City v Waverley Wanderers Ross Res Sat 11 Jul 3:00PM Springvale City v Noble Park Utd Ross Res Sat 29 Aug 3:00PM Berwick City v Sandringham City Jack Thomas Res Sat 9 May 3:00PM Berwick City v Peninsula Strikers Jack Thomas Res Sat 11 Jul 3:00PM Nunawading City v Sandringham City Mahoneys Road Res Sat 29 Aug 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Croydon City Arrows Macleay Park Sat 9 May 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Sandringham City Keeley Park Sat 11 Jul 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Brandon Park Macleay Park Sat 29 Aug 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Peninsula Strikers Carlson Ave Res Sat 9 May 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Noble Park Utd Dorset Recal Res Sat 11 Jul 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Berwick City Carlson Ave Res Sat 29 Aug 3:00PM Brandon Park v Noble Park Utd Freeway Res Sun 10 May 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Brandon Park Caulfi eld Park Sun 12 Jul 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Peninsula Strikers Caulfi eld Park Sat 29 Aug 3:00PM Nunawading City v Southern Suburbs Mahoneys Road Res Sun 30 Aug 3:00PM Springvale City v North Caulfi eld Ross Res Round 7 Round 15 Sat 16 May 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Peninsula Strikers Parkfi eld Res Sat 18 Jul 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v Boroondara Eagles Carlson Ave Res Round 22 Sat 16 May 3:00PM Sandringham City v Croydon City Arrows RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 18 Jul 3:00PM Brandon Park v Nunawading City Freeway Res Sat 5 Sep 3:00PM Sandringham City v Brandon Park RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 16 May 3:00PM Brandon Park v Southern Suburbs Freeway Res Sat 18 Jul 3:00PM Sandringham City v Springvale City RJ Sillitoe Res Sat 5 Sep 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v Waverley Wanderers Parkfi eld Res ody3t ac 09 p13 Monday 30th March 2009 Sat 16 May 3:00PM Boroondara Eagles v Springvale City Macleay Park Sat 18 Jul 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Berwick City Dorset Recal Res Sat 5 Sep 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Boroondara Eagles Centenary Park Sat 16 May 3:00PM Nunawading City v Berwick City Mahoneys Road Res Sat 18 Jul 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Southern Suburbs Centenary Park Sat 5 Sep 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Nunawading City Dorset Recal Res Sun 17 May 3:00PM Waverley Wanderers v North Caulfi eld Carlson Ave Res Sun 19 Jul 3:00PM Noble Park Utd v North Caulfi eld Parkfi eld Res Sat 5 Sep 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Springvale City Keeley Park Sun 6 Sep 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Berwick City Caulfi eld Park Round 8 Sat 23 May 3:00PM Springvale City v Nunawading City Ross Res Draw Notes: Sat 23 May 3:00PM Berwick City v Noble Park Utd Jack Thomas Res CATCH-UP ROUNDS - 6th June 20 & 12 September 20 - Clubs will be notifi ed by Sat 23 May 3:00PM Southern Suburbs v Waverley Wanderers Keeley Park FFV of matches to be played on this weekend during the course of the season. Sat 23 May 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows v Brandon Park Dorset Recal Res Sat 23 May 3:00PM Peninsula Strikers v Sandringham City Centenary Park CLUBS ARE ADVISED TO VERIFY THEIR FIXTURES REGULARLY VIA RESULTS Fri 24 May 3:00PM North Caulfi eld v Boroondara Eagles Caulfi eld Park Photo by John Punshon VAULT AND THE FFV WEBSITE FOR ANY CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF THE SEASON. from rising A-League starto Turkish professionalhas beenswift,with 6goalsin22Super Leagueap- Games by grabbinghischance withGençlerbirliği andmaking afirst teamspothis own.Histransition It isacredittoBruce Djite’s character thatheputthedisappointmentof non-selectionattheOlympic Gençlerbirliği -Turkey (SüperLig) Bruce Djite (age21)Striker 25 bid toavoidrelegation. turn broughttwogoalsinanaway wintoHibernianandhewillnodoubtplayacriticalroleinthe club’ although aninjuryinOctoberkept himsidelinedduringtheclub’ selection toabonafide Socceroo. A truewinger, theQueenslander hasbeenastalwartforKilmarnock, for thestatusoflesserteamsinthatcompetitionhehasfailedtoadvancefrompreliminarysquad Danny InvincibileisintheheartofhissixthcampaignScottishPremierLeague,anditsaysalot Kilmarnock -Scotland(PremierLeague) Danny Invincibile(age29)Winger 26 build onhisalreadystrongreputation. with intheK-League,Northhasabilityto can adjusttothechallengeshewillbefaced transformation intoastrongcentreback.Ifhe in thetackle,qualitieswhichhaveaidedhis Beauchamp. Heisdeceptivelyquickandgood developing astrongpartnershipwithMichael sive, filling hisdefensivepostadmirablyand in thegreenandgoldhavebeenimpres- in the2010 World Cup.Hisperformances seen asabidtofirmly secureaSocceroosspot ever improvingK-League,amovenodoubt January withamovetoIncheonUnitedinthe Jade Northfinally bookedaticketoverseasin (K-League) Incheon United-SouthKorea Jade North(age27)Defender 27 a fantasticleftfoot,whichwillnodoubtkeephiminthemixfornationalsquad. ful aerialabilityforastrikerofhisstature(barely5’9”intheoldscale).However a transferto ACL boundBeijingGuoan.Despitehiscondition,heissupremelyfit andpossesseswonder- foreign importintheChineseSuperLeague,wherehisperformancesforlowlyLiaoningHongyunledto prospect ofapromisingcareercutshort.Hehassincerecovered,andestablishedhimselfasquality The youngestoftheGriffiths brothers,Ryan wasdiagnosedwithaheartproblemin2007andfacedthe Beijing Guoan-China(SuperLeague) Ryan Griffiths (age27)Striker 28 with anundoubtedpotentialtosucceedatahigherlevel. pace, heisstillverymuchastrikerlearninghiscraft,but team football.Blessedwithnaturalskillandelectrifying Dutch clubFC Twente, wherehehasalreadytastedfirst- and impressedenoughintrialstosecureatransfer season withPerthGlory. Henetted10goalsin15starts, first tasteofinternationalfootballledtoabreakthrough himself wellinasquadlargely lackinginenterprise.His raised eyebrowsatfirst, buttheyoungsteracquitted Nikita Rukavytsya’s selectionintheOlympicsquad FC Twente -Netherlands(Eredivisie) Nikita Rukavytsya(age21)Striker 29 in theChineseSuperLeague. loan atBeijingGuoan,wherehisphysicalpresenceanduncompromisingnaturewillnodoubtbeaforce dead-ball specialist.Hehasjoinedagrowingnumberof Aussies in Asia, linkingupwithhisbrotheron an inherentabilitytobeintherightplaceattime,andhasdevelopedareputationasdeadly Griffiths hasbeenthemostprolifi c domesticstriker–almostscoringagoalineverytwogames.Hehas a Newcastlesquaddecimatedbysubstantialplayerexodus.Sincereturningto Australia fromEurope, Although notthedominatingforcehewasin Version 3.0ofthe A-League, JoelGriffiths wasarockin Beijing Guoan-China(SuperLeague) Joel Griffiths (age29)Striker 30 40 - 39 - 38 - 37 - 36 - 35 - 34 - 33 - 32 - 31 - TheStorySoFar...

Big Tone’s Top 50Aussie Footballers Issue #6 Travis Dodd(AdelaideUnited- Australia) Eugene Galekovic Joel Porter(Hartlepool-England) Tarek Elrich(NewcastleJets- Australia) Shane Stefanutto(FCLyn -Norway) Trent McClenahan(Hamilton Acad -Scot) Archie Thompson(MelbVictory - Aust) Michael Zullo(QueenslandRoar- Aust) Eddy Bosnar(JEFUnited-Japan) Brad Jones(Middlesborough-England) (Adelaide United- Aust) 50 -AdrianoPellegrino 49 -JosipSkoko(HajdukSplitCroatia) 48 -MichaelBaird 47 -PaulReid(AdelaideUnited Australia) 46 -NeilKilkenny(LeedsUnitedEngland) 45 -BillyCeleski 44 -JoshMitchell 43 -MattMcKay(QueenslandRoar Australia) 42 -RodrigoVargas (MelbourneVictory - Aust) 41 -MattSimon s worstspellinseveralseasons.His re- (CentralCoastMariners- Aust) (Melbourne Victory - Australia) (Universitatea Craiova-Romania) (Universitatea Craiova-Romania) , hisgreatestweaponis (Perth Glory- Australia) s against Uzbekistan.Strong,agileanddeadlyfinisher, Djiteappearstobeoncourseabrightfuture. pearances rewardinghimwithalatecall-uptofullstrengthnationalteamfortheupcomingqualifi squad thatappeared precariously unbalanced, and wasconfirmed as the A-League’s Rising Star. Blessed his football career. Not onlydidhebecome amainstaywith Adelaide United, hebreathedlife intoa Scott Jamieson returnedhome fromalargely disappointing timeinthe UnitedKingdom tohelpreignite Adelaide United - Australia (A-League) Scott Jamieson (age20)Winger 20 reward forthistirelessmidfielder. Gençlerbirliği, andselectioninthe squadforthisweek’s World Cupqualifier againstUzbekistanisjust proved farmorefruitful.Milehas already settledintotheheartofmidfi foot hehasdeliveredsomespectacular long-rangestrikes,andhissecondstintinEuropeanfootball has quickly slottedintoaholdingmidfield role,have re-establishedhiscredentials. Armed witharakingright Premier League,acareeratthecrossroads.HisperformanceswithCentralCoastMariners,wherehe European footballcareer. Hereturnedmerelytwelvemonths later, andwassoonlanguishingintheNSW Coming throughtheranksatSydneyUnited,MileJedinakleft Australia forCroatiainsearchofa Gençlerbirliği -Turkey (SüperLig) Mile Jedinak(age24)Midfielder 21 position intheheartofdefence. starting positionwithColchester, althoughhesecuredhisspotin lateFebruary, reclaiming hiscustomary third tiersofEnglishfootball.Ironically, hisperformanceswiththenationalteamhavecompromised his an assurednessandreliabilitywhichhascomewithseveralyearsexperienceplayinginthesecond ship in2008toreplaceaninjuredLucasNeill,andthedefenderhasperformedwithaplomb,displaying chances atinternationallevelhadpassedhimby. Verbeek pluckedhimfromtheEnglishChampion- A product ofthe West Ham Youth Academy, ChrisCoyne couldhavebeenforgiven forbelievinghis Colchester United-England(LeagueOne) Chris Coyne(age30)Defender 22 for anotherseasonatthehelm. a rockfromthepenaltyspot,and Victory faithfulwillhopethattheclub’s inauguralcaptainreturns Victory Medalinthreeyears.Hecontinuestobe club’s innersanctum,rewardedwithhissecond able consistencywhichwasrecognisedbythe nightmare. Hisseasonwastypified byaremark- his experiencemakehimanoppositionstriker’s ability toreadthegame,whencombinedwith ing styleofplayiscomplimentedwithanatural of histemperament.Muscat’s uncompromis- unprecedented trebleputpaidtoanycriticism cat’s unwaveringleadershipthroughout Victory’s involved in Australian clubfootball,KevinMus- Without question themostinspirationalcaptain (A-League) Melbourne Victory - Australia Kevin Muscat(age35)Defender 23 push forpromotionbackintothePremierLeague. injury toMarcusHahnemann,andwith5cleansheetsin14starts,hehassteadiedtheshipclub’ who lostonlytwiceinhisspellattheclub.OpportunityReadingbeckonedearlyDecemberwithan Reading inthepast,hedroppeddownadivisionthisseasonfor10-gamestintwithSouthendUnited, considered thelong-termincumbentin Australia’s No.1jersey. Largely limitedtocupappearanceswith Adam Federiciwasarevelationatthe2008Olympictournament,illustratingwithconvictionwhyheis Reading -England(Championship) Adam Federici(age24)Goalkeeper 24 twelve months,hewouldstruggletomakeanypundit’s all-timeTop 500,letalone N Bayern MunichinJune,andcouldyetbeheadingaboardtofurtherhisdevelopment. the formerSoccerooscaptainwouldbeunfairatthisstage.Hehassecuredatrialwith canny resemblancetoayoungPaulOkon,althoughatonlyseventeen,comparisons in astrugglingteamwerenothingshortofoutstandingthisseason.Hestrikesanun- Ben Kantarovskihasthepotentialtobeatopclassinternational,andhisperformances sters. BenKantarovski,DeanBouzanisandMitchNichollsaretheclearstandoutshere. and Newcastle,isfast-trackingthedevelopmentofsomenation’ to the A-League, wheretheinvestmentinyouthbysomeclubs,notablyQueensland to makeanimpactinthecomingtwelvemonths.Here,balanceisslightlyrestored Also thisweek,Inominatemy‘BabesinWaiting’, the top10youngsterswhoarelikely cream isrisingtothetop. prevalence ofoverseasbased Australians inthissegmentofthelistsuggeststhat twelve monthsasaform-guide. This week,Inameplayers30throughto11, andthe ing atthebest50 Aussies currentlyplayingtoday, withasignifi cant focusonthepast Thus, aswecontinuethecountdownthisweek,letmeclarifythatwe’resimplylook- Top 50. twelve months,hewouldstruggletomakeanypundit’s all-timeTop 500,letalone time. time. As muchasthenewlyshaven As muchasthenewlyshaven Adriano Pellegrinohashadagreat Adriano Pellegrinohashadagreat last week’slast week’s frontpageheadline,billingmyTop frontpageheadline,billingmyTop 50asthegreatestofall 50asthegreatestofall headline, butIthinkGoalWeekly’sheadline, butIthinkGoalWeekly’s editortooksomecreativelibertyin editortooksomecreativelibertyin ot thatIamonetoyieldthepressurecreatedbyhypeofagood eld afterhismid-seasonmoveto s fi nest young-

Current er s he willonceagainturntoacareeroverseas,withconfidence inhisownabilityrestored. from severalinternationalobservers.HemadehisdebutfortheSocceroosagainstIndonesia,andat20, ances for United and was most impressive in their World Club Championship campaign, drawing plaudits with paceandaneagernesstotakeonhismanateveryopportunity performances inthenational teamhavealso ited tojust 13appearances inallcompetitions. His niggling injuries since transferringfromItaly, lim- one ofstopsandstarts, andhehasstruggledwith field. Unfortunately forGrella,thisseasonhasbeen position wheneverhisbodyallows himtotakethe at BlackburnRoversthathecommands astarting midfielder, anditsaysalotforhowrespected heis Vince Grellaisstill Australia’s bestholding mier League) Blackburn Rovers-England (Pre- Vince Grella(age29)Midfielder 16 long internationalcareeraheadofhimifhecontinuesthisimpressiveform. technical abilityarereminiscentofanotherleftwingerplyinghistradein five goalsintwentyappearances,mostnotablyahat-trickagainst KayserisporinJanuary. Hisskilland has beenastonishing.Hethemostimpressiveofatrio the OlyrooswereimpressiveenoughtoearnhimacontractwithGençlerbirliği,andhistransformation Newcastle United,butfailedtowinfavourwithanyofhisfirst-team managers.Hisperformanceswith James Troisi wasclearlyatthecrossroadsendoflastseason.Hehadshownmuchpromise at Genclerbirligi -Turkey (SüperLig) James Troisi (age20)Winger 17 as the World Cuplooms. certain clubfuturewillnodoubtbehiskeypriority by Mark Viduka andJohn Aloisi. Securingamore notably Holland,suggestinghecanfill thevoidleft matches againstSouth Africa, Qatarandmost him toanewsphere,withgoalsinconsecutive nedy’s internationalperformanceshaveelevated struggling towinbackhisplace.However, Ken- games hasseenhimfrozenoutofthefirst team,and Christmas. Yet, failure toaddagoalinanyofthose campaign with15startsin19appearancesbefore last seasonwascomplimentedinthecurrent best defence.HisimpressivestartwithKarlsruhe aerial aptitudemakeshimachallengeforeventhe Joshua Kennedyisanenigma-hislankyframeand liga) Karlsruhe -Germany(Bundes- Joshua Kennedy(age26)Striker 18 become apermanentfixture withtheSocceroos. major weaknessishisworkoff theball,andimprovementsinthispartofhisgameareneededifheisto hole behindoneortwoforwards,apositionhehasvirtuallymadehisownin prehensive versatility, wherehecanplayalonehandasstriker, outwideasawingerorinthemidfield a first-team spotinateamwhichsitsatoptheDutchEredivisie. What Holmanhasillustratedisacom- being verymuchabit-partplayerwithhiscurrentclub AZ Alkmaar, wherehehasstruggledtobeddown for theDutchmanmomenthismidfield isdestabilisedthroughinjuryorform. This, despiteHolman A regularfeatureinPim Verbeek’s Socceroosstartingline-up,BrettHolmanhasbecomethego-toman AZ Alkmaar -Netherlands(Eredivisie) Brett Holman(age25)Striker 19 backroom staff, despiteneverhavingappeared and continuestodrawplauditsfromLiverpool Dean Bouzanishasalreadymadethatmove, to Australia orGreece,whichiswhyhein- in aseniorsquad.Hehasyettofullycommit some ofthefutureSocceroosjockeyingforpositionsat2014and2018World Cups. Keep aneyeoutforthem,alongwiththeremainingplayersonlist,astheywillbe goals inninestartssuggestheisasprolifi c asheisexciting. Playing inbehindthestrikers,hehasillustratedamaturitybeyondhisyears,andfi fantasticrunhomeinthe Roar’s A-League. playing aninstrumentalroleinQueensland Youth Cup,andhehasn’tlookedbacksince, securing Australia’s placeintheU20World Mitch Nichollswaslargelyresponsiblefor country ofhisheritageratherthanbirth. then theyoungsterwillmostlikelyoptfor lian nationalteamdoesn’tcomecallingsoon, cluded here,butonewouldthinkifthe Austra- to Australia orGreece,whichiswhyhein- in aseniorsquad.Hehasyettofullycommit backroom staff, despiteneverhavingappeared and continuestodrawplauditsfromLiverpool Dean Bouzanishasalreadymadethatmove, Don’t missnextweek’s Goal!Weekly forBigTone’s final instalmentoftheTop 50Countdown. By Tony Persoglia Aussies, confirming hispositionwith , Jamiesonmadeclosetofortyappear- Turkey, andatonly20,hehasa Tim Cahill’s absence.His ve One ofthetruegreats,heneedsmorefootballtoreclaimhisplaceamongst been restricted,althoughheshowedhistrueclassinacharacteristicdisplayagainstJapanFebruary. current qualifying campaign. green andgoldhave beenimpressivethroughoutthe his compatriotof late,andhisperformancesinthe eral cornersofthe Australian media,hehassurpassed fail togainpromotion.Dubbed‘Mini Vinnie’ bysev- their eyeontheCanberrabornmidfielder shouldthey are severalclubsintheItaliantop flight whohave rently sitsjustoutsidetheSerie-A playoffs, and there named captainatthestartofseason. Hisclubcur- become suchavitalplayeratGrosseto thathewas developing hiscraftinItaly’s SerieC,Carl Valeri has After servingalongapprenticeshipatInterMilanand Grosseto -Italy(SerieB) Carl Valeri (age 24)Midfielder 11 the World CupinSouth Africa. still hastheabilitytochallengeforNo.1spotcome Yet hisclubformisexemplary, andwiththeprospectofChampions Leaguefootballtocome,Petkovic fiddle throughouthistimeinthenationalteam,andhasstruggled toaddhisseveninternationalcaps. sit ontopofthe Turkish PremierLeaguetable. The formerSouthMelbournecustodianhasplayedsecond keepers in Turkey, andhasplayedasignificant role intheclub’s currentcampaign,wheretheycurrently Now inhisfourthseasonwithSivasspor, MichaelPetkovichasbecomeoneofthemostrespectedgoal- Sivasspor -Turkey (SüperLig) Michael Petkovic(age32)Goalkeeper 12 role inHull’s fight toavoidrelegation. is oneofthefew Australians playingregularlyintheworld’s bestcompetition,andhecontinuestoplaya been steadyifnotspectacular. In23appearancesthisseason,almosthalfhavebeenasasubstitute,buthe the pastcoupleofseasons,firstly withColchesterandthenHull,hisreturntothetopfl ight has The West Australian developedareputationasgoalscoringwingerintheEnglishChampionshipover mier League,scoredhisfirst evergoalintheEPL,andmadehislongawaiteddebutfornationalteam. In lessthantwelvemonths,RichardGarciahashelpedHullCityachievepromotiontotheEnglishPre- Hull City-England(PremierLeague) Richard Garcia(age27)Winger 13 play akeyrolein Australia’s World Cupcampaign. inely layclaimtoastartingposition.Givenhisundoubtedleadershipandexperience,hewillonceagain question areturntothe A-League. That saidheistheonlydomesticbasedinternational whocangenu- his career. Hisperformancesforbothclubandcountryhavegivenhopetotheoldergenerationwhomay (diagnosed withtesticularcancerinDecember)isatestimonytothecouragehehasillustratedthroughout international stage.Hisresurgence afterprematureinternationalretirementandasignificant healthscare Craig Mooreisthelastofagenerationuncompromisingdefenderswhohavelefttheirmarkon Queensland Roar- Australia (A-League) Craig Moore(age33)Defender 14 Australian squad,andalmostfirst pickedoneveryteamsheet. the moreconsistentandmostcommittedmembersof be hislast World Cupcampaign,butheisstilloneof undeniable valuetotheteam. At 33,thiswillnodoubt and hisgoalagainstUzbekistanin Tashkent provedhis shirt, hecontinuestocalltheleft-backpositionhisown, a hat-trickagainstFC Vaduz. A legendinaSocceroos advanced attackingrole,culminatingmostrecentlyin ary, hehasriddenawaveofimpressiveforminan However, havingfinally regainedfullfi tness inFebru- all-time Top 10forgamesplayedandgoalsscored. sive careeratBasel,wherehesitsamongsttheclubs Injuries threatenedtoendScottChipperfield’s impres- League) FC Basel-Switzerland(Super Scott Chipperfield (age33)Winger 15 Newcastle Jets Australia 10 MarkoJesicNewcastle Netherlands AZ Alkmaar 9 JamesHolland 8 MitchellLangerakMelbVictory Australia 7 Tahj Minniecon 6 DavidWilliams BrondbyIFDenmark 5 DanielMullen 4 ChrisHerd Aston Villa England 3 MitchNichols 2 DeanBouzanisLiverpoolEngland 1 BenKantarovski BabesInTheWaiting... Adelaide United Australia United Adelaide QueenslandRoar Australia QueenslandRoar Australia Newcastle Jets Australia rightNewcastle Australia’s elite.

Monday 30 Mar 2009 p15 Part 2 Part THE BIG MAC THE REGULARS MacKenzie At Large An Occasional Offering from Craig MacKenzie Oakleigh’s seven deadly sins over fi gures but Oakleigh could be on the Mark Rendell thought of the gala occa- venue and a season-long ban. FOOTBALL Federation Victoria has verge of becoming a signatory to the most sion. And all this under the watchful eye of created a world fi rst by fi xturing a club lucrative deal in the history of sport in this He joined a number of dignitaries who all Rendell who could have been excused to play seven consecutive away games country. addressed the large crowd before kick-off for cringeing as he sat in the VIP area this season. I just hope that the Greek-backed club but were barely audible due to the poor exchanging pleasantries with Dandenong In a publicity masterstroke which could realises that it owes an enormous debt of quality of the speaker system in use. mayor Pinar Yesil and local councillor Jim propel FFV and football in this state onto gratitude to FFV as the pending wind- What I found interesting was the last Memeti as a pall of smoke hovered in the the world stage, Premier League power- fall would never have been possible had speaker (who I think was Thunder’s club air no more than 20 metres from them. house Oakleigh Cannons will embark on someone in the federation not thought that president) talking in Albanian. I can only hope that their cevapcici rolls, the toughest road trip in sport when they the term “home and away” only referred to Having fi rst-hand knowledge of the mi- one of the highlights of going to the venue, set off for Paisley Park to take on home a TV soapie – which could soon turn out to grant experience and being respectful of were up to their usual high standard as I’m team Altona Magic in their round eight be true. the variety of ethnic origins of many of guessing that some of the off-fi eld shenani- clash on 25 April. gans left a slightly bitter aftertaste in the Oakleigh’s amazing run then takes in a mouth of one of the most powerful men in string of away games against South Mel- Victorian football. bourne, Green Gully, Hume City, Heidel- berg, Dandenong Thunder and Melbourne Tut, tut Mr Metcalfe Knights before the travelling circus trudges CRAIG Metcalfe couldn’t contain him- wearily back to home base at Jack Edwards self after opening the scoring on Friday Reserve for a round 15 clash with Whittle- night in Bentleigh Greens win over sea on Friday 15 June. Frankston Pines. This unique take on fi xturing for what is Taking a leaf out of the Danny Tiatto book now known as the home-and-stay-away of football etiquette, Metcalfe gestured season saw Oakleigh play its fi rst three towards the Pines fans next to their team’s games at home this season. It then played dugout on the outer part of the ground Whittlesea away last Monday night then after he had taken advantage of a defensive hosted George Cross last Friday and has blunder to break down a brave rearguard two more consecutive home games before action by the youngest team in State One. loading up the caravans, watering the As the players reached the centre circle and camels and heading off into the sunset for a starting setting up for the restart Metcalfe couple of months. grabbed his chance to show his former club Conspiracy theorists would have you how he felt. believe that this is the federation’s way of It was a cheap shot at these fans and had punishing Oakleigh general manager and the referee or his assistant seen his action One of Oakleigh’s many caravans that form part of its travelling ringmaster Aki Ionnas who was pretty up- he surely would have been punished for it. pity last year over the big issues of summer circus. As you can see the club is preparing to have some away soccer, communication between FFV and games scheduled in Asia. the clubs, and the Australian Institute of Sport’s involvement in the Premier League. our Victorian clubs I have no problems at But I’m no conspiracy theorist. Nope. In Oops, sorry Mentor all with a public address system used to fact I’m starting to see some method to this DOH! And apologies to Mentor Memeti convey a language other than English. apparent madness as I’ve heard rumours for writing in this column last week that Forgive me for belabouring the point but concerning the club’s nickname and a pos- he’d switched to Bentleigh Greens. the same respect for our multicultural mix sible change from Cannons to Pioneers. Not so and the Memeti name still is heavily is not in the 2009 Rules of Competition How better then to bed in the new name involved, both on and off the fi eld, with which clearly state (rule 3.12): “No club than to send the players, offi cials and sup- Dandenong Thunder. may distribute, disseminate, broadcast or porters to far-fl ung corners of the sprawl- The mistake I made after speaking to publish by any means whatsoever whether ing Melbourne metropolis where they can Greens coach Dean Hennessy was to up- electronically or otherwise any material in retrace the footsteps of our forefathers date my column then forgetting to send it to a language other than English, with(sic) the and prove themselves worthy of the new Goal! Weekly editor Costa Koutropoulos to prior written consent of FFV to do so.” nickname. overwrite my earlier submission. Ah, so that’s how speaking in Albanian was American broadcaster CBS has enjoyed Hey, I’m getting old. And I drink too much possible. Obviously Thunder had obtained spectacular success with its TV reality Guinness. prior written consent. show, “Survivor: The Australian Outback”, (Hey! Nothing wrong with a drop of the ol’ Did the club also obtain prior written and I understand that the broadcaster and Irish holy water. – Ed.) consent for FFV to waive a $1000 fi ne Oakleigh last week started preliminary for igniting fl ares? Let’s hope so for when discussions with a view to fi lming the Thunder captain Veton Korcari scored what A question of consent Craig Metcalfe (right) and Craig upcoming trek and turning it into a spin-off was to be the winning goal in the clash STILL on the topic of Dandy Thunder I Smart line up for Bentleigh Greens series. with Altona Magic two fl ares were set was at the offi cial opening of the club’s last Friday night against former club The club hierarchy and the broadcaster’s off on the side of the ground opposite the grandstand a fortnight ago and won- Frankston Pines. Philadelphia lawyers still are haggling grandstand, an offence that the club would dered what FFV chief executive offi cer Photo: DARRYL KENNEDY. have you believe incurs expulsion from the

p16 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 Gas Bagging Dept. THE REGULARS

With Mark Boric

Well the Whittlesea merger/venue debacle Wellington Phoenix CEO Tony Pignata had a major development this week in the is in town, either scouting for players or Supreme Court. It’s looking like this will brokering a merger with Whittlesea, de- be a costly exercise, and if the FFV are pending on who you speak to. It’s good to forced to make a pay out everyone will be a have someone offering VPL players hope loser as we all know where the money will for A-League futures. Luckily for them come from. Tony prefers suburban Melbourne to the Australia play the producers of inferior beaches of Brazil and Costa Rica. potassium, Uzbekistan, in a World Cup If Manchester United aren’t annoying Qualfi er this week. It will be interesting to enough, through their Manchester United see how cautiously Pim Verbeek approach- Cup they have to take the ugly side of es the game, if he will park a bus across the junior football all around the world. Egos, goal or maybe just settle for a mini-bus. poaching, winning at all costs and parents Which is probably his nickname in coach- living vicariously through their kids, this ing circles. comp has it all. I wonder how many strikers are fl ying Looks like Ljubo Milicevic isn’t seeing over for this game to sit on the bench? eye to eye with the heirarchy at Newcastle Does Verbeek get the defensive midfi elders Jets either. Maybe Dandenong City, beaten seats in First Class because that is who he 3-0 by Malvern City on the opening day, really cares about? will be hoping to entice him back. The State and Provisional Leagues Still no full confi rmation of the second are under way (in most cases, thank you Melbourne A-League franchise being ac- Councils) and so are the trashings. Lyndale cepted into the competition, but then again United thumped Riversdale 8-1 in the big- all these rumours are great publicity. So I The Bandidios get ready to give the visiting Uzbekistan squad a true gest of them. Could be a long season for wouldn’t expect any announcements for a blue ‘Aussie welcome’ at Sydney Airport during the week. some. while.

With George Katsamboukas

Round 1 of the State and Provisional Over to the Foxtel Cup we go where the Dande- an International clearance form to the House of details are listed and communicate directly with Leagues has been played, and for some nong Thunder and Richmond Eagles juggernaut Darebin on March 3rd. overseas Football Associations to receive these the Fat Lady was in fi ne voice, for others, continues to roll on. The FFV then faxed said form to FFA, whose International clearances. she was locked back into her very large Both are sitting at the top of the Table and fi rst attempt to fax this form to the overseas FA cupboard, hopefully only until next week. Richmond provided another thumping to Preston where the player came from was on March 18th, Waiting for the FFA to do this is like waiting for And over to the House of Darebin we go, on Friday night at Black Forest Cake Headquar- only a 15 day delay, what’s 15 days between me to give up the J Walker. where the meaning of lastminute.com.au took on ters. friends? a new meaning during the week. Preston had a massive player exodus just be- The FA’s, mind out other gutter, FA Stands It will never happen! Seems the good folk there missed the point fore the Season commenced and is not deep into for Football Association, Fax was engaged so about scheduling Round 1 for commencement on the Westgate Bridge zone on the League Table. another attempt was made a few days later. Footnote to the above. March 28th, where…. Dandenong Thunder came away from their Once again Fax was engaged, 26 Days have The players in question come from a Country Many Clubs had not yet been allocated away match against Hume City with maximum elapsed and FFA has yet to be able to get this which is deeply entrenched in a Civil War and Grounds for the commencement of the Winter points and conceded their fi rst goal after 5 form across to the overseas FA who were part of a Homeless World Cup Team Season from their Local Councils on that Date, matches. that played here late last year. but onwards and forwards did the House of But wait, there’s more! The Australian Government had no hesitation Darebin march and they stuck to their Guns and Over to Sydney we now go, Home of Football in handing them Political Asylum. insisted that March 28th would be the start date Federation Australia, who can turn a trading loss FIFA regulations state that if no response is They then received their Permanent Australian of the 2009 Season. into a profi t with a stroke of a keyboard… received after 30 days from the time of sending Residency, which in itself is a long process, from Councils allocate Winter Tenancy usually on Where many years ago when they were the Form Overseas, the player will be automati- the Australian Government quicker that they April 1st each year. strapped for cash, plonked a $10 levy on every cally cleared. have been able to receive a Football International Lastminute.com.au was then implemented by player registration nationally. In this instance, the FFA is waiting 30 days clearance! the House of Darebin, with a long list of fi xture FFA are responsible for obtaining International form their fi rst failed attempt to send the form rescheduling taking place at the very last minute clearances for players that are registered overseas overseas before they clear the players, as per Welcome to Football in Australia Lads, where its that covered not only Round 1 Matches, but and have come to our Lucky Country. FIFA’s rulings. bureaucracy rules supreme! matches deep into the Season. Now you would think that common sense Process is as follows: would prevail here and the FFA employee would Hopefully you will fi nally get out on the park And at the House of Darebin we shall stay, Club sends International clearance form to the use another method to contact the Overseas FA, before your 65th Birthday where…. House of Darebin, who then send this on to FFA, being either a telephone call or email to see why On Friday, their Powerborkers slipped into who then send it on to relevant FA of where the the Fax at the other end is constantly engaged. Till next week….. the Supreme Court, where Justice Harper, player was registered last. But then again, common sense and football ad- handed down his judgement on the case between ministration sometimes do not go hand in hand. This is Katsa – Just as you’ve known him. Whittlesea Juventus International Football Club All seems pretty simple…. One Club Powerbroker whose identity will Inc v. Football Federation of Victoria Inc. However, it seems that nothing is simple when remain anonymous to protect the Guilty took Whilst I am unaware of the details of this case, it comes to the people that administer this fi ne matters into his own hands and contacted the FA my sources tell me that Justice Harper’s ruling Game of ours, as the motivation to follow up whose Fax was constantly engaged directly and Coach Toll was one that had the FFV Powerborkers looking on these matters form FFA is about as strong as received a response in 5 Minutes. for a strong J Walker , as opposed to their regular mine is to have early Friday nights. Latte’ that they like to sip on at around 3 in the Moral of the Story? Last Year This Year afternoon. A classis example of this is as follows: Club Powerbrokers who are awaiting Inter- More to be revealed during the week! Club X ( no punters, the famous Sex Shop is national Clearances for Overseas Players, visit 0 - 5 0 - 5 not trying to enter the World of Football) faxed www.fi fa.com where all overseas FA’s contact Outs Weeks Outs Weeks

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p17 CLASSIFIEDS Getting The Right Results Dept.

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Orders not available from Nike Australia direct to public and must go through a registered Nike Stockist. p18 Monday 2 March 2009 Issue #6 STAE LEAGUE DIV 1 Victoria GRASSROOTS FOOTBALL KICKS OFF Greens Off To A Flyer, Suburbs and Royals Too! The opening round of the State League One for 2009 has seen the RESULTS Bentleigh Greens justify all of the Bentleigh Greens 3 (C Met- pre-season hype surrounding their team following an encouraging 3-1 calfe AM Rudzki J Quickenden) victory over the Frankston Pines at Frankston Pines 1 (A Chila), Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Northcote City 1 (T Rixon) Faw- Friday night. kner Blues 1 (N Lazarevski), The Greens, looking to go one better from Langwarrin 0 Bulleen Royals 1 recent years after continually challenging for the two promotion spots, look to be seri- (M Leckie), Clifton Hill 1 (J Ka- ous contenders once again after blowing the lifatidis) Pascoe Vale 1 (M Tolli), game apart in the second half. After a score- Springvale White Eagles 2 (Z less fi rst half, Bentleigh stole the game with Vukas) Western Suburbs 3. Craig Metcalfe, Adam Rudzki and Jacob Quickenden scoring three goals in quick STANDINGS succession. While Adrian Chila managed to P W D L F A PT peg one back for the Pines, it was merely Bentleigh Greens 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 a consolation goal with the game already Western Suburbs 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 sealed. Bulleen Royals 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Saturday’s game at John Cain Memorial Fawkner Blues 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Park saw Northcote City mark their return Clifton Hill 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 to the league with a thrilling 1-1 draw with Northcote City 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 fellow newcomers, the Fawkner Blues. The Pascoe Vale 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Blues, like Frankston, were relegated last St Albans Saints 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 season from the Foxtel Cup, while North- Southern Stars 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 cote were returning after a year in State Adrian Chiappetta (Northvote) gets Craig Smart gives the thumbs up Springvale WE 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 League Two. The different leagues made no up over Chris Greechan (Fawkner). after getting on the scoresheet for Langwarrin 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 difference to either side though, with both Photo: John Punshon Bentleigh Greens. Frankston Pines 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 teams evenly matched all afternoon. Nick Photo: Darryl Kennedy Lazarevski’s goal for Fawkner looked to be Reserve on Saturday. The Royals’ Matthew the only difference between the sides; how- Leckie scored the only goal of the match as ROUND 2 ever Trent Rixon managed to fi nd an equa- the home side held on valiantly to ensure Bentleigh Greens v Langwarrin liser for City, ensuring both sides left with the margin did not blow out, although they Kingston Heath Soccer Complex shared points. could not break Bulleen’s defence down to Fri 3 Apr KO 8:00PM The only ex-Foxtel Cup side to emerge secure an equalising goal, leaving the Roy- from the fi rst weekend of matches with three als to take three points. Springvale WE v St Albans Saints points, the Western Suburbs will be pleased Promoted last season, Pascoe Vale were White Eagles Stadium to have defeated the Springvale White Ea- keen to impress among the big boys, fi ght- Sat 4 Apr Ko 3PM gles 3-2 at White Eagles Stadium on Satur- ing hard to secure a 1-1 draw with FC Clif- day evening. Although, the Suburbs were ton Hill at Kevin Bartlett Reserve on the Frankston Pines v Northcote City extremely lucky to escape with three points weekend. After the fi rst half ended with no Monterey Reserve after very nearly surrendering a three-goal goals scored, the second half began with Sat 4 Apr KO 7:00PM advantage in the second-half. Zoran Vu- both sides keen to break the deadlock. Clif- kas’s two second-half goals for Springvale ton Hill’s James Kalifatidis was the fi rst to Western Suburbs v Clifton Hill appeared to be the beginnings of a major score, before Pascoe Vale managed to fi nd a Action from Langwarrin versu Ralph Reserve upset, though the equaliser proved to be just goal to bring the game back onto level terms Bulleen Royals Photo: Darryl Ken- Sun 5 Apr KO 3:00PM out of reach of the White Eagles, as they through Marco Tolli, leaving the teams to nedy could not break through a third time. begin season 2009 with a single pont. Fawkner Blues v Pascoe Vale Last season’s third-placed Bulleen Royals Meanwhile, the round one clash between By Jeremy O’Neill CB Smith Reserve have carried over their 2008 form to defeat the Southern Stars and the St Albans Saints Sun 5 Apr KO 3:00PM Langwarrin in a close match at Lawton Park has been postponed until Saturday June 6. Photos by John Punshon Bulleen Royals v Southern Stars BRUNSWICK CITY DROP fi nal touch though was poorly fi nished ending up over their last gasp attack they equalised. A low cross from Veneto Social Club the crossbar. Brunswick was clearly the better team in wide on the right whizzed across the face of goal only TWO POINTS...... TWICE the fi rst half but all their good work almost came un- to see the Keilor striker get on the end of it and ‘steal’ a Mon 6 May KO 8:15PM stuck as Mussell got in behind the defence late in the point away from home. The disappointment was clear- Brunswick City got the 2009 campaign of to a disap- fi rst half to give Keilor their only real chance of the ly evident in the Brunswick team’s demeanour as they RESERVES pointing start after twice surrendering the lead to half. The left wingback’s cut back was well struck by walked off the park in a dejected manner. Two points an indifferent Keilor Park. Fielding fi ve new play- his teammate only to see Brunswick keeper, Dimitrop- dropped...... but if they learn from it then perhaps it was U21: Bentleigh Greens 3 Frankston ers from last year’s squad Brunswick coach, Tony oulos, make a fi ne save from point blank range. worth it. Pines 0, Northcote City 3 Fawkner At the main break, Ciantar demanded more of the Ciantar was quite optimistic about taking all three Blues 3, Langwarrin 5 Bulleen Royals points from Keilor which was relegated from State same urging his players to be true to themselves, mark Brunswick City 2 League One in 2008. tightly and continue running hard. Cannell surely had a Keilor Park 2 0, Clifton Hill 1 Pascoe Vale 3, Spring- As expected both teams started off nervously ex- similar message as the visitors came out from their half Goalscorers:Aki Gonullu 20’, David Garisto 68’ vale White Eagles 3 Western Suburbs pending alot of nervous energy from the onset on what time talk envigorated and more focussed on the task at (Brunswick City) 4 turned out to be an uncharacteristic warm day. Bur hand. Twelve minutes into the second half the scores (Keilor Park goalscorers not available at the time of Brunswick was fi rst to settle and look to create some were all equal after Keilor reacted swiftly to a goal print) P W D L F A PT good chances. The home team took the lead in only the mouth scramble after the ensuing corner sending the Best: G. Dafoe, A. Garisto, A. Gonullu, J. Voulouma- Langwarrin 1 1 0 0 5 0 3 ball into the net. This was the wake up call Brunswick nos 20th minute of the game when a long ball forward from Bentleigh Greens 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 the backline found Brunswick’s newest signing, Dafoe. needed as they shifted the tempo up once more. Line up:Dimitropoulos, Dokolas, JacksonJ.Voulou- His perfectly fl icked on header pierced the Keilor Park Dafoe again turned provider as his hard running manos, A. Garisto Gonullu (D.Sadik 71’), Madarovs- Pascoe Vale 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 defence which was caught square fi ndind Con Voulou- into the corner and great cross found debutant David ki, D. Garisto (Tsalkos 70’), Squiilacioti (Karas 89’), Western Suburbs 1 1 0 0 4 3 3 manos free with the goal mouth at his mercy. Garisto free on the edge of the box. He controlled and C.Vouloumanos, G. Dafoe Northcote City 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 volleyed his shot into the top left hand corner restoring As he was quickly closed down he slipped the ball Fawkner Blues 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 square to the unmarked Aki Gonullu who calmly slot- Brunswick’s lead once more. As the pace of the game Reserves: ted the ball into the net. Brunswick continued to mount slowed down with fatigue starting to set in Brunswick The reserve team started their season off in the worst St Albans Saints 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 on the pressure whilst Steve Cannell’s men looked created two more chances, fi rstly through Con Voulou- fashion as they were humbled 1-3 by the visiting Southern Stars 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 bewildered and could hardly create a worthwhile op- manos whose shot was just wide and in the 82’ Dafoe Keilor Park team. Springvale WE 1 0 0 1 3 4 0 latched onto a header on the back post but was denied portunity. Dafoe again lead to another great chance in Clifton Hill 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 the 30’ as his peripheral vision and perfectly executed by the crossbar and post as he headed back across the By Loui Simopoulos through ball to Con Vouloumanos again found the vet- goal. They say fortune favours the brave and as Keilor Frankston Pines 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 eran striker one on one with the visiting custodian. His Park threw everything they had left at Brunswick in State 2 SE - Match Report Bulleen Royals 1 0 0 1 0 5 0

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p19 INTERSTATE Queensland EIGHT IS ENOUGH FOR OLYMPIC Round 4 of the Hyundai QSL downing Redlands courtesy of an incred- sees Olympic FC take on Bund- ible four goal performance from striker aberg Spirit, a 2008 Minor Semi Joshua Searle. The visitors took the lead Final rematch between Redlands early and never relinquished it, putting in City Devils and NQ Razorbacks, a polished performance that bodes well Queensland Academy of Sport aim for their chances this season. The good for another win against Whitsun- news for NQ Razorbacks didn’t stop day Miners and Logan United and with the result, with inspirational skipper Capricorn Cougars clash at Clem Paul Sappelli completing his comeback Jones Fields. The highlight of the from a hip fl exor injury whilst Jake Na- round is the grudge match be- varro and Luke Rowell also made their tween competition heavyweights own returns from injury. Sunshine Coast FC and Brisbane Strikers. Olympic FC 8 (Nzube Okafor 26’, 41’, In major off-fi eld news there was a sur- 74’, Andrew Oar 36’, 49’, Chris Hagell prise management change at Capricorn 55’, Jack Petrie 59’, Shane Coffey 78’) Cougars during the week with Brad - Bundaberg Spirit 1 (Brett Kitching Smith replacing longstanding coach Jus- 22’) tin Kilshaw. Bundaberg, still searching for their fi rst goal of the season, travelled to Goodwin Redlands City Devils 2 (Danny Byrne Park to face Olympic FC who’ve been 52’, James Fround 81’) - NQ Razor- in scintillating form so far this season. backs 4 (Joshua Searle 2’, 55’, 70’, It appeared an upset may have been on 83’) the cards early on with Bundaberg cap- tain Brett Kitching scoring from range in Kyle McBurney (Whitsunday) tackles Josh McVey (QAS) Redlands City Devils hosted NQ Ra- the 22nd minute to give the visitors the zorbacks in a re-match of the 2008 Mi- lead. The goal seemed to only sting the put Olympic 2-1 in front before Okafor This will be the fi rst time the two sides nor Semi Final in which the side from home side into action though and Olym- struck again before half-time to give the have met since Bryan Gilfi llan’s sixth Townsville emerged victorious by two pic wasted no time equalising, with new home side a handy lead. The goal scor- minute penalty won the 2008 Hyundai goals. This meeting proved no different signing Nzube Okafor equalising in the ing action didn’t stop there however as QSL Grand Final for Sunshine Coast with the Razorbacks again victorious 26th minute. Classy winger Andre Oar Olympic turned on the style in the second FC and both sides will be eager to get half securing themselves a 8-1 thumping one up on their old rivals in 2009. Sun- of the visitors in the process. shine Coast haven’t had the most ideal of preparations for the game, losing 3-2 Still to play: on the weekend to league newcomers FNQ Bulls. The Strikers, on the other Sunday 29th March 5:00pm – Logan hand, have won three from three games United FC Vs Capricorn Cougars this season, scoring 12 goals on the way Logan United and Capricorn Cougars – an impressive average of four goals per kickoff on Sunday afternoon, both look- game. ing to redeem themselves after both suf- Strikers’ coach Stuart McLaren is set fering 3-0 losses in Round 3. In the sur- to make a return to the playing fi eld this prising news of the week, Cougars coach weekend as an injury replacement for Justin Kilshaw has stepped down from one of his most experienced players in his role allowing assistant Brad Smith the squad, defender Todd Gava. to take over the reins at the Rockhamp- “It was for convenience’s sake as much ton club. Kilshaw put his move down to as anything else that I’ve decided to what he thought was best for the team. make myself available to play again,” “I’ve put my heart and soul into the McLaren said. club, but now we need to part ways for He also commented that he was excited the club to move forward,” he said yes- about the prospect of making a Hyundai terday. QSL playing return, especially against Sunshine Coast FC. Sunday 29th March 6:00pm – Queen- “I’m actually looking forward to locking sland Academy of Sport Vs Whitsunday horns with one or two players I had some Miners keen duels with in the closing games of Queensland Academy of Sport take last season,” he said. on the Whitsunday Miners at home after their morale-boosting fi rst victory of the season last weekend. They will not be QSL STANDINGS underestimating the Miners who sit sec- G W D L F A GD P ond from the bottom of the table with- 1 Olympic FC 4 4 0 0 17 2 15 12 out a win. Despite this, their danger man 2 Brisbane Strikers FC4 4 0 0 14 2 12 12 3 Sunshine Coast FC 4 2 0 2 9 6 3 6 Andy Cygan has managed a goal a game 4 Logan United FC 4 2 0 2 8 8 0 6 so far this season and QAS will be keen 5 Redlands C Devils 3 2 0 1 8 9 -1 6 6 Queensland AIS 4 2 0 2 7 9 -2 6 to keep him quiet. 7 NQ Razorbacks 2 1 0 1 7 6 1 3 8 FNQ Bulls 3 1 0 2 4 5 -1 3 Sunday 29th March 6:00pm – Sunshine 9 Capricorn Cougars 4 1 0 3 6 14 -8 3 10 Whitsunday Miners 3 0 0 3 4 8 -4 0 Coast FC Vs Brisbane Strikers FC 11 Bundaberg Spirit 3 0 0 3 1 16 -15 0 Any game between Hyundai QSL heavy- weights Sunshine Coast FC and Brisbane QAS’s Neko Vujevich gets over the top of his Whitsunday Strikers is set to be a fi ery clash, and this By Jarrod Ellis opponent. Sunday will be no different. Photos by Brett McDonald p20 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 New South Wales INTERSTATE UNITED PULL CLEAR WITH LATE STRIKE Olympic Lose Two On The Trot, ‘Gong Shark Attacked NSW Premier League leaders Sydney Sydney United 2-1 Marconi Stallions ally cause the visitors considerable problems, United pulled well clear of the chasing The top-of-the-table clash at King Tomis- the opening of the second half belonged to FNSW RD 5 RESULTS pack with a last-gasp 2-1 win over Mar- lav Oval took a while to get going, but ulti- Marconi. Alex Canak and Abbas moth had P W D L F A GD P coni at home; the match details can be mately lived up to its billing and fi nished in excellent chances in the opening ten minutes 1 Sydney United 5 4 1 0 9 3 6 13 found below. dramatic style. of the half, and on 56 minutes an excellent 2 Marconi Stallions 5 2 2 1 9 5 4 8 Elsewhere, Sydney Olympic suffered the Marconi had the better of a largely ster- move involving Canak and young Ousmane 3 Bankstown City 5 2 2 1 9 7 2 8 4 Manly United FC 4 2 2 0 4 2 2 8 ignominy of two reverses in three days, ile fi rst half, and their Iraqi international Ali Toure ended with Vidaic stabbing a right- 5 Penrith Nep Utd 5 2 2 1 7 7 0 8 losing their postponed game against the Abbas had the fi rst shot of note, a free kick footed shot wide. 6 Blacktown City 5 2 1 2 4 8 -4 7 Bonnyrigg White Eagles 4-3 before going on fi ve minutes, which went over the bar. Marconi continued to dominate, until Unit- 7 Sutherland Sharks5 1 3 1 9 7 2 6 8 Sydney Olympic 5 2 0 3 13 13 0 6 down 2-1 to Penrith-Nepean on Saturday. Four minutes later, at the other end, Marconi ed scored an equalizer came out of nowhere. 9 W Sydney Berries 4 1 2 1 8 7 1 5 The thriller against Bonnyrigg started well keeper James Chronopoulos got lucky when Barkhousir did well to hold onto the ball in 10 Bonnyrigg WE 5 1 1 3 9 14 -5 4 enough for the competition favourites, with he strode out of his area and presented the an advanced position despite the attentions 11 Sydney Tigers 5 1 0 4 7 7 0 3 12 Wollongong FC 5 1 0 4 6 14 -8 3 Matthew Mayora scoring with a stunning ball to United’s Luka Glavas, but the latter’s of two Marconi defenders, and although the early volley, but two goals from Almir Diz- shot was defl ected wide. ball slipped beyond his reach, former Soc- daric and a sterling performance from Fred- On 20 minutes, Marconi went ahead with ceroo David Zdrilic had slipped into the box TELECHOICE PREMIER LEAGUE: die Graham gave the Serbian-backed club a debatable penalty. Former United hopeful unnoticed, and slid the ball adroitly home. ROUND 5: FIRST GRADE: Blacktown their fi rst win of the season. Against Penrith, Ben Vidaic went on a serpentine run along United found a second wind, and assailed City Demons 2 (Christopher Bedzo 31m again Olympic got on the scoresheet fi rst, his old club’s byline, and the referee judged the Marconi goal in the succeeding minutes, Ante Deur 60m) Sydney Tigers 1 (Ste- but two dismissals proved too much for them that he had been impeded on the way to goal. before the game settled into an end-to-end phen Kayes 16m), Bankstown City FC 2 in the end. Nahuel Arrarte tucked away the spot-kick in rhythm. Abbas was played in superbly by (Tallan Martin 15m Robert Mileski 82m) In Saturday’s other game, Manly United typically assured fashion. Canak on 72 minutes but sent his left-footed West Sydney Berries 2 (John Tsironis continued their solid start to the season, de- Vidaic almost extended the lead on half shot wide; ten frantic minutes later, a great 23m Aheleas Kotsopoulos 70m), Syd- feating Bonnyrigg 2-1. After quickly cancel- an hour, receiving a rebound in the United United move ended with Zdrilic playing in ney United 2 (David Zdrilic 68m Elsid ling out Freddie Graham’s opener, Manly area, which he slammed into a defender and Barkhousir on the right, but Chronopoulos Barkhousir 90m) Marconi Stallions 1 stole the points in the fi nal minute through out for a corner. As the half drew to a close, was out of goal quickly to avert the danger. (Nahuel Arrarte 20m pen), Wollongong FC 1 (Steven Hayes 85m) Sutherland substitute Fabio Pena. United began to come back into the contest; In the fi nal minute of injury time, even after Sharks 5 (Panagiotis Nikas 16/68m In the 2008 grand fi nal replay on Sunday, player-manager Ante Milicic nearly con- the dismissal of Ricky Perinich for a danger- Benjamin Spruce 28m Matthew Hall Wollongong were reduced to ten men and verted Mitchell Thompson’s fi ne left-wing ous challenge, United stole all three points 66m Christopher Price 72m). went down 5-1 to Sutherland, while Bank- cross on 34 minutes, and two minutes later when a free kick was fl oated in from the left, stown were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Damon Collina was presented with a free Chronopoulos failed to punch the ball clear, their close neighbours the West Sydney Ber- header from a corner, but saw his effort fl y and Barkhousir found himself free on the ries. Blacktown City piled more misery on over the bar. left-hand side of the box, with the goal at his By Mike Salter the troubled Sydney Tigers, defeating the Elsid Barkhousir replaced Milicic at the mercy. He fi red home virtually the fi nal kick Leichhardt outfi t 2-1. break, and although his pace would eventu- of the game, and wheeled away in delight. In Sydney

Tasmania INTERSTATE STH HOBART STAY TOP OF TREE Reigning Champs Cling To Forestry League Lead South Hobart clung to top spot on the McDonald did get the ball in the net for Forestry Tasmania Southern Premier Kingborough, but the effort was ruled off- League ladder on goal-difference de- side. spite drawing 0-0 with Kingborough A penalty by Luke Cripps and a goal by Lions United at South Hobart on Sat- Ben Hamlett gave Clarence a 2-0 lead at urday. half-time against Zebras, while Cripps fi n- South went top last Sunday when they ished clinically after a great run down the beat Glenorchy Knights 4-0 at South Hobart left by Chris Hunt to make it 3-0. through two goals by Greg Downes and one Jayden Welch pulled a goal back for the each to Hugh Ludford and Jonathon Ladic. Zebras, who missed good openings that fell Clarence United are second after beating to Dwayne Walsh and Ben Crosswell. Tilford Zebras 3-1 at KGV Park on Satur- University held the Knights to a goalless day. opening half, but only good goalkeeping And, Glenorchy Knights are third follow- by the Knights’ Ben Peter prevented Alexis ing their 3-0 win over bottom-side Univer- Bull and Aaron Hindmarsh from scoring. sity at KGV Park on Friday night. The Knights hit back through James South Hobart managed 24 scoring shots Hope, Amadu Koroma, and Jade Clay, but without success, while Kingborough had good keeping by Rory McCallum and the The biggest shock in the Forestry Tasma- The South Hobart squad for 2009 just four opportunities, all of which required woodwork kept them at bay. nia Northern Premier League was Prospect fi ne saves by South keeper Sam Kruijver to Corey Smith put the Knights ahead in the Knights’ amazing 6-0 away win over De- deny Tom McDonald, twice, Charles White 50th minute, clipping a shot just under the vonport City at Valley Road. TAS SOUTHERN LEAGUE and Marcello Marchioli. bar despite University goalkeeper McCal- Northern Rangers, who are tipped to win G W D L F A P lum getting his fi ngers to the ball. South Hobart 3 2 1 0 7 0 7 Greg Downes had a fi ne game in midfi eld the title this year, got off to an impressive Clarence United 3 2 1 0 5 2 7 for South, but the youngster was carried off Hope made it 2-0 in the 53rd minute fol- start with a 4-1 away win over Burnie Unit- Glenorchy Knights 3 2 0 1 7 7 6 on a stretcher near the end after sustaining lowing fi ne work on the left by Koroma and ed at Montello. Kingborough Lions U 3 1 2 0 10 7 5 Will Roberts, while Tom Sherman netted Tilford Zebras 3 1 1 1 9 10 4 a leg injury. Riverside Olympic whipped Launceston Hobart Olympic 2 0 1 1 3 4 1 He will undergo precautionary X-rays on the third eight minutes from the end when United 7-0 after leading 2-0 at the break and New Town Eagles 2 0 0 2 6 10 0 Sunday morning to rule out a break. he headed home Josh Fielding’s cross. it already looks like a long, hard season for University 3 0 0 3 1 8 0 Downes, David Abbott, Ricky Eaves, and Peter had to stretch to tip a Bull free-kick United. Julius Ross all went close for South, but a over the bar near the end, but the Knights Somerset, who are also strong contenders By Walter Pless determined Lions outfi t battled bravely for had the fi nal chance when Fielding hit the for the title, downed Ulverstone 3-0 at Car- the draw. post. digan Street after a goalless opening half. Photo by Walter Pless

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p21 INTERSTATE South Australia ADELAIDE BLUE EAGLES FLYING HIGH Zoran Karadzic’s Sees Perfect Start To Season! At Con Makris Park on Saturday With both sides having very different night Adelaide Blue Eagles fl ew starts to the season, this was a match that to a perfect three wins from three was there for the taking, especially for matches as they defeated Ade- the fallen Jets. But the Strikers are always laide Galaxy in an entertaining 2-0 dangerous at home and Villani ensured game. his squad played a much better game that A pressure game for Galaxy coach Carl the fl at, slow performance that they had Maynard, his side without a win from the over the Raiders the previous week. fi rst two rounds, while Eagles master After his so-so performance last week, coach and club legend Zoran Karadzic Brazilian import Filipe Garcia was back has got his boys ticking over nicely for in form for the Strikers. The homeside the start of season 2009, especially after got off to a dream start to their second their unexpected win over MetrStars the home match for the season, two quick previous week. goals scored in the fi rst half by Francesco The match had both sides playing Muscara and one of this season’s new some very good football creating plenty signings Eli Vlassis (Galaxy), giving of chances, Galaxy on the attack with the Striker’s faithful something to cheer youngsters Zaki Malik and Evan Kouna- about. velis both fi nding themselves with scor- The Jet’s came out much more com- ing opportunities, as well as Eagles new- petitive in the second half and made a comers Angelo Arambatzis (White City game of it, getting back a goal scored by Woodville) and Saranti Parissos (White S Lindsay. The Jets took the challenge up City), none of which could convert. Galaxy’s Joe Wright (left) and Blue Eagle Angelo Arambatzis in the physical to the Strikers fi ghting on to try to get the First goal for the Eagles came halfway encounter at Con Makris Park. elusive equalizer but were unable to crack through the fi rst half via the new Argen- the back of the net, their own keeper Paul the second half, it was Captain Catanzaro their shots on target the problem for Mi- tinian signing Arias proving to be a star O’Reilly putting in another great perfor- that eventually broke the deadlock, scor- chael Barnett. Para Hills came out fi ght- performer for the side. mance as did experienced Jets Matthew ing from a long ball from his keeper Les ing in the second half, with the break The second coming in controversial Kelly and Mark Clayton. Unable to fur- Pogliacomi in the 60th minute that beat through coming in the 60th minute from circumstances after referee Craig Zetta ther their score the Jets now sit Atkins. a great goal by young Joel Allwright af- awarded a penalty for a handball in the Adelaide City will host Raiders at Ad- As Campbelltown motored on unlucky ter MetroStars defender Adam Van Dom- box, with Eagle’s striker Parissos step- elaide City Park at 7.30pm on Monday to not score more, the Hills found them- mele was caught out of position. ping up to take the spot kick. He made no night where City is one again looking selves with a great chance to equalize, Although the Knights continued to mistake, drilling the ball past Galaxy’s the goods, although their two wins have captain Nathan Elliott 6 yards out in front pressure the visitors, chances went beg- keeper Julian Torresan, effectively seal- come in tough conditions, Mori being the of an open goal picking up after a Char- ging for MetroStars in front of goal, shots ing the match for his new side. Galaxy turning point in both their matches. Raid- lie Bowman set up for Jake Markham by Mattricianni, Tunbridge, Menechella, coach Carl Maynard had positives to take ers have also had a very impressive start couldn’t fi nd the back of the net. Char- and Stavrides all missing their mark. away from the match. “Although it was a to the season under the coaching direc- lie Bowman, Vice Captain of the Hills Knights players Michael Marrone, Alex loss, it was the best performance so far tion of John Duthie, where they are prov- spoke about his teams progress in the Sunasky and Joel Allwright again played this year. We had Evan Metanomski and ing to be a force to be reckoned with and new league. “Its pleasing we’re match- some great football, as did Shane Tobias Paul Karritevlis playing their fi rst match have been Adelaide City’s bogey team in ing it with some of the best team in the on his return from the Adelaide United for the season which made a difference. the past. A match where we will see two Super League while still being nowhere NYL squad. Knights 2009 signing Na- At last we showed what we’re all about greats matching up against each other in near the form of last season. Hopefully than Day (Modbury Jets) a seasoned playing some good attacking football Damian Mori and Richie Alagich which when we do hit form, we can string some footballer himself, provided the crowd with plenty of chances, just couldn’t put makes for a very interesting and exciting wins together”. with plenty of entertainment, his tough them away. It was a fast paced game, end to Round 3 of the Super League. Out at the Paddocks on Saturday physical style of football causing punters with good challenges just the wrong re- night, Rob Ditroia’s Para Hills Knights to fi nd their voice. sult for us.” and Mike Barnett’s MetroStars fought As the second half was nearing its end, Rocky Aloisi’s Campbelltown City out a 1-all draw. Ditroia’s men coming both coaches made their changes bring- FFSA RESULTS took a trip up to Woodside and scored off a good win against Jets the previous ing on strikers to up the tempo, Mark G W D L F A GD P themselves their fi rst victory for the sea- week and Barnett succumbing to a loss Mulady for the Knights and Francesco Adelaide Blue Eagles 3 3 0 0 6 2 4 9 son with a 1-0 win over Steve Maxwell’s Adelaide City 2 2 0 0 4 1 3 6 via the Blue Eagles, both sides were af- Monterosso for MetroStars. It didn’t take Adelaide Hills. After their impressive Western Strikers 3 2 0 1 6 5 1 6 ter the much needed 3 points to improve the 2009 National Youth League’s Top Para Hills 3 1 2 0 5 3 2 5 win over Adelaide Galaxy last week, the MetroStars 3 1 1 1 4 3 1 4 their 3rd and 5th positions on the Super Goal Scorer Monterosso long to fi nd the Hills were hoping to manage to do the Raiders 2 1 1 0 3 2 1 4 League ladder to stay in touch with the back of the net, as players contested for a Campbelltown 3 1 0 2 4 5 -1 3 same against the Red Devils. But it was front runners. ball that came in from the right, conges- Adelaide Hills 3 1 0 2 2 3 -1 3 a case of one-way traffi c for the eastern Modbury 3 0 0 3 4 8 -4 0 The fi rst 45 minutes saw a very even tion and mix up in front of goal fi nding Adelaide Galaxy 3 0 0 3 1 7 -6 0 suburbs side, the Red Devils dominating affair, both sides having their chances at the ball lose for Monterosso to guide it in with multiple opportunities up for grabs goal but not able to convert. A knee in- with his left foot for the match equalizer. for strikers Jason Trimboli and Michael Adelaide Galaxy 0 jury worry coming halfway through the Mike Barnett being the cool charac- Adelaide Blue Eagles 2 (M.Arias, S.Parissos) Paleka, those chances going unreward- fi rst half, as MetroStars striker Scott Tun- ter that he is was refl ective on the match. ed. Para Hills 1 (J.Allwright) bridge was brought down in a big tackle “Like last week we controlled the match, MetroStars 1 (F.Monterosso) In the mix were midfi elders Nathan by Knights Alex Sunasky, but recover- had plenty of chances but again were un- Western Strikers 2 (E.Vlassis, F.Muscara) Fleetwood and Simon Catanzaro featur- ing after some treatment to rejoin the the able to fi nd the back of the net. It is very Modbury 1 (S.Lindsay) ing prominently, both of which have been match. disappointing but I’m confi dent we’ll Adelaide City vs Raiders having super games of late. Hills keeper Para Hills Matthew Muscroft was again come good and get back on track.” Monday 30th March - 7:30pm Dan Atkins was having another superb Adelaide City Park, Hilltop Drive, OAKDEN proving to be a tough customer for the Charlie Villani’s Western Strikers hung match between the sticks, making a great Stars defence, as he stayed under the ra- on for a win at Carnegie Reserve in their fi ngertip save in the fi rst half to deny a dar popping up at just the right times. But fi rst home match under lights, downing shot from Simon Catanzaro to keep the it was MetroStars that controlled most of Modbury Jets 2-1 to stay in the top three By Nat Adamopoulos game scoreless as both sides went in for the match, their lack of being able to get positions on the Super League ladder. the half time break. Within 15 minutes of Photo by Adam Butler

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p23 Top Of The Pops Dept. THE WORLD GAME BIG GUNS NUDGE CLOSER Beckham Beats Bobby Moore’s Record A host of World Cup qualifi ers took and Lukas Podolski netting two in the space place on Saturday as League action in of as many minutes in the early stages of the Europe was put on hold. second period. But it was England’s friendly against As a further insult to Liechtenstein, Joachim Slovakia at Wembly that stole the ma- Low’s Germany could have added further to jor headlines, as the world’s most rec- their already devastating score line, but failed ognized footballer became England’s to convert chances and superior territorial ad- most capped outfi eld player. vantage. Goal! Weekly reporter Julius Ross Germany not only look comfortable on the checks out the pick of the action. pitch but they sit four points clear of second- placed Russia in Group Four after fi ve games. BECKHAM BREAKS MILESTONE However, Russia kept their qualifi cation England began their preparation for their hopes alive with a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan in World Cup qualifi er against Ukraine on Moscow thanks to Tottenham striker Roman Wednesday in the best possible fashion as Pavlyuchenko who scored one and created an- they thumped Slovakia 4-0 in a friendly other. match at Wembly Stadium on Saturday Guus Hiddink, in his fi rst game in charge night. of Russia since juggling managing duties with The impressive victory was the prefect stage the national team and English club Chelsea, for David Beckham to break the record of watched his side achieve what was required most caps for an English outfi eld player, after in a dour display which saw group minnows his half-time appearance from the substitutes Azerbaijan rarely threaten Russia’s strangle- bench. hold on the match. Beckham surpassed his previous record of 108 caps that he shared temporarily with SWITZERLAND BREATHING England warmed up for its crucial World Cup qualifi er against Ukraine on the late Bobby Moore, captain of England’s DOWN GREECE’S NECK Wednesday with a 4-0 win over Slovakia. Wayne Rooney scored twice as England 1966’s World Cup winning side. Greece ground out a valuable 1-1 draw eased to victory. The 33-year old also became England’s sec- away in Israel to remain top of Group Two ond most-capped player in history, with only in the World Cup qualifying stakes. WORLD CUP EUROPEAN GROUP STANDINGS goalkeeper Peter Shilton, whose 30-year ca- The 2004 European champions failed to reer – which spanned between 1970 and 1990 qualify for Germany 2006, but Otto Rehha- Group One Table Group Six Table –the only player to have appeared more times gel’s men may end their painful wait for World P W D L F A GD PTS P W D L F A GD PTS for England, with 125 caps. Cup action if they continue to grind out im- 1 Denmark 4 3 1 0 9 2 7 10 1 England 4 4 0 0 14 3 11 12 England dominated the early exchanges portant results such as the one in Tel-Aviv on 2 Hungary 5 3 1 1 5 2 3 10 2 Croatia 4 2 1 1 8 4 4 7 with the Slovaks, heading into the half-time Saturday. 3 Portugal 5 1 3 1 6 3 3 6 3 Ukraine 3 2 1 0 4 1 3 7 break a goal to the good and it was this point Equal on points with second-placed Swit- 4 Sweden 4 1 3 0 2 1 1 6 4 Belarus 3 1 0 2 4 5 -1 3 that England manager Fabio Capello gave the zerland – who were 2-0 winners in Moldova – 5 Albania 6 1 3 2 3 3 0 6 5 Kazakhstan 4 1 0 3 5 11 -6 3 home crowd something extra special to cheer on goal-difference, Theofanis Gekas gave the about, bringing on Beckham for his milestone Greeks the lead four minutes before half-time, 6 Malta 6 0 1 5 0 14 -14 1 6 Andorra 4 0 0 4 1 12 -11 0 appearance. but had to settle for a point after Israel’s Omer While Wembley had been treated to an event- Golan hit the equaliser in the 55 minute. Group Two Table Group Seven Table ful fi rst half, with Aston Villa front-man Emile Both sides have ten points from fi ve games, P W D L F A GD PTS P W D L F A GD PTS Heskey netting his fi rst international goal in with Greece having a +4 superior goal differ- 1 Switzerland 5 3 1 1 9 6 3 10 1 Serbia 5 4 0 1 12 5 7 12 almost six years in the seventh minute, before ence. 2 Greece 5 3 1 1 10 3 7 10 2 Lithuania 5 3 0 2 6 4 2 9 being subbed eight minutes later for a recur- Israel remain in contention for qualifi cation, 3 Israel 5 2 3 0 9 6 3 9 3 France 4 2 1 1 6 6 0 7 rence of an Achilles injury, it was the second sitting third and one point adrift of the leading 4 Latvia 5 2 1 2 8 7 1 7 4 Austria 4 1 1 2 5 7 -2 4 half that the Three Lions turned on the style. pair on nine. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney 5 Luxembourg 5 1 1 3 3 11 -8 4 5 Romania 4 1 1 2 5 8 -3 4 doubled the lead in the 70th minute with a NORTHERN IRELAND EDGE 6 Moldova 5 0 1 4 2 9 -7 1 6 Faroe Island 4 0 1 3 1 5 -4 1 header from a cross from whom else but David THRILLER Beckham.It was a demonstration that the vet- Northern Ireland has kept their dream of Group Three Table Group Eight Table eran midfi elder’s crossing is still top drawer. qualifying for their fi rst World Cup since P W D L F A GD PTS P W D L F A GD PTS Mexico 1986 alive with a thrilling 3-2 vic- 1 N Ireland 6 3 1 2 11 6 5 10 1 Italy 5 4 1 0 8 2 6 13 For Rooney, his performance was in stark tory over Poland at Windsor Park. 2 Slovakia 4 3 0 1 8 5 3 9 2 Rep of Ire 5 3 2 0 6 3 3 11 contrast to that displayed in the Premiership The Irish side sit top of Group Three on 3 Czech Rep 5 2 2 1 5 2 3 8 3 Bulgaria 4 0 4 0 3 3 0 4 ten points, and although they have played two last weekend, where his antics earned him a 4 Slovenia 5 2 2 1 5 3 2 8 dismissal and the new nick-named ‘Roonat- more matches than second-placed Slovakia, 4 Cyprus 4 1 1 2 4 5 -1 4 ic’. the win will boosts the sides’ hopes for their 5 Poland 5 2 1 2 8 7 1 7 5 Montenegro 4 0 2 2 3 6 -3 2 Rooney was a different man in Wembley, and clash against four-placed Slovenia in Belfast 6 San Marino 5 0 0 5 1 15 -14 0 6 Georgia 6 0 2 4 4 9 -5 2 the United striker capped a fantastic night for on Wednesday. Capello’s men in the 90th minute, by complet- Warren Feeney opened the scoring for the Group Four Table Group Nine Table ing a brace with a superb chip; both his goals home side in the 10th minute, but Poland drew P W D L F A GD PTS P W D L F A GD PTS coming either side of a well-worked goal from level on 17 minutes later through an Ireneusz 1 Germany 5 4 1 0 16 4 12 13 1 Holland 4 4 0 0 8 1 7 12 Chelsea’s Frank Lampard. Jelen strike. 2 Russia 4 3 0 1 8 3 5 9 2 Iceland 4 1 1 2 4 6 -2 4 Jonathan Evans scored his fi rst goal for 3 Finland 4 2 1 1 6 6 0 7 3 Scotland 4 1 1 2 2 5 -3 4 GERMANY AND RUSSIA Northern Ireland to put them ahead again two CRUISE PAST MINNOWS minutes after half-time, then a bizarre own- 4 Wales 5 2 0 3 4 5 -1 6 4 FYR Maced 3 1 0 2 2 3 -1 3 Meanwhile, Germany crushed European goal from Michal Zewlakow in the 61st saw 5 Azerbaijan 4 0 1 3 0 4 -4 1 5 Norway 3 0 2 1 2 3 -1 2 minnows Liechtenstein by the same score Ireland go 3-1 up. 6 Liechtenstei 4 0 1 3 0 12 -12 1 line to remain four points clear at the top of Marek Saganowski gave Poland some hope EURO RESULTS Group Four of World Cup qualifying. of a miracle comeback when he made the score Albania 0-1 Hungary Moldova 0-2 Switz Group Five Table Armenia 2-2 Estonia Montenegro 0-2 Italy Captain Michael Ballack led the way with line 3-2 in the 90th minute, but it was a case of P W D L F A GD PTS Belgium 2-4 Bosnia- N Ireland 3-2 Poland a fourth-minute opener, and four minutes lat- too little too late and the home side fi nished a 1 Spain 5 5 0 0 11 1 10 15 Herzegovina Portugal 0-0 Sweden er Marcell Jansen added a second to make it memorable night in the capital in nervous cir- 2 Bosnia-Herz 5 3 0 2 16 6 10 9 Cyprus 2-1 Georgia Rep of Ire 1-1 Bulgaria 2-0 before the ten-minute mark in Leipzig’s cumstances. Germany 4-0 Liech Romania 2-3 Serbia Zentralstadion. 3 Turkey 5 2 2 1 5 3 2 8 Holland 3-0 Scotland Russia 2-0 Azerbaijan 4 Belgium 5 2 1 2 9 9 0 7 Israel 1-1 Greece Slovenia 0-0 Czec Rep The 2006 World Cup hosts had to wait until By Julius Ross 5 Estonia 5 0 2 3 4 15 -11 2 Lithuania 0-1 France Spain 1-0 Turkey the second half to add to the score line, with Luxembourg 0-4 Latvia Wales 0-2 Finland Bayern Munich duo Bastian Schweinsteiger Photos by Soccer Way 6 Armenia 5 0 1 4 3 14 -11 1 Malta 0-3 Denmark England 4-0 Slovakia

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p23 WORLD CUP 2010 Australia v Uzbekistan VERBEEK ON THE VERGE But Pim Insists ‘Roos Leave Nothing To Chance Three and a half years ago, John their unbeaten record. Aloisi’s momentous penalty-kick Verbeek has blasted the Australian media against Uruguay presented Aus- and critics of his style, stating that the tralia with one of the fi nal golden main aim is to qualify for the World Cup, tickets available to the 2006 World not to play ‘pretty’. Cup in Germany. The Dutch maestro is so focused on The spot-kick illustrated the fi ne line booking his ticket on the plane to South between success – which had evaded Africa that he has dismissed talk of qualifi - the Socceroos for 32 painful years – and cation if Australia win against Uzbekistan failure – which had haunted them for three this Wednesday. decades. Although it is a mathematical possibility In a seemingly ironic turn of fortunes that the Socceroos will qualify for their for Australian football, 2009 could see second consecutive fi nals if they pick up Pim Verbeek’s team, now negotiating the all three points, Verbeek is leaving nothing Asian qualifi cation path, become the fi rst to chance and believes it essential to pick team to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World up maximum points in the next two quali- Cup in South Africa, in rather comfortable fi ers before getting carried away. fashion. In previous years, qualifi cation has left If Verbeek’s men grab the all important fans on the edge of their seats, in nail- three points in their next qualifying match biting circumstances. against Uzbekistan – and other results go This time around there may not be as their way – Wednesday April 1 2009 will much excitement, but there would be few be etched into the FFA’s record books as Australians who mind that the Socceroos another historic moment in Australian have sacrifi ced class for a ticket to South football. Africa 2010. The unbeaten Socceroos take on the Uzbeks this Wednesday, with the sides SOCCEROOS SQUAD: separated by six points on the Group One Michael BEAUCHAMP (Aalborg BK, table of AFC WC qualifying. DENMARK) Mark BRESCIANO (U.S. The ‘Roos were sitting pretty at the top Citta di Palermo, ITALY) Jacob BURNS with three wins and a draw for a total of (FC Unirea Valahorum, ROMANIA) Tim 10 points before Japan dispossessed them CAHILL (Everton, ENGLAND) David of top spot with a 1-0 win over Bahrain on CARNEY (Norwich City FC (on-loan), Saturday night. Pim Verbeek will be hoping Harry Kewell can reproduce his ENGLAND) Scott CHIPPERFIELD (FC Basel, SWITZERLAND) Chris COYNE Meanwhile, Uzbekistan has moved from impressive recent form in Turkey for the Socceroos on Wednesday. the basement to third place after crushing (Colchester United FC, ENGLAND) Ja- Qatar 4-0 in Saturday’s other qualifi er. a entirely European-based squad, with the game after poor performances in the Asian son CULINA (PSV Eindhoven, HOL- Verbeek has called in the overseas-based exception of Jade North who is currently Cup and World Cup qualifying and will LAND) Adam FEDERICI (Reading FC, cavalry for Wednesday’s signifi cant clash, playing his club football in South Korea have to be wary of the Uzbeks who will be ENGLAND) Richard GARCIA (Hull with household favourites Harry Kewell, for Incheon United. on a high after demolishing Qatar. City FC, ENGLAND) Brett HOLMAN Tim Cahill, Jason Culina, Lucas Neill, Verbeek will not only have the luxury of a (AZ Alkmaar, HOLLAND) Mile JEDI- Mark Schwarzer and Scott Chipperfi eld full-strength squad heading into the clash Recent Socceroos performances have been NAK (Genclerbirligi SK, TURKEY) Josh among the notable inclusions. with the Uzbekis, but his side will be fully less than desirable, with the loss to Kuwait KENNEDY (Karlsruher SC, GERMA- In the Socceroos’ most recent match, a refreshed after a week-long training camp coming on the back of a lucky escape in NY) Harry KEWELL (Galatasaray SK, 2012 Asian Cup Qualifi er against Kuwait, in Australia. Japan last month where heroics of Mark TURKEY) Scott MCDONALD (Celtic FC, Verbeek named an exclusively domestic In start contrast, Uzbekistan will have to Schwarzer salvaged a point, adding to a SCOTLAND) Lucas NEILL (West Ham squad to take on the visitors in Canberra, endure a long-haul fl ight to Australia after very fortunate 1-0 win over Bahrain last United FC, ENGLAND) Jade NORTH only for the side to go down 1-0 in a their home clash with Qatar on Saturday, November. (Incheon United FC, KOREA REPUB- hugely disappointing showing. giving them less than three days prepara- In light of these performances, critics LIC) Michael PETKOVIC (Sivasspor, The domestic plan once again backfi red tion. have labeled the Socceroos as boring, TURKEY) Mark SCHWARZER (Fulham and reiterated the need for players with It will leave the visiting side vulnerable, unimaginative, unimpressive and result- FC, ENGLAND) Mile STERJOVSKI European experience to be present in the and the Socceroos will be ready and eager oriented. (Derby County FC, ENGLAND) Carl squad. to exploit any obvious weaknesses. But while the ‘Roos may have failed to VALERI (U.S. Grosseto FC, ITALY) Luke This time around, Verbeek has opted for But the Socceroos will have to lift their impress the crowds, no one can argue with WILKSHIRE (FK Dinamo Moscow, RUS- SIA), Bruce Djite (Gençlerbirligi, TUR- ASIA GROUP 1 THE STORY SO FAR... MATCHES REMAINING KEY). Australia v Uzbekistan P W D L F A PTS 11/02/09 Japan 0:0 Australia 01/04/09 Australia - Uzbekistan Wednesday April 1 Fox Sports 1 from 7.00 pm Japan 5 3 2 0 8 3 11 19/11/08 Bahrain 0:1 Australia 06/06/09 Qatar - Australia KO 8pm Australia 4 3 1 0 6 0 10 10/06/09 - Bahrain Uzbekistan 5 1 1 3 5 6 4 15/10/08 Australia 4:0 Qatar Australia By Julius Ross 10/09/08 Uzbekistan 0:1 Australia 17/06/09 Australia - Japan Bahrain 5 1 1 3 4 6 4 Photo by Gordon Bennett

p24 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 Individual Accolades Dept. LONDON CALLING AND THE WINNER IS... Taking A Look At The Diamond Geezers In The EPL There are fewer than ten games to been great this season, and Murphy has go before the Premier League sea- shown quality of the ball as well as intel- son is completed. We are still yet ligent off the ball combined with being a to know who will win the title, who real tough ball winner. will qualify for Europe and which Up front we have Robinho of Man- teams will be subjected to at least chester City, and Gabriel Agbonlahor a year of tedious, lacklustre foot- of Aston Villa. Both front men have ball known as the English Cham- pace to burn and have excited their pionship. And there is another respective teams with quality goals in question yet to be answered. Who important games. is the Premiership’s best player So that is my Team of the Season. this season? Only one of these eleven can win the Looking at how the bookmakers award for Player of the Season, and for have it, and they usually know what me the choice was obvious. Looking at they’re talking about, the favourites for it, a Player of the Season needs to have the award all have one thing in com- been playing for most of the season, mon. They are all playing for one of the have been contributing much to his Premiership ‘Big Four’; Arsenal, Man- team, and have really stood out as being chester United, Liverpool and Chelsea. one of the best in the world at his posi- Granted, most of the players involved tion. And that player this season is Tim in the discussion for best player are Cahill. deserving of the award. Steven Gerrard, I believe that if you ask any Everton Nemanja Vidic and Ryan Giggs have all fan they will tell you how key Tim Ca- been great this season and their respec- hill is to their side. This season, Everton tive clubs are the two best teams in the got off to a slow start, in much part due country. How sweet it is: Tim Cahill has proven he’s no soft toffee and can go to the absence of Cahill due to injury. The problem that exists here is that, punch for punch with the best the EPL has to offer. Since returning, however, Everton have as with many sports around the world, and would certainly get my award for is Portsmouth’s Nadir Belhadj. He risen to sixth in the Premier League it seems to be unfair that only players Hairstyle of the Year. Martin Laursen has provided great attacking strength and are pretty much assured of another involved in title chases are awarded for has been great for Aston Villa and has and is lightening quick. At the heart of year in European competition. And Tim how good they are. Since the Premier been a real lynchpin of a great team the defence are Brede Hangeland of Cahill has been at the core of all of what League began in 1992, the PFA Player which is so close to breaking into the Fulham and Phil Jagielka of Everton. the club have done well. When Everton of the Year award has been given to a Champions League. Kevin Davies is the Hangeland has been a rock at the back went through several weeks without player from a Big Four team in eleven top scoring English forward in the Pre- and has dominated several very good a recognised striker it was Cahill who out of sixteen seasons. And in four of miership, and has been a key reason why Premiership strikers, whilst Jagielka is stepped up and scored crucial goals the fi ve seasons the award went to a Bolton has thus far avoided a relegation quick, versatile and dependable. I’d be which helped Everton win more than a player from a club outside the Big Four, scrap. Carlton Cole has also scored sev- very supprised if he was not considered few fi xtures which they had no right to the award happened to be given to a eral goals to keep West Ham clear of rel- for England at the next World Cup. be winning. The guy is great in the air player that was involved in the chase for egation, and played well enough to earn On the right of midfi eld is Geovanni despite being relatively small, and he the title. an England call-up. And Rory Delap has from Hull City. The man who was seen has a knack of knowing where the ball Therefore, since the PFA refuse to revolutionised the simple throw-in, and as surplus to requirements at Man City is going to end up and putting it into the give awards to players that are play- has created numerous for Stoke against has proved to be a valuable attacking net. He is an inspirational leader, and ing with teams outside the Big Four, I the bigger boys in the league. threat for the Premiership new boys, and much like other great players, he doesn’t have decided to give my own awards to That brings me to my fi nalised Team has scored several great and valuable always have to be in top form to be a players exclusively outside the top four of the Season. In goal, Shay Given goals against teams as big as Arsenal. huge infl uence on a game. teams in the Premiership. I will award from Manchester City. The Irish shot- On the left is Ashley Young from Aston So there it is, Tim Cahill is this a Team of the Season and a fi nal Player stopper has already had a man of the Villa. The English midfi elder has simply season’s Player of the Year. That is of of the Season based on all the football match performance for City since he got better and better since his move from course if you forget about the Big Four. that has been played this season in the joined, and continues to keep a great Watford, and has gotten the better of Which, I’m afraid, the PFA don’t even English Premier League. goal as he has done his entire career. almost every team he has played against want to consider. Firstly I’d like to mention players that At right back is Gretar Steinsson this season. In the middle of the park did not quite make into my Team of the of Bolton. The man has been solid, are Tim Cahill of Everton and Danny By Adam North Season. Everton’s Marouane Fellanini dependable, and tough. At left back Murphy of Fulham. Cahill has simply has had a great fi rst season at Everton, Photos by Gordon Bennett

Issue #6 Monday 30th March 2009 p25 LONDON CALLING Hey Big Spender Dept. STUDS AND DUDS! The Best And Worst Of The Euro Transfers With league action on hold due to the Amr Zaki (El Zamalek to Wigan Athletic) Top 5 Worst transfers mander has been the exception. Then again international break (yawn) I’m looking Though only on a season-long loan to Wigan, (In no particular order) what did Bolton expect from a player who at the top 5 best and worst buys of the signing the Egyptian international was still scored just 22 times in 64 games in the French season so far. These are players that a gamble for both player and club. Wigan Jo (FC Shakhtar Donetsk to Manchester league? signed for their respective clubs be- fought hard to uproot Zaki from his homeland City) fore the fi rst transfer deadline on 1st and though the current asking price of around No-one really knew what to expect from the Giovanni Dos Santos (FC Barcelona to Tot- September 2008. £12million may deter the Lactics from mak- Brazilian when he came to England. 44 goals tenham Hotspur) Maybe readers will see a few glaring omis- ing the signing permanent, he has performed in 77 games for CSKA Moscow raised ex- A £4.7million buy from mighty FC Barcelona, sions or glaring inclusions. In a season where well scoring 10 goals and having 1 assist in pectations as did a cracking goal against Inter the Mexican was hailed as one of the bargains the top league scorer could have less then 20 22 starts and 4 sub appearances. The player – Milan in the 2007-08 UCL season. However, of the season before he even donned a lily- goals for the fi rst time in ten years I’ve taken nicknamed The Gladiator - has gone off the blighted by a lack of pace and a lamentable white shirt. The question Spurs fans forgot to into account more than just hitting the net. boil lately and has been relegated to the subs work ethic (he thinks closing down is some- ask was why were Barca so willing to let him There’s the overall impact of the transfer on bench but he’s still scored more league goals thing shops do) it was clear he would struggle go? The guy is lightweight, injury prone and the team as well as individual stats, not to than Pavlychenko, Rooney or Berbatov. to fi t in with the new faces at Manchester City. though an undoubted talent if Barca is willing mention journalistic bias! He has since been shipped to Everton on loan to let you go there must be alarm bells ring- Samir Nasri (Olympique Marseille to Arse- with a clause allowing the deal to be perma- ing somewhere. With Gio I suspect he had Top 5 Best transfers nal) nent. To be fair his 4 goals and 3 assists in the too much too soon and believed the hype that (In no particular order) The 2007 young player of the year in France EPL are in part down to his limited playing made him one of Mexico’s most famous play- was an astute signing from Monsieur Wenger. time. And at only 22 he isn’t ready for the ers before he’d achieved anything in the game. Robinho (Real Madrid to Manchester Though his stats could be better (6 goals and scrapheap but he shouldn’t be ready to go back Now on loan to Ipswich Spurs fans can only City) 2 assists) the 21 year-old, once dubbed ‘The to Manchester either. hope he returns next season fi t, fresh and hun- For £32million he’d better be here! New Franck Ribéry’, has settled into North gry. Maybe then they’ll be able to sell him off In this season of goal scoring scarcity Robin- London’s French Quarter very nicely. for what they paid. ho’s 11 goals make him joint 4th in the league Samir is a hybrid between Robert Pirès (with- with nearly a quarter of the Citizen’s 46 league out the good looks!) and Ribéry (without the Xisco (Deportivo La Coruna to Newcastle goals. City’s mediocre league position does bad looks!). His silky dribbling and ability to United) count against him, making you wonder if he commit players and pop up into scoring po- Anyone remember a guy called Kevin Kee- has the ability to make his team-mates better. sitions mean bigger things are expected next gan? He managed a team called Newcastle Also to his detriment are the paltry 4 assists. year from £12million signing. United. On deadline day last year the Span- Good signing though he is perhaps passing to iard Xisco – whom Keegan had never seen his colleagues every now and again would not Luka Modrić (Dinamo Zagreb to Totten- play - was brought in against his wishes for only improve their ability but his stats. One ham Hotspur) around £5.7million. He scored 12 goals in 44 can’t help but think when watching him that On the other side of North London is a man matches for Deportivo La Coruna, hardly pro- he plays like the ball has his name on it and who, as an attacking midfi elder, has similar lifi c. In true Geordie tradition the striker has as though he doesn’t have much trust in his credentials to Nasri. 2 goals and 7 assists isn’t proved an injury prone fl op and is currently inferior colleagues. the worst return from a debut season just that 5th choice striker, which given their track re- with such a big rep and a £16.5 million fee the cord (anyone remember Stéphane Guivarc’h?) former Dinamo Zagreb man struggled early could be deemed acceptable. His fi ve appear- on in the season to live up to his billing. His ances, three as sub, suggest he won’t be add- form changed along with the manager and like ing to his tally of one goal for the Magpies any Nasri bigger and better things are sure to come time soon. from the Lilywhite’s playmaker. We need to remember he’s just 22. Jo with City boss Mark Hughes

David Bentley (Blackburn Rovers to Tot- tenham Hotspur) His 40 yard volley in the 4-4 draw at Arsenal should have put him down in Spurs folklore but as the months wore on a trend developed Robinho with Bentley. He became a bench player. Spurs fans slated his lack of a work ethic and Geovanni (Free Transfer to Hull City) the love affair was not helped by his laid-back The ex-Manchester City man’s stats are not as attitude (deemed as nonchalance) on the pitch. impressive as his Brazilian compatriot. How- There is a way back for Bentley during what ever what he lacks in stats (7 goals, 1 assist) is proving a nightmare season, but that’s only he has made up for in impact on his team and because no other clubs want him. value for money. His penchant for great free kicks and game winning goals is characteristic Johan Elmander (Toulouse to Bolton Wan- Xisco of his South American heritage. Again like his derers) Sources: www.premierleague.com Signed from Toulouse for around £8 million fellow countryman Robinho perhaps the odd www.eurosport.co.uk the fee may not seem like much but if you’re mazy dribble should be combined with a killer http://www.nufc.premiumtv.co.uk goal-scoring pass to a colleague. Bolton and you’re shelling out such cash you better get a player who delivers faster than By Leroy Jerome Robinson DHL. Traditionally the rugged and tough Modric Swedes do well in the physical EPL but El- Photo by Soccer Way

p26 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 DIMITRI TSIARAS RICHMOND EAGLES FC FOOTBALL FOCUS FULL NAME: Dimitri Tsiaras BIRTHPLACE: Australia BIRTH DATE: 17/05/1984 HEIGHT: 181 cm WEIGHT: 78kg MARRIED: Single CAR: Mazda 3 OCCUPATION OUTSIDE OF FOOTBALL: Finance NICKNAME: Dimi PREVIOUS CLUBS: Bentleigh, Kingston REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS: None CHILDHOOD FOOTBALL HERO: Zinadine Zidane FAVOURITE O/S PLAYER: Cesc Fabregas FAVOURITE VPL PLAYER: Junior Catalano FAVOURITE FORMER SOCCEROO: Mark Bosnich FAVOURITE CURRENT SOCCEROO: Tim Cahill MOST MEMORABLE MATCH AS A PLAYER: Under 11’s- Scored 6 goals MOST MEMORABLE MATCH AS A FAN: Australia v Iran – 2004 qualifi er MOST MEMORABLE GOAL YOU’VE SCORED: Last week against Sunshine - doesn’t happen often. EARLIEST FOOTBALL MEMORY: Playing my fi rst game - against under 11’s. I was 6 years old FUNNIEST MOMENT IN FOOTBALL: Any- thing Shaggy does (George Goutzioulis) BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Losing fi rst game of the fi nals last year WORST INJURY: Osteitis Pubis MOST DIFFICULT OPPONENT: Tony Ouliaris (Heidelberg Utd) FAVOURITE AWAY GROUND: Bob Jane Stadium SUPERSTITIONS: Same routine on matchday TYPICAL MATCH DAY MEAL: Pasta WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS: Touch, passing WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES: Pace FAVOURITE TEAM WHEN GROWING UP: Arsenal FAVOURITE OTHER SPORTS: AFL. Cricket FAVOURITE OTHER SPORTSPERSON: Lance Franklin FAVOURITE FOODS: Pasta, pizza FAVOURITE ACTOR/ACTRESS: Will Ferrell

Photo by Daniel Flis HOBBIES: Lounging around FAVOURITE HOLIDAY RESORT: Koh Phangan (Thailand) FAVOURITE NIGHTSPOT: None IDEAL DATE: Megan Fox FAVOURITE TV SHOWS: Two and Half Men FAVOURITE MUSIC: Anything FAVOURITE FILM: Gladiator LAST SOCCER SHIRT YOU BOUGHT: Arsenal –age 12 FUNNIEST RUMOUR YOU’VE HEARD ABOUT YOURSELF: Someone saying I have pace BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: Father BIGGEST DRAG IN SOCCER: Warming up and pre-season FOOTBALL AMBITION: Winning the VPL this year WHICH PERSON IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO MEET? : Diego Maradona YOUR TIP FOR THIS YEAR’S VPL: Richmond

p27 Monday 30th March 2009 Issue #6 RESULTS & LADDERS State & Provisional Leagues - Round 1 ROUND TWO FIXTURES All matches to be played on Saturday 4th April with 3pm KO unless otherwise stated.

Seniors STATE NORTH WEST 2 Reserves Seniors STATE SOUTH EAST 2 Reserves State NW 2 North Geelong Warriors v Williamstown Thomastown Devils 1 Westgate 0, Altona City 1 Gee- Port Melbourne 0 Diamond Valley Utd 3 (DJ Kermanidis 2 Port Melbourne 1 Diamond Valley Utd 0, Knox City 2 Thomastown Devils 1 (S Lamanda) Westgate 1 (RT Cull), Elcho Park Altona City 1 (S Hulusi) Geelong Rangers 2 (J Blackburn long Rangers 2, Brunswick City 1 Keilor Park 3 (L Car- L Minopoulos), Knox City 2 (A Edgar D Veljovic) Eastern Eastern Lions 0, Waverley Wanderers 1 Doncaster Rov- J Wade), Brunswick City 2 Keilor Park 2, Altona East bone M Mohamed F Sirgiovanni), Altona East Phoenix Lions 1 (M Verniers), Waverley Wanderers 1 (S Kramar) ers 0, South Springvale 2 Northcote City 2, Stonnington Ballarat Red Devils v Werribee City Phoenix 0 Ballarat Red Devils 0, Werribee City 1 (M Col- 0 Ballarat Red Devils 2, Werribee City 3 North Geelong Doncaster Rovers 1 (RH Dias), South Springvale 1 (I City 0 Casey Comets 5, Chelsea 3 Peninsula Strikers 1 Trekardo Park lins) North Geelong Warriors 2 (M Demo), Williamstown Warriors 2, Williamstown 1 Sydenham Park 1. Diniotis) Northcote City 1 (T Papadopoulos), Stonning- Altona East Phoenix v Keilor Park 2 Sydenham Park 0. ton City 3 (A Gungordu P Madondo A D’Ortenzio) Casey Paisley Park Soccer Complex Comets 0, Chelsea 1 (K Paterson) Peninsula Strikers 1 Brunswick City v Westgate (G Kilner) Dunstan Reserve P W D L F A PT Altona City v Sydenham Park P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT Port Melbourne 1 1 0 0 8 1 3 HC Kim Reserve Williamstown 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 Keilor Park 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Malvern City 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 Eastern Lions 1 1 0 0 7 0 3 Geelong Rangers v Thomastown Devils North Geelong Warriors 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Ballarat Red Devils 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 Morwell Pegasus 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Morwell Pegasus 1 1 0 0 5 0 3 Myers Reserve Geelong Rangers 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Werribee City 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Eastern Lions 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Dandenong City 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 Brunswick City 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Geelong Rangers 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Port Melbourne 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Casey Comets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 State SE 2 Keilor Park 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Thomastown Devils 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Doncaster Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Heatherton Utd 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Port Melbourne v Malvern City Thomastown Devils 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Sydenham Park 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Knox City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Doncaster Rovers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 SS Anderson Reserve Fri 3 Apr KO 8:30PM Westgate 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Williamstown 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Heatherton Utd 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Knox City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Heatherton Utd v Morwell Pegasus Ballarat Red Devils 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 North Geelong Warriors 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Casey Comets 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Malvern City 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Bosnia & Herzegovina Centre Altona East Phoenix 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Altona City 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Diamond Valley Utd 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 South Springvale 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Kingston City 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 Eastern Lions v Casey Comets Werribee City 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Westgate 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Gardiners Creek Reserve Kingston City 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 South Springvale 1 0 0 1 1 8 0 Altona City 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Brunswick City 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 Dandenong City v Diamond Valley Utd Dandenong City 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Diamond Valley Utd 1 0 0 1 0 7 0 Sydenham Park 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Altona East Phoenix 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Frank Holohan Soccer Reserve South Springvale v Knox City Warner Reserve Seniors Reserves Kingston City v Doncaster Rovers Seniors STATE NORTH WEST 3 Reserves STATE SOUTH EAST 3 The Grange Reserve Mon 6 Apr KO 8:30PM North Sunshine Eagles 0 Melbourne University Rangers North Sunshine Eagles 1 Melbourne University Rang- Croydon City Arrows 0 Springvale City 0, Peninsula Strik- Croydon City Arrows 3 Springvale City 1, Penin- ers 0 Nunawading City 0, Noble Park Utd 2 Boroondara 2 (DJ Greenwood N Schaer), Banyule City 1 (SE Dillon) ers 1, Banyule City 2 Moreland City 3, La Trobe Uni- sula Strikers 2 Nunawading City 1, Noble Park Utd 6 State NW 3 Moreland City 2 (E Tokoglu R Dinse), La Trobe University versity 6 Maribyrnong Greens 0, Lalor 3 Westvale 4, Eagles 2, Brandon Park 3 (R Benedos) Berwick City 2 Boroondara Eagles 0, Brandon Park 2 Berwick City 4, (GS Davidson OA Mejias). Hume Utd v Geelong 2 (L Lidestri) Maribyrnong Greens 1 (E Ahmetovic), Lalor Geelong 1 Yarraville Glory 1 Laura Douglas Reserve 3 (K Vaskoski WJ Sismanis P Romano) Westvale 3 (M Moreland City v La Trobe University Pongas DJ Sfetcopoulos DJ Perri), Geelong 0 Yarraville Campbell Reserve Glory 5 (S Georgakakis C Terzakis S Kalow B Mitanidis P Pasgas). Yarraville Glory v North Sunshine Eagles McIvor Reserve Banyule City v Melb Uni Rangers P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT Yallambie Park Reserve P W D L F A PT Noble Park Utd 1 1 0 0 6 0 3 Yarraville Glory 1 1 0 0 5 0 3 La Trobe University 1 1 0 0 6 0 3 Westvale v Cairnlea Brandon Park 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Berwick City 1 1 0 0 4 2 3 Melbourne Uni Rangers 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 Westvale 1 1 0 0 4 3 3 McKechnie Reserve Sat 6 Jun KO 3:00PM Noble Park Utd 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Croydon City Arrows 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Moreland City 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Moreland City 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Lalor v Maribyrnong Greens Boroondara Eagles 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Peninsula Strikers 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 La Trobe University 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Melbourne Uni Rangers 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 RGC Cook Reserve Sat 6 Jun KO 3:00PM Croydon City Arrows 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Waverley Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Lalor 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 Geelong 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Springvale City 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 North Caulfi eld 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Westvale 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 North Sunshine Eagles 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 State SE 3 Nunawading City 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Southern Suburbs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Cairnlea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Yarraville Glory 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Brandon Park v Waverley Wanderers Peninsula Strikers 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Sandringham City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hume Utd 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Hume Utd 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Freeway Reserve Waverley Wanderers 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Nunawading City 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Banyule City 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Cairnlea 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Boroondara Eagles v Sandringham City Southern Suburbs 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brandon Park 1 0 0 1 2 4 0 Maribyrnong Greens 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Lalor 1 0 0 1 3 4 0 Macleay Park Sandringham City 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Springvale City 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 North Sunshine Eagles 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Banyule City 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Nunawading City v Noble Park Utd North Caulfi eld 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Boroondara Eagles 1 0 0 1 0 6 0 Geelong 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 Maribyrnong Greens 1 0 0 1 0 6 0 Berwick City 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Mahoneys Road Reserve Springvale City v Peninsula Strikers Ross Reserve Seniors Southern Suburbs v Berwick City Seniors PROVI 1 NORTH WEST Reserves PROVI 1 SOUTH EAST Reserves Keeley Park Laverton Park 3 (V De La Plaza 2 C Stude) Western Ea- Laverton Park 3 Western Eagles 2, Elwood City 1 Mooroolbark 1 (T Hardcastle) Ashburton 1 (B Jackson), Mooroolbark 0 Ashburton 0, Monbulk 2 Fitzroy City 3, Mo- Croydon City Arrows v North Caulfi eld gles 2 (A Kozulin D Stankovski), Elwood City 2 (B Harmer Corio 0, Whittlesea Utd 0 Melbourne City 4, Lalor Utd Monbulk 0 Fitzroy City 3 (Z Ninkovic D Tepovac), Monash nash University 0 Old Camberwell Grammar 0, Mornington Dorset Rec Res Sun 5 Apr KO 3:00PM P Keipert) Corio 4 (V Graovac NT Madzikanda SJ Luczo 0 Sunbury Utd 0, Essendon Utd 1 Northern Falcons 0, University 2 (A Salmon MW Nyadzayo) Old Camberwell 2 Endeavour Utd 1, Warragul Utd 2 Doveton 2. 2), Whittlesea Utd 3 (S Mirik SA Cicek 2) Melbourne City FC Strathmore 0 South Yarra 2 Grammar 2 (GG Efe V Giannikos), Mornington 3 (AP Brophy Provi NW 1 C Wright 2) Endeavour Utd 1 (J Florindo), Warragul Utd 0 0, Lalor Utd 1 (D Petkovski) Sunbury Utd 2 (P Shipp), Northern Falcons v FC Strathmore Doveton 0. Essendon Utd 3 (P Devuono 2) Northern Falcons 1 (MA Hayes Park Rasile), FC Strathmore 3 (S Bebic D Peric S Saric) South Sunbury Utd v Essendon Utd Yarra 1 (B Dolan). Langama Park P W D L F A PT Lalor Utd v Western Eagles P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT Fitzroy City 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 HR Uren Reserve Whittlesea Utd 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 Melbourne City 1 1 0 0 4 0 3 Fitzroy City 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 Mornington 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Melbourne City v Laverton Park Corio 1 1 0 0 4 2 3 South Yarra 1 1 0 0 2 0 3 Mornington 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Edwards Reserve Warragul Utd 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 FC Strathmore 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Laverton Park 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Monash University 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Doveton 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Elwood City v South Yarra Essendon Utd 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Essendon Utd 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Old Camberwell Grammar 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Elwood Park Ashburton 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Laverton Park 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Elwood City 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Ashburton 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Mooroolbark 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Corio v Whittlesea Utd Sunbury Utd 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Sunbury Utd 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Mooroolbark 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Hume Reserve, Geelong North Old Camberwell Grammar 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Western Eagles 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Lalor Utd 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Warragul Utd 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Monash University 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Lalor Utd 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Western Eagles 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Doveton 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Provi SE 1 Scotch Old Boys 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Elwood City 1 0 0 1 2 4 0 Northern Falcons 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Old Scotch 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Endeavour Utd v Warragul Utd Old Melburnians 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 South Yarra 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 Corio 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Old Melburnians 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Reema Reserve Monbulk 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Northern Falcons 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 FC Strathmore 1 0 0 1 0 2 0 Endeavour Utd 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 Mornington v Old Scotch Endeavour Utd 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Melbourne City 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Whittlesea Utd 1 0 0 1 0 4 0 Monbulk 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Dallas Brooks Park Old Camberwell Grammar v Old Melburnians Deepdene Park Fitzroy City v Monash University Seniors PROVI 2 NORTH WEST Reserves Seniors PROVI 2 SOUTH EAST Reserves Fairfi eld Park Old Brighton Grammarians 0 Dandenong Sparrows 0, Watsonia Heights 2 (M Tavolaro E Santone) Moreland Watsonia Heights 1 Moreland Utd 2, Hoppers Cross- Old Brighton Grammarians 0 Dandenong Sparrows 4 (T Doveton v Mooroolbark Rowville Eagles 1 Old Carey 10, Carrum Utd 0 Beau- Utd 3 (A Babo 2 J Odisho), Hoppers Crossing 3 (JV Vella ing 2 Darebin Utd 2, Bell Park 4 Avondale Heights 2, Ithier T Boi 3), Rowville Eagles 3 (M Voinea A Di Camillo Waratah Reserve maris 5, Lyndale Utd 3 Riversdale 6, Whitehorse Utd 1 2 N Munro) Darebin Utd 3 (A Dogan N Assaad J Niko- Collingwood City 3 Plenty Valley Lions 1, North City C Miculit) Old Carey 3 (A Dimas J Roediger AF Amin), Ashburton v Monbulk Caulfi eld Utd 1 larakos), Bell Park 1 (LH NELSON) Avondale Heights 4 Lions 1 Epping City 2, Melbourne Tornado 2 West Carrum Utd 2 (M Serapiglia) Beaumaris 2 (M Runnalls Ashburton Park (M Jancic C Grasso L Gulliandolo 2), Collingwood City Preston 1 2), Lyndale Utd 8 (R Roslan 3 P Hanna 3 G Murray 2) Riversdale 1, Whitehorse Utd 1 (J Kazalac) Caulfi eld 5 (F Papoutsis D Tiamiyu 2 J Constantinou A Papout- Provi NW 2 Cobras 0. sis) Plenty Valley Lions 2 (D Stojanovski C Kirkopoulos), West Preston v North City Lions North City Lions 1 (B Manieri) Epping City 2 (MA Micucci Oulton Reserve Own Goal), Melbourne Tornado 1 West Preston 3. Plenty Valley Lions v Melbourne Tornado LE Cotchin Reserve P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT Collingwood City v Avondale Heights Collingwood City 1 1 0 0 5 2 3 Bell Park 1 1 0 0 4 2 3 Lyndale Utd 1 1 0 0 8 1 3 Old Carey 1 1 0 0 10 1 3 Kevin Bartlett Reserve Avondale Heights 1 1 0 0 4 1 3 Collingwood City 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Dandenong Sparrows 1 1 0 0 4 0 3 Beaumaris 1 1 0 0 5 0 3 Darebin Utd v Bell Park West Preston 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 Epping City 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Whitehorse Utd 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Riversdale 1 1 0 0 6 3 3 Mayer Park Moreland Utd 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Moreland Utd 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Rowville Eagles 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 Caulfi eld Utd 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Epping City v Watsonia Heights Epping City 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Melbourne Tornado 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Old Carey 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 Whitehorse Utd 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Harvest Home Reserve - Synthetic Darebin Utd 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 Hoppers Crossing 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Beaumaris 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Dandenong Sparrows 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Moreland Utd v Hoppers Crossing Hoppers Crossing 1 0 1 0 3 3 1 Darebin Utd 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Carrum Utd 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Old Brighton Grammarians 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 Moomba Park Reserve Watsonia Heights 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Watsonia Heights 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 White Star Dandenong 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 White Star Dandenong 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 North City Lions 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 West Preston 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Berwick Kings 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Berwick Kings 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Provi SE 2 Melbourne Tornado 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 North City Lions 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Caulfi eld Cobras 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Lyndale Utd 1 0 0 1 3 6 0 Whitehorse Utd v Riversdale Plenty Valley Lions 1 0 0 1 2 5 0 Avondale Heights 1 0 0 1 2 4 0 Old Brighton Grammarians 1 0 0 1 0 4 0 Carrum Utd 1 0 0 1 0 5 0 Terrara Park Bell Park 1 0 0 1 1 4 0 Plenty Valley Lions 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 Riversdale 1 0 0 1 1 8 0 Rowville Eagles 1 0 0 1 1 10 0 Lyndale Utd v Beaumaris Lyndale Secondary College Old Carey v Carrum Utd Carey Sports Complex Wilcox Field Seniors PROVI 3 NORTH WEST Reserves Seniors PROVI 3 SOUTH EAST Reserves Old Brighton Grammarians v Rowville Eagles Ascot Vale 1 (A Barakat) Melton 5 (P Matusiewicz 2 Ascot Vale 0 Melton 3, Brimbank 0 Brimbank City Bayside Argonauts 1 (D Andreou) Seaford Utd 0, Glen Bayside Argonauts 3 Seaford Utd 2, Glen Waverley 2 Dendy Park JG Moody 3), Brimbank 1 Brimbank City 1 (S Crnalic), 4, Brunswick Zebras 8 Keon Park 0, Bundoora Utd Waverley 1 (G Tzitzivakos) Brighton 4 (M McCaig S Letts Brighton 2, Old Trinity Grammarians 0 East Bentleigh Berwick Kings v Caulfi eld Cobras Brunswick Zebras 2 (M Roca S Franzo) Keon Park 1, 3 Upfi eld 2, Mill Park 2 Youth Utd 4, Surf Coast 3 2 P McCaig), Old Trinity Grammarians 3 (M Del Rio A 3, Keysborough 1 Noble Park 1 Betula Park Bundoora Utd 2 (NS Coyle 2) Upfi eld 2 (A Al Mugoter), Keilor Wolves 4 Donato TW Didenko) East Bentleigh 4 (A Blit A Papaioan- White Star Dandenong v Dandenong Sparrows Mill Park 2 Youth Utd 1, Surf Coast 3 (R Herman MJ nou S Dick), Keysborough 1 (J Viegas) Noble Park 2 (G Greaves Reserve Roberts BP Bunce) Keilor Wolves 1 (D Panev F Ivanco). Banabakis A Buhac). Provi NW 3 Youth Utd v Surf Coast Seth Raistrick Reserve Upfi eld v Mill Park P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT P W D L F A PT Gibbs Reserve Brunswick Zebras 1 1 0 0 8 0 3 East Bentleigh 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 Melton 1 1 0 0 5 1 3 Brighton 1 1 0 0 4 1 3 Keon Park v Bundoora Utd Brimbank City 1 1 0 0 4 0 3 Bayside Argonauts 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Surf Coast 1 1 0 0 3 1 3 East Bentleigh 1 1 0 0 4 3 3 JC Donath Reserve Melton 1 1 0 0 3 0 3 Glen Waverley 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Brunswick Zebras 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Noble Park 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Brunswick Zebras v Brimbank City Youth Utd 1 1 0 0 4 2 3 Mill Park 1 1 0 0 2 1 3 Bayside Argonauts 1 1 0 0 1 0 3 Brighton 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Sumner Park Keilor Wolves 1 1 0 0 4 3 3 Keysborough 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Upfi eld 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Endeavour Hills 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ascot Vale v Keilor Wolves Bundoora Utd 1 1 0 0 3 2 3 Bundoora Utd 1 0 1 0 2 2 1 Meadow Park Eagles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Noble Park 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Fairbairn Park Surf Coast 1 0 0 1 3 4 0 Endeavour Hills 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Brimbank City 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Uni. of Melbourne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Melton v Brimbank Upfield 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Brimbank 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 Eltham North 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Meadow Park Eagles 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 MacPhersons Park Sat 4 Apr KO 7:00PM Youth Utd 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Mill Park 1 0 0 1 2 4 0 Old Trinity Grammarians 1 0 0 1 3 4 0 Uni. of Melbourne 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ascot Vale 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Keon Park 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Keysborough 1 0 0 1 1 2 0 Eltham North 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Provi SE 3 Brimbank 1 0 0 1 0 4 0 Keilor Wolves 1 0 0 1 1 3 0 Seaford Utd 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 Seaford Utd 1 0 0 1 2 3 0 Old Trinity Grammarians v Keysborough Ascot Vale 1 0 0 1 1 5 0 Keon Park 1 0 0 1 0 8 0 Glen Waverley 1 0 0 1 1 4 0 Old Trinity Grammarians 1 0 0 1 0 3 0 Trinity Sports Ground Eltham North v East Bentleigh Eltham North Reserve Meadow Park Eagles v Brighton Bringing You All The Results, Ladders and Colour From The Gladstone Park Reserve Seaford Utd v Glen Waverley North Seaford Reserve Noble Park v Endeavour Hills Weekend’s Action. Out Every Monday. Norman Luth Reserve Uni. of Melbourne v Bayside Argonauts Princes Park (Parkville) Sat 6 Jun KO 3:00PM