Australia’s Favourite Football Fanzine And Even Bigger In Woop Woop! VPL ENTERS FINALS www.goalweekly.com $4 FEVER PITCH FOOTBALL FEATURE ON CRAIG SMART Season 5: Issue 23 Monday 17th August 2009 A BRIDGE TOO FAR? Photo: Geoff Jones THE SKY BLUE REVOLUTION GAINS MOMENTUM TOM JACK / SOUVENIR ROAR POSTER / VPL RD 22 WAYNE GORDON LANGWARRIN SC FULL NAME: Wayne Malcolm Gordon BIRTHPLACE: Munster, Germany BIRTH DATE: 10th July 1984 HEIGHT: 174cm WEIGHT: 76kg MARRIED: Not yet. Engaged to Nicola CAR: Ford Falcon OCCUPATION OUTSIDE FOOTBALL: Starting a job with Andy Wright in drainage NICKNAME: Buzzer PREVIOUS CLUBS: Gretna, Albion Rovers, Newcastle Blue Star, Workington Reds, Chel- sea Hajduk CHILDHOOD FOOTBALL HERO: Dennis Bergkamp FAVOURITE O/S PLAYER: Fernando Torres FAVOURITE VPL PLAYER: Danny Black FAVOURITE CURRENT SOCCEROO: Tim Cahill MOST MEMORABLE MATCH AS A PLAYER: First league game for Gretna v Greenock Morton when I was 17. It ended up 1–1 MOST MEMORABLE MATCH AS A FAN: Carlisle Utd v Birmingham City, 1995 Auto Windscreens Shield Final at the old Wembley. Birmingham won 1–0 after extra time and it was a full house. What a game that was MOST MEMORABLE GOAL YOU’VE SCORED: Scoring in both the FA Cup and Scottish Cup for the same team – Gretna. The goal in the FA Cup was my fi rst touch after coming on as a sub v Brigg Town. We went 3–0 down but we’d got back to 3–3 by half time. We won EARLIEST FOOTBALL MEMORY: Playing under-12s for local club Brampton and being offside about 1000 times FUNNIEST MOMENT IN FOOTBALL: Playing for Workington Reds when a fan jumped the fence and wanted to fi ght me BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT: Not being a full-time pro WORST INJURY: Ankle ligament. Out for two months MOST DIFFICULT OPPONENT: I was going to say a big horrible Peterhead centre half that kept kicking the shit out of me but I’ll say a Spanish triallist in a game between Gretna and Workington Reds. He head-butted me off the ball and broke my nose FAVOURITE AWAY GROUND: Hampden Park FOOTBALL FOCUS against Queens Park. It was awesome SUPERSTITIONS: No sex before a game (Edi- tor’s note: respondent unable to put a time limit on that) Photo by Darryl Kennedy WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS? Pace and touch WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES? Don’t score enough goals FAVOURITE TEAM WHEN GROWING UP: Liverpool FAVOURITE OTHER SPORTS: Tennis and snooker FAVOURITE OTHER SPORTSPERSON: Roger Federer FAVOURITE FOODS: Chicken parma, lasagne and pizza. I love pizza. HOBBIES: Going to the beach, spending time with friends FAVOURITE TV SHOWS: Miami Ink, The Simpsons FAVOURITE MUSIC: All music really. I like a lot of classical music FAVOURITE FILM: Bad Boys BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON CAREER: My parents. Yeah, I’d have to say my mum and dad. Defi nitely BIGGEST DRAG IN FOOTBALL: Referees. They do my head in at times FOOTBALL AMBITION: Even though I’m 25 I’d love to play at the highest level possible and get back into full-time football WHICH PERSON IN THE WORLD WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO MEET? Will Smith YOUR TIP FOR THIS YEAR’S VPL: Dandy Thunder p2 Monday 17th August 2009 Issue 23 [email protected] SOCCER HOTLINES VPL ENTERS FEVER PITCH ZONE! The Victorian Premier League has fi nally deep lying midfi elder, will be their key player as Close but no cigar side after a very pleasing start to the campaign reached its business-end with the follow- Altona look to add to last year’s success. Oakleigh Cannons, Heidelberg United, which saw them occupy the summit of the table for ing weeks promising to dish up plenty for Hume City certainly entertained their crowds Sunshine Georgies were all in contention for a the fi rst month of the competition. fans. with their fl uid passing game. They took a cal- fi nal spot but narrowly missed out due to different The Candidates For The Top Honour culated risk in replacing Goran Lozanovski with reasons. Adios for now.. While Dandenong Thunder has stormed to the player-coach Andy Vlahos, and it proved to be a Despite early signs of promise, and its Relegated from the top tier will be the minor premiership, up their trail remains the forces successful decision as his introduction coinciding touch of master stroke in acquiring the services of Whittlesea Zebras and Preston Lions; with both of reigning premiers Altona Magic, free-fl owing with the team’s push into the top fi ve. Osagie Ederaro, the Bergers (Heidelberg United) set join the State League 1 come 2010. Despite Hume City, former NSL giants South Melbourne, The Bob Jane stadium this season saw its home somewhat hit a decline in form that sees them performing admirably throughout the season, and and traditionally strong Green Gully. team relive the days of its past glory, where the harshly miss out on a fi nals birth. the introduction of Ange Postecoglou to the helm, Question marks were raised when Stuart Munro’s crowds were treated to exotic performances from The Oakleigh Cannons have been the Zebras were unable to recover from their unfa- Thunder outfi t conceded its fi rst of two losses Michael Mihakopoulos’s men. The almighty at- sporadic all season long, but can take positives vourable position as their football was somewhat late in the season given youngster Jack Hingert’s tacking line-up led by Vaughn Coveny and Goran from off-season signing Jerry Karpeh’s recent run overshadowed by events off the fi eld events. departure to A-league newcomers North Queen- Zoric will be expected to push all the way. in form, which they will hope continues onto next Preston, on the other hand – have been sland Fury – but its perfect end to the season has Green Gully, round up the teams set to compete season as the Cannons look to regroup in order to quite pedestrian on the pitch, given their player brushed aside any doubts aside. Joe Di Iorio has in the fi nals, and are expected to challenge for the mount a serious challenge in 2010. exodus which saw a handful of experiences indi- been outstanding and will need to extend his scor- honour capably with Peter Ollerton in the coach- Likewise to Dandenong Thunder, the viduals depart in the off-season. ing streak if Dandenong are to etch their name in ing seat. Like South Melbourne, they too, boast a Andy-O’Dell lead Sunshine Georgies outfi t caused All followers of Victorian football will the history books. formidable attacking line-up that will ensure the many surprises given their newcomer status, after certainly look with great interest next season to see Reigning premiers Altona Magic will look to side do their best in bringing glory back to the faring in State League 1 in 2008. if both these teams can mount a return to the top repeat its 1996/1997 back-to-back exploits as it en- Gully fortress. tier. ters the fi nals series. Coach Vlado Tortevski should The fl oodgates are open for an exciting fi nish to What happened? be credited for his trust in youth, which saw the the competition, and with unpredictability being Richmond fi nishes the season bottom- By Daniel Phan the rise in names such as Kliment Taseski, Philiip the theme for the season, who knows the outcome third of the table in what will be considered a Riccobene, Mifi t Bojku and Nicholas Kalmar. Pece of this years fi nals series major disappointment for the team’s management Photo Daniel Flis Siseski, arguably the competition’s best passer and and supporters who had great expectations of the WHAT THE EXPERTS THINK... Who do you think will Who do you think Who do you think take votes away from him. Nevertheless, the play-off in the VPL will play-off in the will play-off in the experienced Osman who has played profession- Grand? VPL Grand Final? VPL Grand Final? ally in Turkey, Romania and Finland has been It would be cruel not to I think Dandenong Dandenong Thunder the quiet achiever in Thunder’s surge. He’s also see Dandenong Thunder and Hume City. What one of the fi rst names pencilled in to the team Thunder deserves in the Grand Final. They can you say that hasn’t sheet each week and has had more game time have held top position for to be there after a already been said about than any other Thunder player this season. If the majority of the season sterling home and Thunder? The greatest consistency of performance counts for any- and fully deserve a spot away season. Who ever Premier League thing then Osman should poll quite well. Just in the Grand Final. Their Andrew they will meet will no Eddie season in the club’s Craig one goalkeeper has won this award since 1971 opponents I believe will Fisher doubt be a closely run Krncevic history deserves to be MacKenzie (Jim Kourtis of Bentleigh Greens in 2002) and be out of Hume City and race. Hume City look capped with Grand Final although that may not change this year I’m tip- Altona Magic, both teams success. Thunder is the pingLupce Acevski of Hume City as runner-up. have shown excellent form going into the second strong, South Melbourne have got a lot to most exciting attacking unit in the competition half of the season and will carry that form into the play for in their Jubilee year, but I’ve got and Hume the stingiest when it comes to giv- fi nals.