.gif "Sack Attack: An A-League Webcomic")
Where’s the Victory?
Would the real Melbourne Victory please stand up and be counted? This is the club that only a few weeks ago signed Harry Kewell and trumpeted it as the biggest signing in Australian sporting history. Now, three weeks into the A-League season they have yet to score a goal. Zero, nought, nil!
Things may not be seriously wrong yet, but at the very least they need to get a move on. Huge crowds at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne surely won’t come back, time and time again, to see their team fail to score. Let’s hope for the sake of the Victory and the entire A-League that the competition’s most successful club finally puts some runs on the board.
Good luck to the Young Socceroos
Coach Jan Versleijen has selected a squad of 23 players for the upcoming 2012 AFC under-19 Championship Qualifiers to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia starting on Monday. Most members of the Young Socceroos squad come from the ranks of the A-League and National Youth League. The overseas contingent includes only four players: Reece Caira (Aston Villa), Ryan Edwards (Reading), Tom King (Liverpool) and Jamie Maclaren (Blackburn Rovers).
Young Socceroos coach Jan Versleijen said he was excited about starting a new qualification campaign. "It's always good to start working with a new generation of players,” he stated. "One of the big positives is that we have a number of players within our squad who already have valuable tournament experience after they competed at World Cups this year.
"Obviously our goal for this tournament is to perform well and qualify for next year's championship which will be the all important qualifier for the 2013 FIFA under-20 World Cup.”
The Young Socceroos have been drawn in Group G along with China, Indonesia, Singapore and Macau. The top two teams from this group will progress to the next phase.
Now the question is: will Versleijen bring in outside help considering his recent disastrous form as coach of our junior national teams? My penny to your pound, he won’t but let me say that Les Scheinflug, the most successful Young Socceroos coach in history, should not be sitting at home during this tournament.
New coaches for APIA and Parramatta
NSW Premier League club APIA Leichhardt has announced the appointment of John Turner as the club’s coach and Parramatta FC has appointed former Marconi, Fiji National team and Newcastle Breakers coach, Lee Sterrey, to take charge in season 2012 season.
Turner, the former NSL coach of Wollongong Wolves and long-time Bonnyrigg White Eagles coach, is expecting to turn APIA’s fortunes around and secure a finals place in 2012.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers president Tony Raciti was delighted to have announced that Turner was set to take charge of the coaching position in 2012 at Lambert Park. “After a couple of traumatic weeks at APIA, the club is pleased to welcome John Turner as APIA Leichhardt Tigers’ head coach for 2012,” he said.
“No introduction is needed; his background involvement, history, character and exemplary conduct are well known to all involved in football across NSW. “The club feels that John will bring much needed stability on the park whilst the club’s board works feverishly off the park to deliver the $2.2 million upgrade of the historic and boutique Lambert Park.”
Over at Parramatta FC a deliberate and methodical screening process has brought Sterrey to the club. He is without doubt one of the most experienced coaches in the NSW Premier League and Parramatta FC it is exciting to have him on board.
Sterrey comes to Parramatta FC with an enviable coaching record. Some of his most recent roles in the NSW Premier League have been with Marconi in 2010 and Rockdale City Suns in 2011.
Moot Point is a friend of both gentlemen and wishes them the very best of luck at their new clubs.
Would the real Melbourne Victory please stand up and be counted? This is the club that only a few weeks ago signed Harry Kewell and trumpeted it as the biggest signing in Australian sporting history. Now, three weeks into the A-League season they have yet to score a goal. Zero, nought, nil!
Things may not be seriously wrong yet, but at the very least they need to get a move on. Huge crowds at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne surely won’t come back, time and time again, to see their team fail to score. Let’s hope for the sake of the Victory and the entire A-League that the competition’s most successful club finally puts some runs on the board.
Good luck to the Young Socceroos
Coach Jan Versleijen has selected a squad of 23 players for the upcoming 2012 AFC under-19 Championship Qualifiers to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia starting on Monday. Most members of the Young Socceroos squad come from the ranks of the A-League and National Youth League. The overseas contingent includes only four players: Reece Caira (Aston Villa), Ryan Edwards (Reading), Tom King (Liverpool) and Jamie Maclaren (Blackburn Rovers).
Young Socceroos coach Jan Versleijen said he was excited about starting a new qualification campaign. "It's always good to start working with a new generation of players,” he stated. "One of the big positives is that we have a number of players within our squad who already have valuable tournament experience after they competed at World Cups this year.
"Obviously our goal for this tournament is to perform well and qualify for next year's championship which will be the all important qualifier for the 2013 FIFA under-20 World Cup.”
The Young Socceroos have been drawn in Group G along with China, Indonesia, Singapore and Macau. The top two teams from this group will progress to the next phase.
Now the question is: will Versleijen bring in outside help considering his recent disastrous form as coach of our junior national teams? My penny to your pound, he won’t but let me say that Les Scheinflug, the most successful Young Socceroos coach in history, should not be sitting at home during this tournament.
New coaches for APIA and Parramatta
NSW Premier League club APIA Leichhardt has announced the appointment of John Turner as the club’s coach and Parramatta FC has appointed former Marconi, Fiji National team and Newcastle Breakers coach, Lee Sterrey, to take charge in season 2012 season.
Turner, the former NSL coach of Wollongong Wolves and long-time Bonnyrigg White Eagles coach, is expecting to turn APIA’s fortunes around and secure a finals place in 2012.
APIA Leichhardt Tigers president Tony Raciti was delighted to have announced that Turner was set to take charge of the coaching position in 2012 at Lambert Park. “After a couple of traumatic weeks at APIA, the club is pleased to welcome John Turner as APIA Leichhardt Tigers’ head coach for 2012,” he said.
“No introduction is needed; his background involvement, history, character and exemplary conduct are well known to all involved in football across NSW. “The club feels that John will bring much needed stability on the park whilst the club’s board works feverishly off the park to deliver the $2.2 million upgrade of the historic and boutique Lambert Park.”
Over at Parramatta FC a deliberate and methodical screening process has brought Sterrey to the club. He is without doubt one of the most experienced coaches in the NSW Premier League and Parramatta FC it is exciting to have him on board.
Sterrey comes to Parramatta FC with an enviable coaching record. Some of his most recent roles in the NSW Premier League have been with Marconi in 2010 and Rockdale City Suns in 2011.
Moot Point is a friend of both gentlemen and wishes them the very best of luck at their new clubs.