Small sample size - St Albans 0 South Melbourne 2

In the week leading up to this game there was the threat of storms both literal and metaphoric. Instead we got unseasonable warmth and a tough win by South to momentarily ease the pressure incurred by picking up only one point from its first four games, and not scoring for three consecutive matches.

The tight confines of Churchill Reserve, an effect amplified by the high fences around the ground, give a side out of form - and especially players not willing to go all in - little room to hide.

There's not much room to hide for spectators either, with the sun beating down, and a mixture of complicated sight-lines forcing people into the sun there were some novel improvisations - one old bloke who I assume had forgotten his hat took to grabbing a fallen branch with some leaves to shield his eyes from the sun.

(Being on the other side of the media gantry of a group of vocal Dinamo fans who ran the gauntlet between performing a chant to the tune of Kelis' 'Milkshake', to the desperately old and unbelievably and exponentially awful 'I'd rather be an Abo than a Greek', was also aesthetically and morally unpleasant. At least their heckling of Chris Taylor overshadowed most of what could have been mustered up South's fans.)

The last time St Albans were in the Victorian top flight was 2011 - and having just been promoted, they went straight down. In that sense they were both the best and worst opponent we could have faced given our current predicament. At least we got them early before the ground got chewed up by overuse. Apart from some timid attempts on goal, South at least came out in a determined fashion, bossing the majority of the game against a side already likely to go down.

St Albans goalkeeper Chris May cuts a forlorn figure as South Melbourne
celebrate Milos Lujic's goal. Photo: Cindy Nitsos.

The out of form and moon-boot wearing Marcus Schroen was out, after having picked up an injury during the Heidelberg game last week. He was ostensibly replaced by Leigh Minopoulos. Luke Pavlou was dropped to the bench, replaced by the more attacking Jesse Daley for his first starting appearance, with Luke McCormick taking up the central midfield role.

Former skipper Michael Eagar had his kit with him, but did not start, with the coaches preferring to keep Luke Adams and Carl Piergianni as the central defensive pairing. More importantly, Kristian Konstantinidis started the game, replacing Tim Mala at right back. Konstantinidis may have started more games this year - or at least, one would have hoped he would have - were it not for him missing a large chunk of the pre-season because of an overseas holiday. His inclusion yesterday provided a bigger and faster option at right back, as well as a welcome attacking option on the right hand side.

Jesse Daley, making his first start for South Melbourne, had an impressive
match on the right side of midfield. Photo: Cindy Nitsos. 

Jesse Daley was good. He was  a menace down the right hand side during the first half, and while he fell away a little bit during the second period - an obvious lack of match fitness affecting him - he was probably our best on the day. At the very least, his corner taking was consistent enough to suggest that he may offer a solution to our longstanding problem on that front. Keep in mind though that it was one game, on a small ground.

Leigh Minopoulos was quiet in the first half - though to be fair, the ball did not often go out to the left during the first 45 minutes - but came into his own during the second period, being dangerous along both the wing and along the byline. And although some of Leigh's shots were poorly directed, he managed to ice the game with a stunning long range goal.

VIDEO // Check out this long-range belter by @LeighMinopoulos against St @albans_st today! #PS4NPLVIC #SMFC17 pic.twitter.com/Xd2NRLfTFE

— South Melbourne FC (@smfc) March 12, 2017

It was pleasing that one of our players not only found enough space outside the box to take a shot, but actually followed through with it. The quality of the finish (keeping in mind that Leigh is the only South player to score from open play this season; yes, yes, small sample size) overshadowed some of the poor finishing during the rest of the day.

It would have been nice had that goal been scored ten or twenty minutes earlier, which would have eased the nerves a bit and prevented our supporters suffering irreversible heart damage. I suppose we should be grateful we got it anyway. In any event, no one's getting carried with a win like that, against the only team that was lower on the table than us. St Albans struggled for most of the game, and look like they're going to struggle for the rest of the season especially away from the tight confines of Churchill Reserve. It's a good thing that St Albans butchered two golden chances either side of our goal in the first half - a better team (not us, at least not at the moment) would have put those chances away, and the game would have been different. Otherwise, Dinamo rarely threatened.

There are still concerns for us. Through passes were often over hit, as they have been for most of the season thus far. Even given the smaller dimensions of the ground, those adjustments weren't made - though to be fair, we seemed more daring and accurate when sending long balls to Lujic. There were times, too, where we lost our shape and composure in midfield for periods of time that were quite noticeable. There were still too many instances where poor communication saw clearances - both on the ground and in the air - made  in such a rush that possession was gifted back to the opposition.

We got more numbers in the box than we have most of this season, but still too often Lujic would have to wait for support to arrive. Lujic's finishing is off, but he did well to win the penalty. Some or even all of these issues are par for the course at this level, but the point is to cut down on them as much as possible. While there were two or three standouts on the day, most of the rest of the team can't be said to have reached any great heights. A late collision with a St Albans player saw Nikola Roganovic on the ground for a long a period of time, but he played out the match.

I'm not prepared to throw these three points back into the ocean, mind you. It was a win that couldn't have come any sooner for us.

Next game
We enter the FFA Cup this week. We have been drawn against NPL 2 side Eastern Lions. The game has been scheduled for this Saturday as:

Saturday 18th March, 4:00PM, South Melbourne vs Eastern Lions, John Cain Memorial Park, Thornbury

It is part of a double-header which includes Northcote City vs North geelong kicking off at 1:00PM.

Some people are discussing whether those who have purchased memberships will be allowed free entry. My information is that while we are the nominal 'home' team for our fixture, as it not a home controlled fixture at Lakeside, a South membership will not get you free entry into this game.

Ticket prices for this round of the cup are set at a maximum of $8 for adults.

This week's game will be also be streamed live on Facebook by the club.

Social club update
Things seem to be progressing at a fair clip now.

Not long to go now :) @smfc pic.twitter.com/HQqUKvXrBi

— Tony Margaritis (@sthmel) March 10, 2017

On the other hand...
While we're on the road for seven consecutive weeks (and probably eight with the cup match) to start the season, the AFL gets to use Lakeside to continue trialling its bollocks short format AFLX concept.

Did you allow this @smfc? pic.twitter.com/9qmUiJj22Z

— Savvas Tzionis (@Savvastzionis) March 11, 2017

Even taking everything else into account (grand prix, possible desire to make full use of completed social club), it's not a good look.

Caption Competition
If any reader can come up with a better caption than West of the Quarry's effort, I will purchase them a drink of their choice at our next game.

When your 'push' for the A-league goes that little bit too far.. pic.twitter.com/LBAPWvDN7f

— West of the Quarry (@wotq53) March 13, 2017

Do they do that every week?
I wonder - do non-Greek teams in Victoria pull out the lamb gyro every week, or do they save that up for visits by Greek teams? I might have to do a more scientific study of this, but it does seem to be the case.

Nonsense verbalised thought bubble of the week
When players are obviously not communicating properly on the field, the call will invetiably come from the coaches and supporters yelling 'TALK!'. I know I've done it. But is talking enough? Would it be better to yell 'CONVERSE!'? Isn't what we're really asking for a 'MEANINGFUL EXCHANGE OF COMMUNICATION OF IDEAS, AND THE APPLICATION OF THOSE IDEAS INTO EFFECTIVE PRAXIS!'? Frankly speaking, I'm not sure talking is enough.

The women's NPL team made it two wins in a row, coming from behind to
beat Calder United 4-2 out at Keilor. I really should have gone to this match
instead of the Altona East game. Photo: Cindy Nitsos.

Around the grounds
The search for the mysterious Spicemarket goes on
Tossing up between watching the South women and a trip out to Paisley Park, I chose the latter. Ah, regrets. The fixture was an FFA Cup tie between Altona East and Rosebud Heart. The game was held on Altona Magic's side of Paisley Park, because East's side has had its surface relaid, and a new fence installed. This was not much of a game - Rosebud (newly promoted to State League 4) ran out of gas after twenty minutes, and East (grimly hanging on to life in State League 1) are dreadful. It took East until early in second half to score (a shot rebounding off the post into the path of a striker facing an open net), not that they looked much like scoring before that. When East got their second (shallow cross to the near post headed in a by diving player), I thought that would open the floodgates. It didn't. Rosebud managed pulled a goal back with about five to play (lobbed shot over stranded keeper), but couldn't muster enough energy to pull another one back. So in summary, East for relegation for sure unless something amazing happens - which could be as simple as Bendigo coming last in NPL2, their senior team folding, and therefore whoever finishes second last in State League 1 North-West might get a lifeline. How's that for optimism?

Final thought
After all that, we're still in the relegation zone, by virtue of being in the playoff spot.

The Continuing Adventures of Jim Marinis

It should be noted that this has naught to do with SM Hellas, so if you don't care about the AFL, you can look away now.

Yes, it's true, away from South Melbourne Hellas, I do take a more than passing interest in the Collingwood Football Club. Feel free to send all hate mail via the comments section.

Been wondering what our old friend Marinis has been up to of late? Me neither until this:

Collingwood furious as manager shops Alan Toovey around via email 

All I can say to Jim is, take that overrated poor man's Rupert Betheras and fuck off.

Hopefully something more South related in the next post.

Bah, Stupid Pagan Bullshit

Holidays are that special time
When we laugh and sing and feel warm and cozy
Forget about being angry for a day

from Happy Holidays From Charlie Manson (in that kickarse episode of South Park where they go to Nebraska and somehow redeem Manson via ad nauseum Christmas specials).


I'm bored. How about you? Nah, you all love Easter, and Jeebus, and have millions of friends and so therefore there isn't this huge vacuum needing to be filled where a South game would usually be.

I'll be likely attending the Collingwood game tomorrow. It's against Melbourne, and so a win should be guaranteed, and if not, well, apart from being the laughing stock of that competition, at least there won't be any Melbourne fans on the train on the way back, the way back being the Werribee line. It's also one of the very small handful of AFL matches I can get myself down to.

Today, bizarrely, I've been invited to attend a rugby league match. The Storm against St George at Docklands to be a little more exact. I'm not a fan of rugby league - me being petit-bourgeois and all that - not a fan of the Storm in any remote sense even as expected of my supposed sporting civic duty (fuck this town's parochialism can get up my goat sometimes), and not being a fan of the Docklands Stadium - apart from last year's Asian Cup Qualifier against Oman, I hadn't been inside the place for years - it should be something quite different, and yet so predictable in that it will only reinforce my appreciation of South and stuff. But that's probably quite a naff and close minded approach to take.

The horror of the bye week

Announcer: But now, the two conference champs must survive a harrowing bye-week that no one enjoys. [the TV shows a bunch of football players lounging by a pool]
Moe: Bye-weeks. Bronco Nagurski didn't get no bye-weeks! And now he's dead! Well, maybe they're a good thing.

I am going to watch the 'Pies on Queens Birthday. It'll be my first game for the year. Watch us lose now.

Footage of the AFL's new ad filmed at BJS

There've been some misleading photos in the press about the new AFL ad, and what it will look like. We here at South of the Border have actual footage of the filming which took place at Lakeside, and which the AFL will use to destroy not just the A-League, but soccer itself.

Hellas sells out to multiple enemies in the name of solvency

Well as most of you are aware, recently South's been making a tidy sum - at least we hope so - in hiring out the ground to both our real and imagined enemies, including such worthwhile organisations as the FFV (summer league and VPL finals), the Victory (their youth team) and the FFA (W-League). Now we've apparently gone one step further, by accepting moolah from our oldest and most shameless competitor, the AFL. Add to that there being an ad for financial services company Colonial First State also incorporating footage of rugby training and running up the terrace steps and you start wondering why didn't we make the most of this asset until so very recently? It does your head in.

 

Sneak peek reveals gridiron theme to new AFL promo

Chris de Kretser

February 17, 2009 12:00am


THE AFL's promotional ad this season includes an American football theme and is filmed in a soccer stadium.

Brisbane Lions strongman Jonathan Brown will run through a team of linebackers in full regalia, with refs wearing black and white stripes ready to call the shots. 

Bob Jane Stadium was taken over for the shoot yesterday by a convoy of trucks carrying props and film gear. 

Brown looked on as his stuntman stand-in bowled over a field of burly gridiron tacklers. 

In the morning, Hawthorn star Lance Franklin, St Kilda big man Justin Koschitzke, and North Melbourne's Daniel Wells also filmed segments. 

"It's a closed shoot," declared AFL brand manager Jane Ballantyne. 

She suggested yesterday's filming was only one part of the ad and that the league preferred to release it in its entirety to the media.

Fully Sik Night Out At Gully Bro

So Melbourne Victory had a praccy game against Green Gully on Monday, one of those teams with not even a latent, disloyal or just plain forgetful supporter base to boast of. Perfect for the Victory, if only so some of their more hotheaded supporters don't get too excited by being in close proximity to supposed opposition fans and misbehave by lighting a few flares and such, as was seen in last year's South-Victory friendly. Wrong.

General estimates say there were over a dozen flares lit. Some would be impressed by this tally, but not me, but that's more to do not being impressed by flares in general rather than the number lit. Sidestepping the pro/anti flare issue within an oldskool/new school framework for just a sec - because as my mate Psile has found out during some of his patented forum research, no one really cares to be honest - apparently the flare show, and the attached negative chanting about the FFA, was meant as some sort of protest. Protest against what you may ask? Surely they should all be grateful that the FFA is running such a tight ship, and soccer - sorry, football - is now sailing into the bright blue waters of the future, having dispensed most effectively with all the evils that were plaguing the local game - in simpler terms, the NSL/ethnics clubs were scurvy, and the FFA has delivered a truckload nutritious limes full of Vitamin C and everyone's feeling absolutely chipper.

Anyway, so despite everything going absolutely gangbusters, just like they wanted, it turns out that some Victory fans aren't completely happy with he current arrangement after all. They're pissed off with the FFA not allowing them to do whatever they feel like, or even some of what they feel like. Apparently there's all these rumblings abut stanbding, chanting, 'atmosphere' and 'supporter culture' that they're all very annoyed about. Something also about 'Home End Memberships', which seems self-explanatory at first but is probably something really complex and almost certainly evil.

So in the interests of a free, public, and secular education, let me explain it to them in terms they hopefully understand. The NSL was bad. It had flares, violence, and people who were not welcoming of others. You said this yourselves. You were pleased that there was a new regime and a new league which would get rid of all that, and which would bolster soccer's standing in the commumity, and it has, remakably so. You know this is true because you have been telling the doubters and oldskool recalcitrants whenever they dare to post something contrary to the glorious New World Order. Of course, in order to succeed, the new regime had to crush everything that had come before. And it has. And you were glad.

But what's this? Now you're against corporate football? You want to stand on terraces? You want a certain air of volitility to exist? So what you're now saying is, what you wanted to get rid of was not all those things like violence, flares and all those things which you said were holding back the game, but rather making sure that it was merely transposed to an Anglo-Celtic friendly/dominated environment, where the full display of other cultures was gone, and there was only the appearance of people who looked dififferent. In essence, wolde you bothe eate your cake, and have your cake?

When the FFA was set the task of creating a new 'successful' competition, there were a number of options it could take. One stood out as what not to do - what had come before. One also stood out as what should be done - the AFL. The AFL over the past 30 odd years in particualr has destroyed the once vibrant supporter culture which existed in Victorian Aussie Rules, and reaped the untold benefits. So cheersquads are only a fraction of the size they used to be, colour and dynamacism in the outer are at best AFL and sponsor approved, and at worst negligible anyway, and teams are indistuinguishable from one another, except for the colour of their guersneys (no wonder why AFL fans make such a racket about that - they don't have much else left do they?). The money rolls in, attedances and memberships are at record levels, and therefore eveything's just peachy. The A-League is more or less the same thing, with the benefit of a clean slate the AFL would die for.

So rather than being ungrateful and petulant sods, you should probably just buy your season ticket, official merch, Foxtel subscription, set your home page to www.mvfc.com.au, and bask in the glory of getting what you wished for. Or else build a time machine and go back to when the NSL was still semi-viable and support that instead. It's probably time for me to shut up. Because no matter how long I go for, nothing will come close to the summation of the so called protest by Jubai1 off the main Sydney FC forum, who has certainly put it best.


Meanwhile in FFA towers:

FFA Suit 1: "So, Basil, where are we with those Northern Terrace chaps in Melbourne, any progress?"

FFA Suit 2: "Well, Sir Edward, negotiations have taken a turn for the worse, I'm afraid."

Sir Edward: "Not hostage taking surely?"

Basil: "No Sir Edward, a number of them attended a trial match against Green Gully and, well, they......um.."

Sir Edward: " Come on man, don't stand there blubbering like a Marinator, out with it"

Basil: "Well, they lit flares and sang rude songs about us"

Sir Edward: "Good Lord, are there no depths to which they'll sink?, these scoundrels and ruffians"

Basil: " It appears they have no shame sir, whatever shall we do?"

Sir Edward: " What can we do? Their damnable tifo culture is just too powerful, we have to give in to their demands, what do they want?"

Basil: " I have a list here.... um,....I think we might need a translator, It seems to be in foreign, are they foreign?, something about 'fully sik' whatever that is"

Sir Edward: "Just give them whatever they want, before they start chanting about us again"

Basil: "Yes, Sir Edward"

Sir Edward: "Now, more importantly did you get our Wallabies tickets? That Lote chap's a bit dusky for my taste buy by Jove he can play, eh Basil?"

Tit For Tat

Things learnt while sober

Saturday was eventful, and if I wasn't sober I wouldn't be able to relate all the following items to you. So here's to sobriety, it helps you remember the good times.

* What the fuck is with people wearing soccer jerseys to AFL games? Not the first time I've seen this, and Aussie Rules courtesy of its very confused and diluted supporter culture, with its giant inflatable novelty hands/fingers, soccer style scarves and unnecessary touches of grey in polo tops, but at yesterday's game, I was still perplexed at the thinking that goes behind wearing a Juventus or Newcastle United top to a 'Pies game. Sure the colours match, and there's nothing wrong per se with supporting more than one code, but is there some sort of cultural cringe at not wearing actual Australian supporters gear? And why are there still far more people wearing foreign soccer tops as opposed to local ones? Are the latter only for game day, or has the game not made the leaps and bounds into the public consciousness as has been claimed?

* South Melbourne will have a new website by the end of the year. Was supposed to be launched by the start of this season, but whatever. I've been nominally commissioned to do the history section

* South Melbourne's Women's team will also get a new site, soon allegedly. Might explain why the current one, which takes awhile to load even on a half-decent connection, is not being updated.

* Very likely I will soon have my own Peter Buljan General Diagnostic Laboratories mouse pad. I've been wanting one of these ever since I learned of their existence, irrespective of the fact that mouse pads are useless now that everyone's shooting lasers with their fifty button mice.

* I've been promised my own sort of vintage 'Pies flag from an ex-fan.

* A step in the right direction has been taken into the production of the season 2007 DVDs. Hopefully they become available soon.

* There's been a shuffling of roles amongst the inner sanctum of the South board and in general operations. These relate mostly to merchandise and the website, and suffice to say at this stage it comes across as a welcome change. Time will tell on how well it all works out, but so far the signs are good.

* Learned that a certain South board member, known for his high level of education, handsome appearance, ability with the ladies and his hatred for all things Heidelberg, has Heidelberg supporting friends. Bit disillusioned to be honest.

* A Global Positioning Device is pretty much useless if you don't know what you're doing or where you're going.

* A sole piece of paper on a bit of street furniture is probably not the best way to inform people of the change in location of the Nightrider bus service.

* Lastly, Happy Birthday to Yianni and Dubs, Greeksta relax, and Cliff show yourself on Monday and no one will belt you. Honest.