Has Mehmet Durakovic left for Selangor (again)?

Mehmet Durakovic (left) with Selangor teammate Jeff Hopkins
during the mid 1990s. I stole this photo from the
online  edition of the Malaysian newspaper 'The Star'.

Here's an interesting story I came across thanks to the much maligned poster known as 'mario' on soccer-forum (though really, if I wasn't focusing on my scholarship application today, I would have seen it first on Jakarta Casual).

There are reports flying around (see here and here) that South's technical director Mehmet Durakovic has signed up to be coach of Selangor in the Malaysian league. If true (and it appears to be so), this will be the second time Durakovic has left South for that club, after joining Selangor following the first of his two playing stints at South. Does this mean that we'll have to be on the look out for a new technical director? I still don't know what technical directors do, but get your coaching licences out people, there could be a job opening available at Lakeside soon.

Three Years Tops!

As per usual, as the anniversary of the blog's foundation comes along, I would like to thank certain people and organisations for several things that happened over the past year - if I've missed you and you think you should be in, the fault is all mine.

I'd like to start off by thanking The Kiss of Death for its weekly articles - apart from taking my least favourite task of match previews away from me, your writing and style improved markedly as the season went on - and it was hilarious when people thought I was responsible for those entries. Blogger for finally improving the heck out of their blogging platform - it's made everything much prettier and easier to handle. Everyone who commented on a page who wasn't a spammer. People who linked articles on here to other places. GoalWeekly for publishing my match report and my book reviews. Half Time Heroes for also publishing my book reviews. Thanks to the people behind the Bolasepako and Jakarta Casual blogs, of course - thanks to the Singapore Cup, we had the opportunity to discuss issues of common ground.

I would also like to extend my thanks to Paul Conroy - I only saw him once this year, but the reassurance that he provided about a certain controversial article was very much appreciated. Gains and Johnny Diegan for helping me write a match report. Those two again with Steve from Broady, great public and private transport traveling companions to seemingly every stupid corner of this city. Nick (Go Pies!), Cuddles and Tony, as per usual. Ian Syson for some reason.

And lastly thanks to everyone who continues to read this guff and visit this site. I'd still write it if you didn't come by, but the fact that people do, and the positive feedback I get makes it far more worthwhile.

Next time you see Alex Duric, throw a rock at him - he'll thank ya for it!

I can't remember where I saw this first, on Bolasepako or Jakarta Casual, but I know I've seen it in both. Interesting take on things, in it's own way.






S-League players yearn for more passion in the stands

by Shamir Osman, Jul 08, 2010
SINGAPORE - His national team-mate and friend was ambushed, attacked and pelted with stones. But instead of reacting with anger, disgust or wishing ill on the assailants, Aleksandar Duric was jealous of the victim, Mustafic Fahrudin.

The Persija Jakarta midfielder's team bus was ambushed by rival fans, who rained stones last Friday. Mustafic was hit in the head and needed three stitches.

"I wish I would get hit by a stone thrown by an angry fan, then at least I know that there are some people here who really care about their club," Duric, who plays for S-League club Tampines Rovers, told MediaCorp last night.

"I've been here 11 years, and while I can say that the football is progressing, it is very obvious that the support is dying. At the last game against Geylang United at the Bedok Stadium on Sunday, it was so quiet I could hear the crickets," quipped the Tampines Rovers forward.

While Duric condemned the violence against Mustafic, he yearns for the passion in the stands and he is not alone.

Laughing off the incident, Mustafic told MediaCorp: "The people here in Indonesia really love their clubs. I'm very impressed, and I can't help but love it."

For Home United midfielder Isa Halim, the fanatical fans in Indonesia is a big draw.

"Noh Alam Shah showed us videos of the Arema fans, and you can really feel the home support - things like this can really rouse players on the pitch," he said.

Alam Shah and Ridhuan Muhamad play for Indonesian Super League Champions Arema Malang, and they constantly rave about the fanatical support they get.

Home's assistant coach, former Lion S Subramani, longs for the days when fans thronged the stadiums, and he was not referring to the much-vaunted Malaysia Cup era.

"When I was a player in the S-League in 1996, you hardly saw any empty seats, people were even standing at the fences, trying to peep in," he said.

"Something must be done, and it must be a whole Singapore effort - we need sponsors, better marketing, and more money to bring in quality foreign players who can light up the league," suggested Subramani. Shamir Osman

Jakarta Casual previews Gombak vs South Melbourne

I was going to commission a reciprocal 'tell us a bit about so and so piece' with PoHui Ko from the Bolasepako blog, but then I found that Jakarta Casual had done one with the requisite acknowledgements of the many ironies of the situation. It's a good read, from a good blog. Don't forget the game is on this Wednesday. Buggered if I know of a stream to watch it on though.


Memory Lane for Dazza against Hellas
Yeah, I know they're called South Melbourne now, the Hellas has been dropped in the name of progress, political correctness and in a bid to appeal to a broader audience. Which is crap. I knew plenty of people who had Hellas as their second team and they weren't all called Postecogelouopolus.

Time moves on if I haven't and South Melbourne, who I last saw play Wollongong Macedonia at Middle Park in 1991, they won 7-3, will next week be visiting Singapore to compete in the Singapore Cup.

It's probably fair to say the Aussies are the biggest ever team to grace the competition.

In one of those delicious twists of fate that make cup football so exciting they have been drawn against Gombak United. A side with an Aussie connection of their own.

They are coached by Darren Stewart, an NSL legend formerly of APIA Leichhardt while defensive midfielder Goran Subara has been earning rave reviews.

The Bulls have struggled so far this season to find any kind of consistency. No surprise when you are told you cannot use two of your best players and couple of games into the season. Kingsley Njokou and Gabriel Obatola had their permits terminated and had to find clubs anew leaving Stewart with only one striker, the injured Agu Casmir. After desperately trying to get Abbas Saad and Scott Ollerenshaw to come out of retirement he was left to sign players nobody else wanted.

In those circumstances 4th spot is a bloody good achievement though their goals for tally tells its own story. As does losing 1-0 at home to Balestier Khalsa, who would finish in the bottom half of a one team league, they went and drew 3-3 with runaway leaders Tampines Rovers

Gombak United FC 14 6 3 5 15 11 4 21

They are though defensively strong. The imposing Mamadou Bah is partnered by the highly thought of Obadin Aikhena, widely thought of as a future international. Obadin has impressed over the last few years with a series of classy performances for both Gombak United and the Young Lions but not just that. Everyone i speak with cannot say enough of his attitude off the field as well.

Up front Gombak will look to the timeless, ageless, Agu Casmir for goals and inspiration while this type of fixture against a truly big name would be a wonderful opportunity for Fazrul Nawaz to show what he is truly capable of.

For their part while South Melbourne have yet to set their league alight they are proving a tough nut to crack. They sit 7th in the 12 team Victoria State League but have suffered just two defeats all season.
7 South Melbourne 11 5 4 2 21 13 8 13

Like Gombak they have struggled to find any consistency. They beat Hume City (wow, a team named after a road?!) 6-0 then lost their next two games. Last time out they defeated Sunshine George Cross 3-1 which confuses the living bejeez out of me. I thought they had ditched all names that carried ethnic inference?

Anyway it promises to be a great evening in Singapore and South Melbourne can look forward to being blown away by the local's support for their heroes.

"cos remember this. Singapore was recently named the second best sports city in the world. 2nd after...Melbourne!

Learn a little about Gombak with Goran Subara

Gombak United actually has an Australian on its books, Goran Subara, formerly of Bonnyrigg White Eagles. In this clip from Jakarta Casual TV, Goran talks about the relative standards of Australian and Singaporean football, a bit about Gombak, professionalism, crowds and how one ends up in Singapore as a pro-footballer in the first place.

Things to look forward to in my blogging career

Even if you have little interest in the football of our immediate neighbours, the Jakarta Casual blog can provide a right old laugh - and certain dose of perspective - that we all could do with after watching the slopfest that is the VPL - especially us writers and bloggers who for some reason seek to pore over the specifics of the aforementioned slopfest. Now I've had a few experiences that I probably wouldn't have had if I hadn't started this blog, but nothing close to the events in the latter part of the following piece from Jakarta Casual.

Oh Crumbs, Oh Gosh, Oh Golly Gee

Still Singapore resonates to the sound of dirty washing being displayed. Hallelujah and praise be to the media who do love this kind of tripe.

Some old pro who now works in gas shows he knows a thing or two about his product when he compared today's Lions to back in his day when, get this, players would play computer games and smoke after lights and even, heavens to Betsy, 'some didn't even sleep at all'.

I mean oh golly, who would ever thought a group of young men together would be flouting curfew?! I guess it shows what a dull old place Singapore is when a footballer being late for a bus makes headlines.

Anyway it appears that the players who were late for the bus were M Riduan and Baihakki Kaizan. In their defence they do live in Indonesia and it is easy to be seduced by the old notion of jam karet here where nothing ever happens at the appointed time. Or place.

All reminds me of an interview I did there a few months back. Player turned up 20 minutes late, apologised saying that he had had to wait a long time for the number 13. As we ordered our beers from the delightful Mabel he lit up a really large joint and we watched some porno on the large screen TV.

As we were finishing the last of our chewing gum who should walk around the corner but a journalist. There we were, empty Tigers lined up on the metal table, 4-4-2 of course, blankly watching the spit roasting on the plasma.

Don't remember too much after that mind.

Jakarta Casual Blog

We've been a bit remiss not including the quality Jakarta Casual blog on our sidebar - after all, not only did they link us, but they also provided South of the Border with a nice image of Middle Park circa 1991. This makes it the third Asian football blog we link to, after the two Singaporean blogs Bolosepako and Sambal Football. Now while South itself has never had much to do with the Asian scene, apart from occasional moments like friendlies against the South Korean youth team and having Gamba Osaka have a training run on Lakeside, Australian football as a whole is becoming further and further entrenched within Asia, and it's not only the Socceroos and A-League clubs - not to mention our overseas players that are increasingly looking to Asia instead of division 57 European action - that can make the most if this opportunity. The former Bulleen Zebras went to Indonesia not too many seasons back for a tour - and the Melbourne Knights recently had a midweek hitout with Beijing Gouan. Something to think about no doubt.

The old and the new

While killing time until the next major event, I thought I'd put these up. I can't remember where I found the first pic, only that it was taken by some guy in a hot air balloon. The second pic was taken by the fellow who runs this blog.