Good Times With Lawyers

Case no. 1
Port Phillip Council vs South Melbourne Hellas Soccer Club

What the hell is going on here I don't quite get. Anyone out there more smarter in legal type stuff who can explain it? Or do you remember what it was all about? Were you actually there?

Case no. 2
Danny Wright vs South Melbourne Hellas Soccer Club

This one's a bit more obvious. The former South champ coached Hellas in the 2002/03 season, getting the arse late in that campaign after 7 games without a win, the final straw being the 4-1 loss to Parramatta Power. Also included in that run was 3-2 loss to Sydney Olympic at Shark Park, which I note only because of the trip taken up there by a loyal reader which was related to South of the Border this week on the occasion of South going to Canberra on June 22nd. I'll never look at a small fries in quite the same way again. Or dim sims. Anyway, Peter 'Gus' Tsolakis took over the reigns for the final two games of that season (winning both, woot). Looks like the case was dismissed, even though it took some two years to resolve.

To Knights Stadium with no Knights - Round 15 - Coburg United vs South Melbourne

Last time they met

Round 2, 2008, at Lakeside Stadium

South Melbourne 1 Coburg United 2

Slow paced and cautious game with few chances for either side, but the visitors made the most of their limited opportunities taking a 2-0 lead early in the 2nd half, before South eventually woke up and tried playing football, with De Moraea goal not much more than consolation.

Preview
Coburg started off the season in decent fashion, seemingly did a Kingston even faster than Kingston did in 2006, but has recovered in recent weeks to at least beat a couple of fellow relegation threatened sides in the Pines and Zebras, and they still have, on paper at least, a decent squad. South failed last week to take advantage of the opportunity presented them to reign in the top six, but were perhaps shown also that they're not quite at that level this season, and are now back, almost in the relegation dogfight. Indeed, even halfway into the season, this could be the season defining game for both these sides, especially with fellow strugglers Preston and Whittlesea squaring off (with the former also due to play their postponed game against Oakleigh midweek), and Western Suburbs playing Fawkner, meaning that a loss here, especially for Coburg, drags them right back into the thick of the mire they've recently drawn away from Like wise for South though, slip ups against Coburg and Suburbs next week will mean that extra pressure will be added onto the big games against Oakleigh and the AIS. Still, with MacNicol and Kelly joining the ranks, and with some sort of form despite last week's hiccup, Sputh should win this.

You know you've made it it when...

In my culture and communications class this week - yeah, I know, I failed psych last year and I needed to catch up first year subject orright? - we were covering bloggers and the myspace phenomenon and all that jazz, and everything that gets the life sucked out if it by academics. Reminded me of Nick Curtis' MySpace page, and his battle with injury over the past year. This is actually a couple of years old as you can see, but funny how some things mirror the real world. Like now ex-South defender Arthur Tsonis having very poor morale... dedicated fans will remember his wrecking his knee that year and sitting out most of the season, taking over the coaching of the under 21 side (which did quite well that year). Strange the characters that you find on the interweb.

South off to Canberra for AIS game

Now I know this was confirmed some two months ago for Morwell, but it appears that the AIS have chucked a sook at not being able to get back to Melbourne in time to catch the last flight to Canberra, so now it seems almost 100% certain that the game will be moved up to AIS Feild 14, making it South's first interstate trip since the Hindmarsh semi-final game against Adelaide United back in 2004, our last NSL game.

Plans are currently underway to ascertain costs and interest for a bus trip up to Canberra. More news as it comes to hand.

Maybe I'll even get to say hi to Eamonn!

Scotty Mac... back! Plus 1!

So you type up the news and get it out there all for it to be made irrelevant just hours later. Anyway Oakleigh gave up on the tribunal, and released Scotty MacNicol from his contract. Also one Stuart Kelly, also of the Cannons, will crossing over from the industrial backblocks to sunny Lakeside. Two central midfielders, who could be lining uo this week, just in time to fill in some injury gaps.

Scotty Mac vs Fat Aki

Now I don't normally go searching through the FFV's rubbish bin, looking for free stuff. Thankyou to George for having absolutely nothing better to do. Will this be resolved tonight?

Scotty MacNicol vs Oakleigh Cannons

Ultimate Hobnobbing Championships

Got a spare $70? A bit of free time before the South-Oakleigh game? Can't possibly wait any longer than necessary to find out about South's glorious future? Like food? Then you should consider going to this.

Personally, I don't have a spare $70, I'd rather watch the ressies kick the ball around, am sure of getting the info one way or another before or after it's announced, and have a slim figure that I wish to maintain. How cliche. Really, you wanna go, be my guest. You're grownups. Well maybe not. Unlike certain other sites, I don't have a warning before entering and such. You've got the gist anyway. I'll be with the plebs, Manic Street Preachers b-sides playing in my head.

Around the grounds

SMWFC missed a chance to keep up with top half of the table and slipped closer to the relegation zone after losing 3-1 to the Bendigo Vipers. Women's ressies went down 6-2. Under 21s picked up consecutive victories, winning 1-0. Women have a week off this week, resuming duties in a couple of weeks time, with South involved in a crucial game against fellow relegation candidate GSL. And finally congratulations to the Women's thirds team who broke their duck by beating Knox 2-0.

Opportunity Missed - South Melbourne 1 Heidelberg United 2

Took the lead and lost it. That is all.

South of the Border haiku edition no.7

Bah, can't be bothered explaining this week. I think you know what this one's about anyways


weary soldiers
banners frayed
to the death

Billy Nats out for the season

As unfortunately foreseen by one of my sources, confirmation that midfielder and fan favourite Billy Natsioulas will be out for the season with an as yet undisclosed injury, suffered in the recent 1-0 win over Richmond. More news as it comes to hand, but this further weakens South's midfield stocks, with Nats joining Nick Curtis and Yusef Yusef with season ending injuries. I wish Nats all the best in his recovery, his darting runs on the right hand side will be missed in the 2nd half of the season.

Fucking Season Defining Derby Match of Epic Proportions - Round 14 - South Melbourne vs Heidelberg United

Last time they met

Round 1, 2008, at Olympic Village

Heidelberg United 2 South Melbourne 1

Zoric put South ahead from close range in his debut for Hellas, but the visitors then went to sleep in a scrappy game. A backpass on a bumpy pitch led to the Bergers' winner, with South squandering late chances to level the game.

Preview
South hasn't won four in a row since it won five in a row in early 2005. The fans probably shouldn't get carried away with the recent three wins, against two relegation threatened sides and a below par Richmond outfit. Heidelberg has been solid, if perhaps unspectacular, and are looking to consolidate their place in the six, as South looks to bridge the gap. This game looms as season defining for both sides - if the visitors can take three points out of it, they maintain their momentum and put some hefty breathing space between themselves and the sides outside the top six. If South can get the win, that's four in a row, and all of a sudden there is massive momentum heading into the 2nd half of the season, and all the confidence and balls going in instead of out that goes with it. Heidelberg after a sluggish draw ridden start to their season, have registered a six game unbeaten run, 5 of those being victories. South hasn't had a draw for something like 17 consecutive league games, almost certainly a record. This one has draw written all over it. Should be a cracking game played in front of a crappy crowd unless you get your arse out there on Sunday and bring as many people as you can.

Popularity Stakes

Pissfarting around with this stupid site that guesstimates how much your site is worth, and thought I'd see which South site was worth the most... and it was...

- South of the Border at $461 (with a potential of $65,902)! Ding ding ding! Worth more than smfcboard and the official site combined! Awesome. Fabulous. I'm going to cash that cheque in right now. Other South related sites (that weren't piggybacking off a higher rating site) included

- South official $125
- Smfcboard $95
- South Women's blog $10

a look at some of the other stuff that gets linked here

- Astronomy Pic of the Day $264,309 - can you put a price on such a tremendous site?
- Nearpost, $7,663 - I'll get there soon
- Bolosepako $120 - lift your game po hui!
- Pumpkin Seed Eaters $9 - a) lol. b) kicked their arse c) shows just stupid this ratings site is and d) not quite so funny now they've departed the building.

Little bit of linkage

Link now on the side for smscmaster's youtube collection. Not just the usual higlights that end up on the web, plenty of rare insights into the club too, like what the social club used to look like, and games against South Korea under 23s etc. 

Pumpkin Seed Eaters episode 8 - Special Edition

Highly recommended episode (best so far...), revolving heavily around an interview with FFV CEO Mark Rendell. If you can't be arsed listening to it - and you really should - here's the gist of it. Apologies for the messiness of the summary.

• FFV/Foxtel Cup promotions - no idea how to effectively use their spending money.
• FFV has no money because all money gets sucked upwards. That may change in a few years if the FFA gets better sponsorship and TV deals.
  
• Victory influence - sit there and take it.
• 2008 Preston/South incidents - not our responsibility, and besides, inside was all fine! Really!
  
• Summer League - went around and talked to lots of people, and it was the stakeholders who asked for it. Specifically who asked for this stuff is not made clear.
• Summer League clubs will not receive transfers and such... duh.
• They more or less expect clubs within the designated regions to fund it. In effect, still a lot of dithering going on, largely clueless.
  
• Basically the FFV believes that the 20-30 clubs within a zone, and their supporters, will support the representative zones.
• Clubs will not required to participate in the Summer League, and there is flexibility in how much they may participate.
• FFV to A-League transfers - it's being looked at - lalalalalalala...
• The $3000 rule has been ratified by FIFA.
• Dockerty Cup, lack of a suitable financial model.
  
• Mark Rendell has a voice which could send anyone to sleep.

Final word from me. The FFV is fond of passing the buck. To the clubs. To the fans. To the FFA. Take little to no responsibility for their own fiefdom. Essentially saying, we are powerless, do it yourselves. Rendell may very well have gone in to this with the best of intentions. as a way of communicating the FFV's stance on a number issues directly to the fans, and not appearing as some mischievous clandestine organisation. But always, in the back of my mind, the attempt to neutralise any backlash by tackling it head on, and therefore taking the sting out if it.

It is quite sad that the Pumpkin Seed Eaters are taking what appears to be a near permanent hiatus. The reasons for this, whether due to legal or time constraints or both and other things, are unknown to me. I've given my fair share crap towards the Pumpkin Seed Eaters, as well as praise. They could've gone in harder at times, and occasionally went in on the wrong target, but the show improved just about every episode. They had a style that saw them reach out to the disenfranchised and captured the imagination of the haters alike, and achieved a rarity in local soccer in managing to unite, for around 40 minutes every fortnight, the disparate and mostly self-interested fans of the local scene.

In closing... thanks for the plugs... the site hits went up considerably whenever South of the Border got a mention. It was nice to contribute some material for the show occasionally... even if it wasn't always intentional. Here's to the future... fight the power. Vale PSE, for now at least. 

If someone wants a copy of the episodes... I have all of them, just ask and ye shall receive.

Timely advice

For a fellow South fan who got their way recently... they know who they are... be careful what you wish for, you just might get it. That is all.

South vs Bergers promotional video

I saw this last week, but in some sort of bid to take the Frankston Pines game seriously and not have it written off as a win before we played them, I delayed the release of it here until now. Fire up people!

Ricky Diaco - on how to take and how not take a penalty

Thanks to Cliff for the footage.

Yay!





Nay.

SMFC Youth sides roundup

Our under 18s Superleague side kept up their good start to their season, with a 2-0 win over Essendon Royals, keeping on tip of the table. And in perhaps a bit of an upset, our under 21s notched up their third win for the season with 1-0 win over Frankston Pines. Good winning weekend all round.

SMWFC beat Bergers in 5 goal thriller

A huge 3-2 win for the girls at Olympic Village, and their first victory since round 1. That has them 2 points above the relegation zone, with their next three games against other relegation threatened sides. Time to make a move and show everyone what they're capable of.