Wednesday, 13 May 2009
ERT filming us for some reason.
If you were at the game last Sunday, you may have noticed a fairly well equipped camera crew doing the rounds. Idle chatter from some people - damned if I can remember who now, but it wasn't anyone important in case any of the cake eaters suspect a leak - seemed to indicate that it was an ERT (Ελληνική Ραδιοφωνία Τηλεόραση, Ellinikí Radiofonía Tileórasi, Hellenic Radio [and] Television) crew. They probably won't use the fleeting glimpse of me with a plate of the Valkanis' semi-famous roast lemon potatoes. What they were doing there remains to be seen, but if I am going to be in it, at least I was wearing my good hat.
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
New Pumpkin Seed Eaters Now Out
If you'd like to participate in all the fun that the word schadenfreude was invented for, download episode three from here.
Three South players in VPL Bushfire Squad
If the title doesn't make any sense to you, it's a little bit like this. The FFV and Melbourne Victory have organised a little bushfire fundraiser match at Olympic Park tonight, with a selection of VPL players set to play a rep game that more than the people of Tianjin and highranking FFV flunkies will get to see. South's Ramazan Tavsancioglu, Joseph Youssef and Steve O'Dor have been named in the squad, though with Youseff getting injured and only completing half a game on the weekend, one doubts he'll get up for this game. South of the Border is undecided on whether it will attend.Photo: A Mazu Temple in Tianjin, a likeness of which was to be constructed outside Olympic Park for this match, but which was abandoned when funds became scarce after the FFV had a certain civil matter go against them in tremendous fashion.
Monday, 11 May 2009
Sunday, 10 May 2009
And how about those horses!
The most work they did today was eat some of the grass growing at the back off Klarendon Korner. Not what we're paying them for exactly, but still cool for those people who get a kick out of seeing police horses eat grass.
Under 21 result
1-1 it finished. The first half was pretty much garbage from both teams, but nevertheless Altona Magic took a deserved 1-0 lead into the break. The 2nd second half was much better, especially from a South point of view, though at one stage it looked more likely we'd break the crossbar then score - one excellent shot from a difficult turn and volley of sorts smashed against the crossbar, went down and went out. Equaliser came eventually and bith sides squandered some chances for a winner. Yusef Yusef got some more game time in his comeback from his knee reconstruction, which was good to see
Good win, but at what cost - South 2 Magic 0
A little lucky at times perhaps, but we rode out some of the trickier moments and managed to walk the ball in a couple of times. It'll be interesting to see how some of our injury concerns pull up... Joseph Youssef came off at halftime, and Coveny didn't start (that's if he's injured of course... could've been somewhere else). De Nittis and Nunes with the goals, Nunes' goal being his first for the club - apart from the own goal he scored at Paisley Park last year... and he was quite visibly hapy to score it too. A nice way to celebrate Fernando's 100th South game, and he showed his appreciation to the fans after the match.
Saturday, 9 May 2009
I should have mentioned...
...that last Wednesday this blog earned me a $30 book voucher at the Victoria University Bookstore. Awesome. We had some sort of mostly poorly planned and publicised "Read, Write, Debate, Fete' thingo on, and my mentioning that I do this blog at the open discussion on blogs and biographies was the starting point of my eventual obtainment of the aforementioned voucher. Took about 17 months to get something worthwhile out of this, but it's something.
SMWFC Round 5 Results
The girls were playing the Bendigo Vipers out in Benalla for some reason... the ressies had a surprise 4-2 loss, but the seniors notched up their 2nd consecutive road victory with a 2-0 win, courtesy of an Aimee Benton double.
Friday, 8 May 2009
A Note On The Forgetting Of Australian Football History - with guest writer Gweeds
Hi everyone, our friend Gweeds of the more than serviceable blog The Accidental Aussie sent us an email earlier this week to add his five cents to some issues I raised in my rundown of an interview with Ted Smith. He raises some interesting points I feel are especially pertinent, with particular emphasis on Australian's society's latent (though I'd be less inclined to treat it so benignly) xenophobic attitudes towards soccer and migrants - points which I've raised intermittently on certain forums, and which in actuality Ted himself touched upon not just in our interview but also in his chapter of Our Socceroos, a passage of which I'll quote before letting Gweeds have his say.
'Why is it that people look so fondly upon their favourite little Italian, Greek or Chinese restaurant, yet I play Wog Ball with those restaurateurs and, for some reason, our sport has never been looked upon in the same light?
Hi Paul,
I wanted to contribute to the latest post on 'South of the Border' but alas I don't have a google account, and as I found this out after I have written it :) I may as well email it to you anyway!
Cheers
Guido
That paragraph tells so well what I feel as well. Unlike (I think ) yourself I am part of that group of football fans that was somewhat alienated by the fact that teams had strong links to a particular social group (despite being Italian myself) and really got into Australian football with the advent of the Carlton Soccer Club and now with Melbourne Victory.
However the more I get involved with Australian football my belief that its history must be acknowledged and highlighted gets stronger. There is no doubt that the 'ethnic' element in the sport had its negative sides (ie some unsavoury clashes between fans, but more damaging the bad administration of the Labozzettas and Scarsellas in the Soccer Australia days) but it must be asserted that without many groups supporting their teams through the years mainly in their free time football in Australia would not be where it is now. You have just have to look at many of the players forming the backbone of the national team to see how the 'ethnic' teams have contributed to the sport.
I also think that football is one of the few areas where people can be latently xenophobic without being accused of political incorrectess. The fact that the code is perceived to be foreign because it is played and followed by people of Non English Speaking Background demonstrate the belief that being 'Australian' has to conform to a narrow set of behaviour and beliefs. So a Silvagni is seen as a 'true aussie' because he plays aussie rules, while a Trimboli may not be seen in the same light because he played football.
But I also take your point that 'The New Australian migrants didn't seem and don't seem too interested in remembering what came before them on the soccer field', because as you say this re-enforce the idea that football is somewhat an import together with tiramisu and espresso coffee, something exotic and nice but not an integral part of Australian sporting culture (interesting to note that 'foreign imported games' such as rugby and cricket do not get the same treatment).
I believe that it was important for the FFA to have a break with the past, because even if unfairly, the perception of 'soccer' in the mainstream had to change. But I hope that one day after the FFA got over it allergy towards anything that is perceived to be 'old soccer' and recognise the contribution and the history of the past. But as long as we don't have football people who can competently manage the Association, and we have to resort from administrators from other codes, I can't see this happening.
The perception of football as a marginalised sport is changing. But part of that is to show that it is not a 'foreign; sport and it is part and parcel of Australian culture.
'Why is it that people look so fondly upon their favourite little Italian, Greek or Chinese restaurant, yet I play Wog Ball with those restaurateurs and, for some reason, our sport has never been looked upon in the same light?
Hi Paul,
I wanted to contribute to the latest post on 'South of the Border' but alas I don't have a google account, and as I found this out after I have written it :) I may as well email it to you anyway!
Cheers
Guido
The usual issues of the forgetting Australian soccer history came up as well.
That paragraph tells so well what I feel as well. Unlike (I think ) yourself I am part of that group of football fans that was somewhat alienated by the fact that teams had strong links to a particular social group (despite being Italian myself) and really got into Australian football with the advent of the Carlton Soccer Club and now with Melbourne Victory.
However the more I get involved with Australian football my belief that its history must be acknowledged and highlighted gets stronger. There is no doubt that the 'ethnic' element in the sport had its negative sides (ie some unsavoury clashes between fans, but more damaging the bad administration of the Labozzettas and Scarsellas in the Soccer Australia days) but it must be asserted that without many groups supporting their teams through the years mainly in their free time football in Australia would not be where it is now. You have just have to look at many of the players forming the backbone of the national team to see how the 'ethnic' teams have contributed to the sport.
I also think that football is one of the few areas where people can be latently xenophobic without being accused of political incorrectess. The fact that the code is perceived to be foreign because it is played and followed by people of Non English Speaking Background demonstrate the belief that being 'Australian' has to conform to a narrow set of behaviour and beliefs. So a Silvagni is seen as a 'true aussie' because he plays aussie rules, while a Trimboli may not be seen in the same light because he played football.
But I also take your point that 'The New Australian migrants didn't seem and don't seem too interested in remembering what came before them on the soccer field', because as you say this re-enforce the idea that football is somewhat an import together with tiramisu and espresso coffee, something exotic and nice but not an integral part of Australian sporting culture (interesting to note that 'foreign imported games' such as rugby and cricket do not get the same treatment).
I believe that it was important for the FFA to have a break with the past, because even if unfairly, the perception of 'soccer' in the mainstream had to change. But I hope that one day after the FFA got over it allergy towards anything that is perceived to be 'old soccer' and recognise the contribution and the history of the past. But as long as we don't have football people who can competently manage the Association, and we have to resort from administrators from other codes, I can't see this happening.
The perception of football as a marginalised sport is changing. But part of that is to show that it is not a 'foreign; sport and it is part and parcel of Australian culture.
Another week, another game - Round 10, South Melbourne vs Altona Magic
Last Time They Met
South 1 Magic 0, last year at Lakeside
Sebastian Petrovich walked the ball over the line from a corner.
Preview
Things I will not be doing this week. Going to the pub before the game. Chanting. Reading or posting on smfcboard. Be missed.
Things I will attempt to do this week. Get my umbrella back. Watch the reserves game. Watch South win the main game.
South 1 Magic 0, last year at Lakeside
Sebastian Petrovich walked the ball over the line from a corner.
Preview
Things I will not be doing this week. Going to the pub before the game. Chanting. Reading or posting on smfcboard. Be missed.
Things I will attempt to do this week. Get my umbrella back. Watch the reserves game. Watch South win the main game.
Thursday, 7 May 2009
Highlights from seniors and under 21s games
First up SMFCTV's highlights of the Oakleigh game. Lots of the ball and a few chances, but no goals.
Can't remember the name of the bloke who does these, but he's posted on here before and I appreciate his efforts in documenting some of what's going on at under 21 level. The result is disappointing from a South point of view, but Danny Radojicic's goal is brilliant.
Can't remember the name of the bloke who does these, but he's posted on here before and I appreciate his efforts in documenting some of what's going on at under 21 level. The result is disappointing from a South point of view, but Danny Radojicic's goal is brilliant.
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
A few digressions with Ted Smith
This was the third of my and Ian Syson's interviews/chats with former players and administrators... and this time we ended up with former Socceroo, Moreland, South Melbourne Hellas and Hakoah player and coach Ted Smith. So it's off to Caffe Sienna on Chapel Street. That's a regular haunt of his and a bit of a surprise to me, but it's an opportunity nevertheless for me to finally see this place that some smfcboarders like to frequent.
Now Ted at 74 is sharp as a tack - a phrase I will seek to avoid for awhile - but he does to love to digress a fair bit. So let me try and put in some sort of chronological order what went on in his career and involvement in the game. His first taste of senior football was with Moreland, one of the stronger teams prior to the migration influx, who even managed to hold their own briefly, winning the 1957 Dockerty Cup, the last major Victorian title won by one of the old Anglo teams before the utter dominance of the ethnics. During this time if I recall correctly, he also spent some time with the Victorian Colts, a sort of prototypical Victorian Institute of Sport, years ahead of its time and ultimately scuttled due to politics. Ted moved to Hellas midway through the 1961 season under Len Young, and left for Hakoah at the end of 1963 to join Hakoah.
I'd forgotten that Ted was amongst the people interviewed for Our Socceroos and so a little of what he had to say is already in that book, such as South's players receiving 70% of the gate takings after a win, 50% for a draw and 30% for a loss. Astounding and surely unsustainable numbers, but which in the vagaries of time and circumstance mean that these days they'd receive the princely sum of 4.75 each, as my friend Cuddles put it. It appears as if the long term was not something thought of too highly. which became a pattern repeated for far too long, to the demise of some clubs and to near the demise of others.
One thing that came through was the impression that soccer would find a foothold eventually in Australia, and not just minor one. Whether it would take over or simply peacefully co-exist with the local sporting culture - a point of view which neglects Australia's very long soccer history - was not elaborated upon, but it raised for some interesting questions about soccer's resilience even in the most hostile environments (and I'm counting both external hatred and internal mismanagement in that).
The issue of clubs and club loyalty came around as well - with so many players and even committee people jumping from club to club as they see fit, what does it do to the culture of our game? The effect is overstated perhaps, but it does potentially rob us of the feel good propaganda stories that other codes with more limited player movements might have - but this can just be a condition of having a multi-tied system, allowing for movement of talent upwards instead if just sideways as would happen in a suburban aussie rules competition.
The usual issues of the forgetting Australian soccer history came up as well. It was noted by myself and Ted that it's not only the current New Dawn movement which is involved with the process of forgetting, but rather it follows a pattern of historical forgetting, which goes back some time in the code but also crosses codes. The New Australian migrants didn't seem and don't seem too interested in remembering what came before them on the soccer field - and thus we have the whole 'wogs brought soccer to this country' argument. But we also have a lack of knowledge of players and clubs from other states - hardly surprising considering a wide range of factors - and it's a habit that's also intrinsic to the mythology of the AFL as well. Other competitions and their were not even sub-VFL - they don't even exist. But I digress.
But it wasn't all seriousness. Ted was happy to talk about some of the great players and coaches of the era. Manny Poulakakis was talked about in fairly glowing terms, in that he knew how to arrange a team on the park properly, but also as someone who once you found yourself on the outer, there was no way back. Con Nestoridis was described as someone who barely ran, and rather ambled, but who had excellent touch and control - his corner kicks were legendary in their time. Ted's experience of moving from one footballing culture to another was interesting too; from being just another bloke on the street while at Moreland, his time at Hellas saw his walks down Lonsdale Street garnering him minor celebrity status.
The best story perhaps was the tale of Slavia's match against a VFL combined side - at soccer. The 1963 Australian Cup champion Slavia won easily - hopefully we'll dig out the article one day - but what the VFL contingent thought they were doing at trying to play soccer against professional soccer players is anyone's guess. If they were trying to prove how easy the game was, they failed miserably. If they tried to prove how weak soccer players were, they also failed. Ron Barassi himself came off 2nd best in 50/50 challenge for the ball, injuring his knee. It's not the kind of thing that you'd hear much of the soccer knockers talking about though.
Now Ted at 74 is sharp as a tack - a phrase I will seek to avoid for awhile - but he does to love to digress a fair bit. So let me try and put in some sort of chronological order what went on in his career and involvement in the game. His first taste of senior football was with Moreland, one of the stronger teams prior to the migration influx, who even managed to hold their own briefly, winning the 1957 Dockerty Cup, the last major Victorian title won by one of the old Anglo teams before the utter dominance of the ethnics. During this time if I recall correctly, he also spent some time with the Victorian Colts, a sort of prototypical Victorian Institute of Sport, years ahead of its time and ultimately scuttled due to politics. Ted moved to Hellas midway through the 1961 season under Len Young, and left for Hakoah at the end of 1963 to join Hakoah.
I'd forgotten that Ted was amongst the people interviewed for Our Socceroos and so a little of what he had to say is already in that book, such as South's players receiving 70% of the gate takings after a win, 50% for a draw and 30% for a loss. Astounding and surely unsustainable numbers, but which in the vagaries of time and circumstance mean that these days they'd receive the princely sum of 4.75 each, as my friend Cuddles put it. It appears as if the long term was not something thought of too highly. which became a pattern repeated for far too long, to the demise of some clubs and to near the demise of others.
One thing that came through was the impression that soccer would find a foothold eventually in Australia, and not just minor one. Whether it would take over or simply peacefully co-exist with the local sporting culture - a point of view which neglects Australia's very long soccer history - was not elaborated upon, but it raised for some interesting questions about soccer's resilience even in the most hostile environments (and I'm counting both external hatred and internal mismanagement in that).
The issue of clubs and club loyalty came around as well - with so many players and even committee people jumping from club to club as they see fit, what does it do to the culture of our game? The effect is overstated perhaps, but it does potentially rob us of the feel good propaganda stories that other codes with more limited player movements might have - but this can just be a condition of having a multi-tied system, allowing for movement of talent upwards instead if just sideways as would happen in a suburban aussie rules competition.
The usual issues of the forgetting Australian soccer history came up as well. It was noted by myself and Ted that it's not only the current New Dawn movement which is involved with the process of forgetting, but rather it follows a pattern of historical forgetting, which goes back some time in the code but also crosses codes. The New Australian migrants didn't seem and don't seem too interested in remembering what came before them on the soccer field - and thus we have the whole 'wogs brought soccer to this country' argument. But we also have a lack of knowledge of players and clubs from other states - hardly surprising considering a wide range of factors - and it's a habit that's also intrinsic to the mythology of the AFL as well. Other competitions and their were not even sub-VFL - they don't even exist. But I digress.
But it wasn't all seriousness. Ted was happy to talk about some of the great players and coaches of the era. Manny Poulakakis was talked about in fairly glowing terms, in that he knew how to arrange a team on the park properly, but also as someone who once you found yourself on the outer, there was no way back. Con Nestoridis was described as someone who barely ran, and rather ambled, but who had excellent touch and control - his corner kicks were legendary in their time. Ted's experience of moving from one footballing culture to another was interesting too; from being just another bloke on the street while at Moreland, his time at Hellas saw his walks down Lonsdale Street garnering him minor celebrity status.
The best story perhaps was the tale of Slavia's match against a VFL combined side - at soccer. The 1963 Australian Cup champion Slavia won easily - hopefully we'll dig out the article one day - but what the VFL contingent thought they were doing at trying to play soccer against professional soccer players is anyone's guess. If they were trying to prove how easy the game was, they failed miserably. If they tried to prove how weak soccer players were, they also failed. Ron Barassi himself came off 2nd best in 50/50 challenge for the ball, injuring his knee. It's not the kind of thing that you'd hear much of the soccer knockers talking about though.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Offset 2009 looking for contributors
Here's the deal. Offset 2009 (or no.9 since Offset ditched the year system because apparently bookstores prefer numbers to years in series) is the annual literary and creative arts journal produced primarily by professional writing students at Victoria University. I have the privilege of being this year's managing editor. Now I know some of you fancy yourselves as writers - I know this because you've linked your blog to mine - so if you or anyone you know has anything of any worth, we'd love to see it. We're also putting together a multimedia DVD for the first time in the journal's history, so if you have some sort of short film or animation or whatever, we'd love to see it also. We're going up to 1000 copies this year - twice the usual amount and far more than pretty much every other equivalent journal. And we have a launch party at Readings in Carlton. And we'll all get rich and famous. Email us for any submission details and queries you may have.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Senior Women notch up first win of season
Great results for the women's teams today, with the ressies kicking things off with a 4-1 demolition of Preston, sending them to the top of the ladder, and the seniors picking up their first win with a 3-2 result at BT Connor. Great to see some of the players at men's game as well.
Where's my umbrella? South 0 Oakleigh 0
I lent it to Steven last week, so he could walk home from the Hume City game and be at least a little dry. Now it's not that I'm desperate to have it back - I have several brollies and another one similar to the lent one but with a hook end instead of just a straight and short end - I guess this is just my way of saying, we had our chances today, plenty of the ball, but couldn't score. Oakleigh play pretty crappy football, and rely on individual spark rather than any sort of method. Ah well, Magic at home next week, and three pretty important points to pick up before our seemingly customary three week mid-season away spell.
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Get well Sammy
A bit slow to get on here, but former South player Sam 'Rockem Sockem' Poutakidis was recently hit by a truck while riding to work, breaking his leg in several places. South of the Border wishes Dr Evil all the best in his recovery, and hopes it's not the way to end his career.
Kati Derby Day - Round 9 South Melbourne vs Oakleigh
Last Time They Met
South 3 Oaks 1
We scored from a short corner. It was therefore kinda inevitable we would win.
Preview
I'm waiting to see which ex-South player will score on the day. Will it be Ricky? Trent? Robbie? Deano? It won't be Damianos, as he's suspended. That helps a bit.
South 3 Oaks 1
We scored from a short corner. It was therefore kinda inevitable we would win.
Preview
I'm waiting to see which ex-South player will score on the day. Will it be Ricky? Trent? Robbie? Deano? It won't be Damianos, as he's suspended. That helps a bit.
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
ZOMG! SMFC TRIVIA NIGHT!
Check out the flyer which is far too big to fit within this blog's page format. Oh yeah, Trivia Night! Now, I've got a bad feeling about this, and I'll tell you why. People cheat at these things. Sad but true. It should be considered a war crime. It's not yet, but we're working on it. If not done properly it could very well include questions that any prole could answer just from the time they spent watching Underbelly when they should have been reading a book. Imagine if they let me do the questions... phwoar, I'd be in obscure reference overdrive.
If not, and I have to become a participant, I put forward my offer thus. I have been in three trivia nights. I have won two. The other one was rigged, as it was an effete lefty thing with next to no sport questions, effectively cheating the table with the only expertise on that topic of victory. Yes, I'm still bitter. The Shane Warne Appreciation Society and Team Cindy should be joined by PPPC (a play on CCCP... you know, Союз Советских Социалистических Республик... if you don't get it don't worry, Channel 10 reckons you're Generation Y and should be answering questions like who was the drummer in 90s supergroup Nirvana? Answer? It's a stupid question with so many fucked up assumptions as to render it fucking retarded) in the Paul Mavroudis Trivia Night Champion Pantheon. So, I'm taking offers of people who want to piggy back on probably the surest thing going around that night.
If not, and I have to become a participant, I put forward my offer thus. I have been in three trivia nights. I have won two. The other one was rigged, as it was an effete lefty thing with next to no sport questions, effectively cheating the table with the only expertise on that topic of victory. Yes, I'm still bitter. The Shane Warne Appreciation Society and Team Cindy should be joined by PPPC (a play on CCCP... you know, Союз Советских Социалистических Республик... if you don't get it don't worry, Channel 10 reckons you're Generation Y and should be answering questions like who was the drummer in 90s supergroup Nirvana? Answer? It's a stupid question with so many fucked up assumptions as to render it fucking retarded) in the Paul Mavroudis Trivia Night Champion Pantheon. So, I'm taking offers of people who want to piggy back on probably the surest thing going around that night.
Sunday, 26 April 2009
Freaken (Female) Six Goal Thriller - South Melbourne 3 Ashburton 3
Most people could find better things to do on a cold, windy, rainy Sunday... or so they tell me. Me, I decided to head down to Lakeside to check out the SM Women's game against Ashburton, and I was not disappointed. Well, mostly.
South had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half and had plenty of opportunities, most of which went wide across goal narrowly missing, and one that was turned out by the Ashburton keeper. The visitors made South pay for their missed opportunities by opening the scoring after the South keeper hesitated in coming out for a loose ball in the box. South hit back not long after though, so 1-1 at the break. I went off to get a souvlaki, the bloke watching the game with me made some comment about chewing gum, or chewiness, but the thing wasn't that bad today... still not a fan of sinew, but what can you do?
The wind died down a fair bit in the 2nd half, robbing Ashburton of its full power. They still managed to dominate possession, even if they didn't create too many clear cut chances. South struggled to clear their defensive lines much less launch an attack, and it seemed inevitable that South would concede. And so they did. And then another. And at 3-1 the game looked as good as lost.
Enter Laura Spiranovic. I still didn't think they could pull it back, but they got it back to 3-2, and the clock ticked away painfully. The referee decided this was the time to become an absolute twit by enforcing the foul throw rule - fair enough, foul throws should be penalised - but also making sure that players from both sides took their free kicks and throws from exactly the spot he thought they should take them from. And so combining these two elements, we had a fairly farcical passage of play lasting Chronos knows how long of infraction upon infringement until eventually one fan became so frustrated that he decided to tell the referee what for from the back of the Papasavas/Marmaras Stand (apparently the grandstand's name).
Anyway, time ticking away, Ashburton running down the clock, playing for time, South commit what I think will be their last attack of the game, and I'm about to give the game up. Except we make one last roll of the dice and bundle the ball in somehow... the whistle blows soon after the restart and South has an improbable but deserved point, the kind of point they haven't managed to earn off Ashy for a very long time (for the trainspotters out there, the last time we beat Ashburton was in 2005).
South had the advantage of a strong wind in the first half and had plenty of opportunities, most of which went wide across goal narrowly missing, and one that was turned out by the Ashburton keeper. The visitors made South pay for their missed opportunities by opening the scoring after the South keeper hesitated in coming out for a loose ball in the box. South hit back not long after though, so 1-1 at the break. I went off to get a souvlaki, the bloke watching the game with me made some comment about chewing gum, or chewiness, but the thing wasn't that bad today... still not a fan of sinew, but what can you do?
The wind died down a fair bit in the 2nd half, robbing Ashburton of its full power. They still managed to dominate possession, even if they didn't create too many clear cut chances. South struggled to clear their defensive lines much less launch an attack, and it seemed inevitable that South would concede. And so they did. And then another. And at 3-1 the game looked as good as lost.
Enter Laura Spiranovic. I still didn't think they could pull it back, but they got it back to 3-2, and the clock ticked away painfully. The referee decided this was the time to become an absolute twit by enforcing the foul throw rule - fair enough, foul throws should be penalised - but also making sure that players from both sides took their free kicks and throws from exactly the spot he thought they should take them from. And so combining these two elements, we had a fairly farcical passage of play lasting Chronos knows how long of infraction upon infringement until eventually one fan became so frustrated that he decided to tell the referee what for from the back of the Papasavas/Marmaras Stand (apparently the grandstand's name).
Anyway, time ticking away, Ashburton running down the clock, playing for time, South commit what I think will be their last attack of the game, and I'm about to give the game up. Except we make one last roll of the dice and bundle the ball in somehow... the whistle blows soon after the restart and South has an improbable but deserved point, the kind of point they haven't managed to earn off Ashy for a very long time (for the trainspotters out there, the last time we beat Ashburton was in 2005).
About as much fun as you could expect to have in Westmeadows - Hume City 1 South Melbourne 2
or,
three civilian cars, one company vehicle, two working trains, one train that blew up, several buses that didn't come and one that did
or,
why I do put myself through this nonsense week after week
On the way home yesterday, my train either snapped some sort of cable or became detached some other way, and we stopped at South Kensington station for a fair bit. The huge spark of electricity was pretty cool, the waiting for a couple of hours to get home wasn't. Thanks to the Connex dudes though who drove us to Footscray in the company cars when the buses couldn't make it through the streets or something.
As for the game, this whole experience gets stupider by the week. I'm this (use your imagination) close to just taking up a spot in whatever club we're at's press facilities and letting everyone else sort it out for themselves. SMFCTV already up with the highlights, which shows South dominating a pretty average in horrible conditions. Enjoy.
three civilian cars, one company vehicle, two working trains, one train that blew up, several buses that didn't come and one that did
or,
why I do put myself through this nonsense week after week
On the way home yesterday, my train either snapped some sort of cable or became detached some other way, and we stopped at South Kensington station for a fair bit. The huge spark of electricity was pretty cool, the waiting for a couple of hours to get home wasn't. Thanks to the Connex dudes though who drove us to Footscray in the company cars when the buses couldn't make it through the streets or something.
As for the game, this whole experience gets stupider by the week. I'm this (use your imagination) close to just taking up a spot in whatever club we're at's press facilities and letting everyone else sort it out for themselves. SMFCTV already up with the highlights, which shows South dominating a pretty average in horrible conditions. Enjoy.
Friday, 24 April 2009
Anzac Day Blockbuster Motherfuckers! Hume City vs South Melbourne
Last Time They Met
Sometime during the middle of last year, at Knights Stadium.
Coburg United 2
South Melbourne 3
Man that drumming dude in the Mark Viduka stand was annoying. But we won, which was cool.
Preview
Will I even be able to go? It's in the middle of nowhere and I don't have a lift at this stage, which could very well mean that I'll have to get Twitter updates while watching the Pies game on the idiot box. Too bad that I wrote the upcoming Twitter trivia, which lessens the fun of that approach.
Sometime during the middle of last year, at Knights Stadium.
Coburg United 2
South Melbourne 3
Man that drumming dude in the Mark Viduka stand was annoying. But we won, which was cool.
Preview
Will I even be able to go? It's in the middle of nowhere and I don't have a lift at this stage, which could very well mean that I'll have to get Twitter updates while watching the Pies game on the idiot box. Too bad that I wrote the upcoming Twitter trivia, which lessens the fun of that approach.
Wednesday, 22 April 2009
So what did George Theodorou send you in that private message Psile?
Ignore the title of this post. I just couldn't come up with anything better. Match highlights from last week's game against Gully. Well to be honest, only our penalty and their 2nd goal, in which it can be clearly seen that Joel Nikolic fouls Tommi Tommich. None of which the resident Gully people on soccer-forum will ever see, because they don't see with their eyes, they percieve wiht their mind. Or something.
Tuesday, 21 April 2009
Messy version of my day out in Morwell
Today me and Ian Syson went out to Morwell to meet up with former Morwell Falcons president Don Di Fabrizio, to gather as much information on his life in soccer as he could provide. I'd never been to Morwell before, not even for a game back in the NSL days - my dad and uncle considered me too young for the elimination final 1st leg we played there back in 1994/95, and later on my cousin would seldom take me to South games, let alone all the way to Morwell. He's a Victory fan now by the way, just another ex-South fan to add to the list.
Anyway, I find pretty much consider anything outside the western suburbs, and to a certain extent the inner north, as a separate territory, something alien and disorienting. With country towns, that feeling is magnified. I found Canberra dead, thought Geelong akin to what people say Adelaide is like, and the rest of the country towns and hamlets along Victoria's west coast or through the middle of in particular New South Wales on the way to the Gold Coast I stopped in for a few minutes or a couple of hours - well I probably didn't stay there long enough to make any worthwhile comment on anything other then the quality of their service station or McDonalds.
So what's Morwell like. Well there's hills surrounding the place, some burnt out from the bushfires, and the remains of the open cut mines. There's a row of shops on Commercial Road,l some helpful locals, and one bloke who didn't bother taking a step around me and walked straight into me on the footpath... and kept walking. Don Di Fabrizio arrives in his four wheel drive, and perhaps scuttling our initial plans of having a sit down and talk, he decides to give us a bit of background on the Falcons and his own story. Don is a bit of a talker - it's difficult to get a couple of words in at the best of times - but there's a lot to talk about of course, both from his soccer and personal/work life.
So we end up driving to the site where he and a hell of a lot of other migrant workers camped in barracks, paid for by the company, and take a look at the deep depression in the ground where the coal was mined. We then took a tour around all the places that Morwell used in their gradual ascent to the NSL, and there were a heap of them. Eventually we ended up at Falcons Park, where Falcons 2000 president Tony Salvatore let us in to check out the facilities... impressive to say the least. A huge kitchen the Valkanis family would kill for, a large hall apparently catering for up to 500 people, four grounds, the lovely stand named after Don, even a soccer jersey shop tucked away in there. Was slightly amusing to see the first buildings they used as their gathering space though, two old buildings bought during the moving of the Yallourn population.
Lunch was great, but as my dad says, when you're hungry even rocks taste good (Greek saying which doesn't necessarily have the same ring to it in English). The trophy cabinets looked a little too filled up with junior trophies... but there was at least one of their two state league cups visible, and their Dockerty Cup was out getting touched up... not sure where our Dockerty Cups are, or our State Championship pennants and trophies. I posed some questions to Tony about what Falcons 2000 goals were after the Morwell/Eastern Pride group disintegrated... his answer seemed well thought out and bloody sensible... sort out your entire operation from head to toe, and when that happens, only then could you even consider the next steps... which for them would be going back into the metro competition, something they haven't considered yet and are unlikely to for the foreseeable future. Lessons here for a certain VPL club? Perhaps.
Anyway, I find pretty much consider anything outside the western suburbs, and to a certain extent the inner north, as a separate territory, something alien and disorienting. With country towns, that feeling is magnified. I found Canberra dead, thought Geelong akin to what people say Adelaide is like, and the rest of the country towns and hamlets along Victoria's west coast or through the middle of in particular New South Wales on the way to the Gold Coast I stopped in for a few minutes or a couple of hours - well I probably didn't stay there long enough to make any worthwhile comment on anything other then the quality of their service station or McDonalds.
So what's Morwell like. Well there's hills surrounding the place, some burnt out from the bushfires, and the remains of the open cut mines. There's a row of shops on Commercial Road,l some helpful locals, and one bloke who didn't bother taking a step around me and walked straight into me on the footpath... and kept walking. Don Di Fabrizio arrives in his four wheel drive, and perhaps scuttling our initial plans of having a sit down and talk, he decides to give us a bit of background on the Falcons and his own story. Don is a bit of a talker - it's difficult to get a couple of words in at the best of times - but there's a lot to talk about of course, both from his soccer and personal/work life.
So we end up driving to the site where he and a hell of a lot of other migrant workers camped in barracks, paid for by the company, and take a look at the deep depression in the ground where the coal was mined. We then took a tour around all the places that Morwell used in their gradual ascent to the NSL, and there were a heap of them. Eventually we ended up at Falcons Park, where Falcons 2000 president Tony Salvatore let us in to check out the facilities... impressive to say the least. A huge kitchen the Valkanis family would kill for, a large hall apparently catering for up to 500 people, four grounds, the lovely stand named after Don, even a soccer jersey shop tucked away in there. Was slightly amusing to see the first buildings they used as their gathering space though, two old buildings bought during the moving of the Yallourn population.
Lunch was great, but as my dad says, when you're hungry even rocks taste good (Greek saying which doesn't necessarily have the same ring to it in English). The trophy cabinets looked a little too filled up with junior trophies... but there was at least one of their two state league cups visible, and their Dockerty Cup was out getting touched up... not sure where our Dockerty Cups are, or our State Championship pennants and trophies. I posed some questions to Tony about what Falcons 2000 goals were after the Morwell/Eastern Pride group disintegrated... his answer seemed well thought out and bloody sensible... sort out your entire operation from head to toe, and when that happens, only then could you even consider the next steps... which for them would be going back into the metro competition, something they haven't considered yet and are unlikely to for the foreseeable future. Lessons here for a certain VPL club? Perhaps.
Monday, 20 April 2009
Two games, two losses for South women's seniors
After losing to Heidelberg in the season opener last Tuesday, South's senior women suffered a 3-0 loss yesterday to reigning champs Box Hill. Even Melissa Barbieri got on the score sheet apparently, which is kinda confusing, because weren't the Melbourne Victory Women's team squad members meant to be barred from playing with their suburban clubs? Anyway, the reserves had a better go of it, winning 2-1. Next game is at Lakeside against perennial therebouts team Ashburton. I reckon there's a good chance of me making an appearance at this one.
Sunday, 19 April 2009
A Match Review In Three Parts - Green Gully 2 South Melbourne 2
Firstly, thanks to Jim who gave me and Hellas Johnny a lift up there and back, much appreciated. Thanks also to the photographer from the local paper for the image at the end of this post, who passed it on to Chris, who passed it on to Jim, who passed it on to the rest of the world. It'll be interesting to see the relevant action on the replay.
Part 1 - Promises, promises
I said I'd be happy with a point, and now I have to stick to that. I'd rather we'd have lost though. Because that was crap and I don't think we'll learn as much from this as we would have if we lost. I personally am struggling to comprehend how people are saying we dropped two points today. That was a crap game from two teams that are probably going to make the finals.
Part 2 - An open letter to Michael Michalokopoulos
Dear Mike,
That was shit. I think you know that. I mean, it was pretty hard to miss. The reason I write however, is because while I have thus far been a big fan of yours, and defended your approach against the occasional naysayer, I have to say that yesterday some of your tactics and substitutions baffled me. Why take Zoric off? Unless he was injured, or ill, I could not see the reason for removing him. Sure, he didn't have his best game and was well marked, but he's still our best crosser and most likely source for that bit of magic which breaks the game open. If i may be so forward to make a suggestion, why was Fernando still out there? He can barely run, he even looks a little overweight, and while he did put in a couple of tackles today, still doesn't track back like he should. And most of Gully's attacks came from the left, where he was playing for the majority of the game - which puts extra pressure on Rhodri Payne. But then again, we got a point that in previous years we wouldn't have got. I guess that means perhaps that you were right, and I was wrong. If it gets us a title, this post will look silly, but I'm hoping it's a bit of constructive criticism that's taken the right way.
Also, please fuck off short corners.
yours,
Some random internet git
Part 3 - Green Gully, you can go and get fucked
Perhaps I shouldn't be too judgemental - it's not like we're the best run club in the universe. But what kind of club, which makes as much money as it does, and pays it's squad as much as it does, tries to limit match day programmes to to it's own members? First of all - it's not like you have that many members in the first place, and secondly, it's not like you don't have the money to print an extra twenty copies. I also thoroughly enjoyed your thumbing your nose at FFV regulations regarding the serving of beverages in anything other than a plastic cup. Still it was refreshing to see bottles being served - who cares if I might ping one at one of your thug players. And what's with the desire to play the last 25 minutes or so in near darkness? Your lights used to be so awesome - the best in the league - and now you can't afford more than 4 globes on each tower? But I suppose refs have to be paid off somehow. All those ridiculous challenges which every other team would get into massive trouble with, seemingly disappear. But who cares about sweeping two footed lunging tackles nowhere near the ball, when you can score goals like the one below. Green Gully, I tip my hat to you. Stick it to the man. Oh wait - for so long you were the underdog - but you aren't anymore. Please stop pretending that you are. Is that perhaps why you play the way you do though? Long balls and butcher tackles? You're not Frankston Pines or George Cross. You have a budget that can buy you a team that could play attractive football.
Part 1 - Promises, promises
I said I'd be happy with a point, and now I have to stick to that. I'd rather we'd have lost though. Because that was crap and I don't think we'll learn as much from this as we would have if we lost. I personally am struggling to comprehend how people are saying we dropped two points today. That was a crap game from two teams that are probably going to make the finals.
Part 2 - An open letter to Michael Michalokopoulos
Dear Mike,
That was shit. I think you know that. I mean, it was pretty hard to miss. The reason I write however, is because while I have thus far been a big fan of yours, and defended your approach against the occasional naysayer, I have to say that yesterday some of your tactics and substitutions baffled me. Why take Zoric off? Unless he was injured, or ill, I could not see the reason for removing him. Sure, he didn't have his best game and was well marked, but he's still our best crosser and most likely source for that bit of magic which breaks the game open. If i may be so forward to make a suggestion, why was Fernando still out there? He can barely run, he even looks a little overweight, and while he did put in a couple of tackles today, still doesn't track back like he should. And most of Gully's attacks came from the left, where he was playing for the majority of the game - which puts extra pressure on Rhodri Payne. But then again, we got a point that in previous years we wouldn't have got. I guess that means perhaps that you were right, and I was wrong. If it gets us a title, this post will look silly, but I'm hoping it's a bit of constructive criticism that's taken the right way.
Also, please fuck off short corners.
yours,
Some random internet git
Part 3 - Green Gully, you can go and get fucked
Perhaps I shouldn't be too judgemental - it's not like we're the best run club in the universe. But what kind of club, which makes as much money as it does, and pays it's squad as much as it does, tries to limit match day programmes to to it's own members? First of all - it's not like you have that many members in the first place, and secondly, it's not like you don't have the money to print an extra twenty copies. I also thoroughly enjoyed your thumbing your nose at FFV regulations regarding the serving of beverages in anything other than a plastic cup. Still it was refreshing to see bottles being served - who cares if I might ping one at one of your thug players. And what's with the desire to play the last 25 minutes or so in near darkness? Your lights used to be so awesome - the best in the league - and now you can't afford more than 4 globes on each tower? But I suppose refs have to be paid off somehow. All those ridiculous challenges which every other team would get into massive trouble with, seemingly disappear. But who cares about sweeping two footed lunging tackles nowhere near the ball, when you can score goals like the one below. Green Gully, I tip my hat to you. Stick it to the man. Oh wait - for so long you were the underdog - but you aren't anymore. Please stop pretending that you are. Is that perhaps why you play the way you do though? Long balls and butcher tackles? You're not Frankston Pines or George Cross. You have a budget that can buy you a team that could play attractive football.
Saturday, 18 April 2009
Happy Birthday Franny!
Now I'm not much for birthdays and shit - what with them being largely a vain attempt to impose imaginary figments of our importance on the cosmos and all that, and I don't know, why don't you just get them a book voucher, but they don't read, well I'm out of ideas, big help you were, well at least I'm trying - but we're making an exception in the case of Francis Edgar Awaritefe (who turns 45 today), one of this reporters more favourite players to have gone through the South Melbourne Hellas smile factory. Franny cops a lot of flak these days from certain people - who claim they don't even watch SBS or The World Game - for his comments on various footbally things, but we choose to remember the good times, his bizarre ability to score belting goals and screw up easy ones as well as his willingness to call it as he sees it. But instead of rummaging through the video vault, I've decided to showcase the greatness of the man with this excerpt I found in a Roy Hay piece talking about the former National Youth League (Micky P also gets a mention). Did you also know that Francis is the last Hellas player to win league top goalscoring honours, all the way back in 1993? Long time between drinks. Have a good one Franny.
Though the NYL came in for much criticism, some of it deserved, one of my abiding memories of the competition was when Geelong City played a Melbourne Croatia (now Knights) team which included Francis Awaratife, who was coming back after injury. The big striker spent the whole game coaching and encouraging the players around him, not only his own team-mates but also the young Geelong centre-back who was trying to mark him as tightly as possible and subjecting him to some fairly physical tackling. Micky Petersen used to do exactly the same for the South Melbourne youth team. Playing with stars like that, who were aware of the wider role of the NYL, was an inspiration for youngsters starting out on a soccer career and for this reason alone the competition deserved wider recognition than it received. Let’s hope the new version is as fruitful.
Friday, 17 April 2009
Seriously, I'd take a point from this game - Round 7, Green Gully vs South Melbourne
Last Time They Met
Green Gully 1
South Melbourne 0
Green Gully scored off a Tommi Tommich dropped ball... pretty much his only mistake in the eight games he played for us last year. At the other end, the ball as per usual didn't want to go into the net for us. I vaguely remember having a conversation with someone about Carl Sagan.
Preview
Haven't won a league match there in 23 years... of course we didn't play them in the league from 1987-2004, but still, we haven't even scored a goal there since our drop to the VPL. Rama's 100th South league game and Horsey on the verge of his South league goal ton aside, I'd be happy even scoring there. We don't have the best record against Gully in general. We've only beaten them twice since the VPL days, both in 2006. So yeah, draw would be good.
Green Gully 1
South Melbourne 0
Green Gully scored off a Tommi Tommich dropped ball... pretty much his only mistake in the eight games he played for us last year. At the other end, the ball as per usual didn't want to go into the net for us. I vaguely remember having a conversation with someone about Carl Sagan.
Preview
Haven't won a league match there in 23 years... of course we didn't play them in the league from 1987-2004, but still, we haven't even scored a goal there since our drop to the VPL. Rama's 100th South league game and Horsey on the verge of his South league goal ton aside, I'd be happy even scoring there. We don't have the best record against Gully in general. We've only beaten them twice since the VPL days, both in 2006. So yeah, draw would be good.
Thursday, 16 April 2009
Congratulations Ramazan! 100 Games!
Here at South of the Border, we unashamedly love Rama. He gives 100%, tackles hard, jumps into crowds, and on rare occasions scores some crazy goals. And he's always up for a quick chat with your correspondent, even if he doesn't know who the hell I am. Rama being captain this year made total sense. And this week he plays his 100th league game for South. Here's hoping there's 3 points in the bag and maybe a goal as well away to Gully this week.
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Roudn 1 Women's score - Bergers 1 South 0
Disappointing start to the season from the women last night, our man on the spot tells us that they played well enough, but were shaky in defense. We did cause some headaches in attack, and had a legitimate goal disallowed.
Tuesday, 14 April 2009
South Women begin 2009 campaign tonight
South's Women's team starts tonight, playing against Heidelberg at Darebin. There's a few changes in the WVPL this year. Firstly, it's down to ten teams, and the players hooked up to the Victory women's team aren't allowed to play for their winter club side. Eltham North has disintegrated entirely, seeing the Geelong Region FA combined side come up, and Keilor lost a stack of players. In theory it should be the tightest most competitive comp in years, with one or two likely stragglers, but for sfatey's sake everyone's saying Box Hill will win it again, and who am I to argue? The South women get four games early on at Lakeside, before heading back to Field 13. Let's hope they can put it all together and at least make the finals this year.
Monday, 13 April 2009
New Pumpkin Seed Eaters episode out
I haven't listened to it yet, but apparently South of the Border gets a plug, which is cool. Download from here.
Friday, 10 April 2009
Hey Man (Now You're Really Living)
There's no football on this weekend. Nothing. They even moved the match of other football team I'm interested in to a Thursday night. I don't know what you people out here have been doing or are planning on doing, but I'm really bored. I've received a couple of submissions for Victoria University's annual creative arts journal Offset 2009 (of which I am the managing editor - did you hear we got Catherine Deveny to be our feature writer? It's true) and bought a couple of players for Juniper Hill, my team on Hattrick, as well as put a couple of others on the transfer list. One of the new arrivals was classified as a nasty fellow, who lowered my team spirit which kinda sucks. I'm listening to Eels' Blinking Lights and Other Revelations disc 2, instead of putting on disc 1 of Shooting at Unarmed Men's Triptych. I'm reading and writing stuff on The World Game Forum, and pondering the question about there's a line that can be crossed in that site. I was a little sick earlier this week, but got over that fairly quickly. I might go bowling. I might start reading Dorothy Hewett's Bobbin Up, because I have to, not because I want to.
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Under 21s still; doing a good job
A scoreless draw over the weekend sees South's under 21s holding down 2nd spot on the table, 2 points behind the Melbourne Knights with a game in hand. Looking good boys.
Monday, 6 April 2009
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Four wins on the trot - South Melbourne 3 Richmond 0
It's fair to say that the first half of football wasn't the best you'll ever see. South looked alright early on, scored a goal, but thereafter struggled to maintain possession. Fortunately, Richmond didn't look like scoring, and both sides found the windy conditions in the opening period difficult to deal with. The second half was pretty much all South from a quality point of view. Coveny's long range effort pretty much put the game beyond doubt, and Zoric managed to get himself another one for the season, in spite of Horsey trying to be greedy and get his 100th league goal for South. A break now for Easter, and then a couple of away trips, first to Gully, then Hume, before evntually being back home against Oakleigh.
Friday, 3 April 2009
H20 confirmed as Lakeside architects
Not much to say, but interesting to note that H20 are confirmed as the architects - as sort of revealed on this blog, like ages ago - and the budget figure is bcak down to $50 million, from the $74 million as said by Michael Danby. Still clapping now?
Athletics pushes for more funds
Dan Silkstone
April 2, 2009
ATHLETICS could be the loser in Melbourne's great stadium shuffle if the State Government does not increase its commitment to redeveloping Albert Park.
But the city is likely to recapture a piece of its history as the sport pushes to have the new stadium renamed the Lakeside Oval.
Athletics Australia Chairman Rob Fildes said the city's IAAF world tour meeting, the only top-class athletics event in Australia, was in danger of being poached by Sydney if the sport's eviction from Olympic Park was not cushioned by a move to a modern new stadium.
"It could be in another city in Australia or it could go offshore to another country," he said. "If Melbourne wishes to continue to be the sporting capital of Australia, the facilities — we must have the facilities to put on a truly international performance at the new venue."
The sport's move has eventuated after construction of the new rectangular stadium for soccer and rugby league meant a new training surface had to be found for Collingwood. The Magpies — who have a contract guaranteeing it a ground close to the Lexus Centre — are slated to demolish and take over the dilapidated Olympic Park, while athletics will move from its traditional home to Albert Park.
The Government has said it will spend as much as $50 million — a budget that must cover the demolition of Olympic Park, the move to new facilities, refurbishing the heritage protected old grandstand and building new stadium facilities. But athletics officials say as much as $20 million more will be needed to ensure an adequate home for the sport.
"We wanted to stay where we were but we realise the Government wants us to go to the Lakeside Oval," Fildes said. "We accept that but in good faith we look forward to having the international standards that are needed to hold international events."
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire — also a board member of Athletics Australia — has been lobbying the State Government to increase its financial commitment to the new home for athletics. Athletics officials want the State Government to subsidise school use of the new stadium for athletics carnivals, which would cost around $1 million a year.
The Age has seen plans for the new stadium, drawn up by architectural firm H2O. A northern grandstand — seating 2500 people — will be built for athletics but there is no provision for administrative space. A second stand — seating 2500 — will house the South Melbourne Soccer Club. The current car park becomes a warm-up track and throws area, while the old grandstand will be refurbished and become home to the Victorian Institute of Sport. Plans include a gym, indoor swimming pool and 100-metre indoor track.
But the present budget is not considered sufficient to accommodate lighting needed for television broadcasts, an electronic scoreboard or video replay screens. Such facilities are considered essential if the Lakeside Oval is to be a spectator venue as well as a training centre. "These things would really allow us to present athletics in a modern way," Fildes said. "The stadiums plans are very good but it is probably 1980s and we need to bring it into 2009."
Sydney has a legacy of top athletics facilities from the Olympic Games and is desperate to use them. A new scoreboard and video screens will be installed at Homebush later this year. Approaches have been made by Sydney, as recently as last month, to snare Melbourne's top event.
The Government wants to rationalise Melbourne's sporting facilities, creating a professional precinct around the MCG that will house soccer, rugby league, the Collingwood, Melbourne and Richmond AFL clubs as well as tennis and basketball. Albert Park will become the "Olympic precinct".
Athletics pushes for more funds
Dan Silkstone
April 2, 2009
ATHLETICS could be the loser in Melbourne's great stadium shuffle if the State Government does not increase its commitment to redeveloping Albert Park.
But the city is likely to recapture a piece of its history as the sport pushes to have the new stadium renamed the Lakeside Oval.
Athletics Australia Chairman Rob Fildes said the city's IAAF world tour meeting, the only top-class athletics event in Australia, was in danger of being poached by Sydney if the sport's eviction from Olympic Park was not cushioned by a move to a modern new stadium.
"It could be in another city in Australia or it could go offshore to another country," he said. "If Melbourne wishes to continue to be the sporting capital of Australia, the facilities — we must have the facilities to put on a truly international performance at the new venue."
The sport's move has eventuated after construction of the new rectangular stadium for soccer and rugby league meant a new training surface had to be found for Collingwood. The Magpies — who have a contract guaranteeing it a ground close to the Lexus Centre — are slated to demolish and take over the dilapidated Olympic Park, while athletics will move from its traditional home to Albert Park.
The Government has said it will spend as much as $50 million — a budget that must cover the demolition of Olympic Park, the move to new facilities, refurbishing the heritage protected old grandstand and building new stadium facilities. But athletics officials say as much as $20 million more will be needed to ensure an adequate home for the sport.
"We wanted to stay where we were but we realise the Government wants us to go to the Lakeside Oval," Fildes said. "We accept that but in good faith we look forward to having the international standards that are needed to hold international events."
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire — also a board member of Athletics Australia — has been lobbying the State Government to increase its financial commitment to the new home for athletics. Athletics officials want the State Government to subsidise school use of the new stadium for athletics carnivals, which would cost around $1 million a year.
The Age has seen plans for the new stadium, drawn up by architectural firm H2O. A northern grandstand — seating 2500 people — will be built for athletics but there is no provision for administrative space. A second stand — seating 2500 — will house the South Melbourne Soccer Club. The current car park becomes a warm-up track and throws area, while the old grandstand will be refurbished and become home to the Victorian Institute of Sport. Plans include a gym, indoor swimming pool and 100-metre indoor track.
But the present budget is not considered sufficient to accommodate lighting needed for television broadcasts, an electronic scoreboard or video replay screens. Such facilities are considered essential if the Lakeside Oval is to be a spectator venue as well as a training centre. "These things would really allow us to present athletics in a modern way," Fildes said. "The stadiums plans are very good but it is probably 1980s and we need to bring it into 2009."
Sydney has a legacy of top athletics facilities from the Olympic Games and is desperate to use them. A new scoreboard and video screens will be installed at Homebush later this year. Approaches have been made by Sydney, as recently as last month, to snare Melbourne's top event.
The Government wants to rationalise Melbourne's sporting facilities, creating a professional precinct around the MCG that will house soccer, rugby league, the Collingwood, Melbourne and Richmond AFL clubs as well as tennis and basketball. Albert Park will become the "Olympic precinct".
Clash of the Top Six Teams! Round 6 - South Melbourne vs Richmond
Last Time They Met
Richmond 2 South Melbourne 0 at their place. Cardozo's lobbed goal was pretty cool.
Preview
Should be a good game. Show where we're at maybe.
Richmond 2 South Melbourne 0 at their place. Cardozo's lobbed goal was pretty cool.
Preview
Should be a good game. Show where we're at maybe.
Elbow at The Corner Hotel
Good show, but not a great one, though that had a fair bit to do with the venue (couldn't see much), and the fucksticks who insisted on talking through most of the songs (except naturally the new songs which they knew). Great banter and audience involvement though. Grounds For Divorce and Station Approach my highlights. Puncture Repair, Switching Off and The Stops not great song choices venue/scene/occasion. Bones Of You also good. Got a grey tour t-shirt, yes, with dates on the back. Got a lift home with a taxi driver who was eating churros that were over fried and were therefore crunchy. We talked about churros and how they're not meant to be crunchy. I feel like having some churros right about now.
Thursday, 2 April 2009
Wednesday, 1 April 2009
Good enough I guess - Whittlesea Zebras 1 South Melbourne 3
Started like a house on fire, scored, and then lost the plot for a bit. Whittlesea scored through Vasallo being left unmarked and with plenty of time on the right hand side. Took a bit of time to get started in the 2nd half, and still had a few nervous moments for no good reasons, but the muppet on the Victory forum who thinks the Zebras deserved a draw is dreaming. When it counted, South were one or two classes above. Zoric, De Nittis and Fernando our scorers. This week's game against Richmond should provide a better indication of we're where at than last night's contest.
Sunday, 29 March 2009
It's the away game you have when you're not having an away game - Round 5, Whittlesea Zebras vs South Melbourne (at Lakeside)
Last Time They Met
It was round 23, 2008. We couldn't make the finals, but we could still in theory get relegated. It was Deano's last game, and in the end it was he who saved us on a multiple occasions, earning us a 1-1 draw. He got a standing ovation at the end of what was his final game. Now he's on the books at Oakleigh and on the bench ready to come on just in case.
Preview
We should win really. Of course, being on the bottom doesn't make you a bad team (unless you're Preston in 2009), and the Zebras have looked ok apparently in some of their games, but we should win this. It's Lakeside for a start instead of Epping. Win this one too, and go in with some nice momentum for a huge game with early pacesetters Richmond.
It was round 23, 2008. We couldn't make the finals, but we could still in theory get relegated. It was Deano's last game, and in the end it was he who saved us on a multiple occasions, earning us a 1-1 draw. He got a standing ovation at the end of what was his final game. Now he's on the books at Oakleigh and on the bench ready to come on just in case.
Preview
We should win really. Of course, being on the bottom doesn't make you a bad team (unless you're Preston in 2009), and the Zebras have looked ok apparently in some of their games, but we should win this. It's Lakeside for a start instead of Epping. Win this one too, and go in with some nice momentum for a huge game with early pacesetters Richmond.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
More on Apollo Athletic
I was looking for more info on Floros Dimitriadis (and Apollo Athletic) when I came upon this site. Unfortunately the book in question has not been released yet and will likely not come out in the forseable future. Note also the reference to the local Italian club Savoia, a predecessor of the once great Brunswick Juventus.
I am currently co-writing a book on the history of Greek-Australian soccer teams. The first official Greek-Australian sport club Apollon was founded in Melbourne in 1933.
The three young Apollo club members Martakis, Floros Dimitriadis and Basil Colligas were keen to establish a soccer team and already possessed some soccer experience from the old world. Martakis was an amateur wrestler in Constantinople but also played soccer, Floros played soccer in Cyprus and Colligas in Smyrna. The team was constituted in May 1934 so that it would be ready to compete in the Dockerty Cup competition. A cup competition open to all Victorian soccer clubs.
Colligas chose the name Apollon from the historic Apollon Club of Smyrna. On July 22, 1934 Apollo played its first unofficial soccer match against the Italian club Savoia at Middle Park, Melbourne. This is probably regarded as the first ‘ethnic’ soccer match played in Australia.
Friday, 27 March 2009
Fixture change for Whittlesea Zebras vs South Melbourne
This was meant to be played this coming Monday at Epping Stadium. However, owing to certain troubles that Whittlesea are having at the moment, which includes the inability to use the ground that was once 'theirs', the game has had a change in date and location. The game will now be played at Lakeside, on Tuesday March 31 at 8:30pm, with the reserves starting at 6:30.
From all reports this is still a Whittlesea Zebras home game and not a reverse fixture, so unless you have an FFV pass of some sort, sneak in the through office or kitchen entrances, you will have to pay to get in. But we keep the bar, so drink up!
From all reports this is still a Whittlesea Zebras home game and not a reverse fixture, so unless you have an FFV pass of some sort, sneak in the through office or kitchen entrances, you will have to pay to get in. But we keep the bar, so drink up!
Thursday, 26 March 2009
Vale Jordan Ieremiadis
As reported on the official site, foundation South Melbourne Hellas player Jordan Ieremiadis has passed away. Ieremiadis played for South from 1960-64, and was a member of the 1960 Metropolitan League 1 North championship side, the club's first title, as well as the 1962 and 1964 State Championship sides.
Wednesday, 25 March 2009
Apollo Athletic - another predecessor of what we have now
 |
| This is a partially colourised version of the photo I used to have on this article. The previous version was hosted on a third party hosting site, which stopped working. This one has been sourced from the La Trobe Greek archives. |
The club was born sometime around 1934, and didn't last much longer than 1935, playing in the 3rd division at the time, and reaching the 2nd round of the Dockerty Cup, where they lost 3-0 to Shepparton East. Curiously, another club calling itself Apollo participated in competition during 1952, but disappears thereafter... and it's late in 1952 that Hellenic is formed... is there any connection? Who knows. There was also one final team using that name, but this was more of an amateur outfit playing somewhere out of Fitzroy/Collingwood calling itself Apollo 11, during the early 1970s.
Apollo Athletic had a mix of Greeks and non-Greeks in the team, perhaps the most notable of which was Floros Dimitriadis. Dimitriadis later became involved with Yarra Park, and through this association was one of the two founding Vice-Presidents of South Melbourne Hellas (the other being South Melbourne United's Des Hamilton). It was also at Dimitriadis' hotel The Duke of Kent that the amalgamation between newly formed Hellas and South Melbourne United took place. Whether it's the same pub as the current Duke of Kent on La Trobe street I don't know, and any information on that is more than welcome. *see comments section for update.
The following information is from a La Trobe Uni pdf I found on the net somewhere.
Athletes and members of the Apollo Athletic Club in the early ‘30’s. In 1934, shortly after its establishment Apollo appears as the first Greek Soccer Club in Australia. In 1935, despite its progress to the 3rd category in the Victorian State Championship, it dissolved mainly due to lack of interest on the part of the Administration. In the front row from left is seen Mr Floros Dimitriadis, the founding member of Melbourne Hellas.
Tuesday, 24 March 2009
This Song Comes With A Picture
Apparently my little write up for Neos Kosmos English Weekly got a run yesterday... apparently uncredited which is a minor shame, but these things happen, and I didn't really much care for the piece as a whole to be honest. Too optimistic, too much pandering to the 'Hellas is Greek' (no pun intended) demographic and not enough stuff about how awesome I am. Because that's what I do with my spare time: think about great I am. I don't have the links to the two pieces that were supposed to accompany it... they might turn up eventually.
South now and in the future
by Paul Mavroudis
In mid 2004, South Melbourne FC - or South Melbourne Hellas to her fanatical devotees, both Greek and non-Greek - was on the brink of obliteration: financial administrators had been called in, its entire squad had left and most people thought the club was a lost cause. Fast forward to 2009 however, and after overcoming several highs and lows, South Melbourne this year proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary, with a wide range of events remembering the club’s enormous achievements, but also with an eye towards the future.
The club is patiently negotiating with the Victorian Government in regards to Athletics Victoria’s and the Victorian Institute of Sport’s move to Lakeside from its current home at Olympic Park, being careful to avoid the mistakes of previous committees in signing long term contracts which end up costing the club serious money in the long run.
The redevelopment of the club’s home of Lakeside Stadium is crucial to not only the club’s survival, but also its future prosperity on and off the pitch. After many years of failing to make the most of the venue’s commercial potential, South Melbourne has started reaping the benefits of the greatest asset at its disposal.
While the exact details of the proposed $74 million redevelopment remain mostly under wraps at this stage, the details that have emerged point towards South Melbourne entrenching its place in the local area, which it has called home for the past 50 years, and through the various mergers even back to the early days of Victorian soccer.
Beginning with several new pitches, including two with synthetic surfaces – situated near the pit lane buildings near the location of the club’s former home of Middle Park – as well as a new pavilion, the club will be able to bring back a local junior presence for the first time in over a decade, as well as expand and improve the quality of facilities for the club’s women’s division.
Closer to home, while the addition of a running track will lessen the viewing experience of what is still the state’s premier purpose built soccer venue (until the completion of the Swan Street Stadium), the possible addition of a new stand on the outer side and reconfiguring of the social club space will no doubt enhance the overall experience.
South Melbourne FC is one of the Greek-Australian community’s greatest achievements; from a neglected field in Middle Park; to multiple Australian and Victorian titles; and all the way to the Maracana in 50 years. After surviving through the most difficult part of its history, the club appears reborn and reinvigorated, and ready to face the challenges that await it in the next 50 years.
South now and in the future
by Paul Mavroudis
In mid 2004, South Melbourne FC - or South Melbourne Hellas to her fanatical devotees, both Greek and non-Greek - was on the brink of obliteration: financial administrators had been called in, its entire squad had left and most people thought the club was a lost cause. Fast forward to 2009 however, and after overcoming several highs and lows, South Melbourne this year proudly celebrates its 50th anniversary, with a wide range of events remembering the club’s enormous achievements, but also with an eye towards the future.
The club is patiently negotiating with the Victorian Government in regards to Athletics Victoria’s and the Victorian Institute of Sport’s move to Lakeside from its current home at Olympic Park, being careful to avoid the mistakes of previous committees in signing long term contracts which end up costing the club serious money in the long run.
The redevelopment of the club’s home of Lakeside Stadium is crucial to not only the club’s survival, but also its future prosperity on and off the pitch. After many years of failing to make the most of the venue’s commercial potential, South Melbourne has started reaping the benefits of the greatest asset at its disposal.
While the exact details of the proposed $74 million redevelopment remain mostly under wraps at this stage, the details that have emerged point towards South Melbourne entrenching its place in the local area, which it has called home for the past 50 years, and through the various mergers even back to the early days of Victorian soccer.
Beginning with several new pitches, including two with synthetic surfaces – situated near the pit lane buildings near the location of the club’s former home of Middle Park – as well as a new pavilion, the club will be able to bring back a local junior presence for the first time in over a decade, as well as expand and improve the quality of facilities for the club’s women’s division.
Closer to home, while the addition of a running track will lessen the viewing experience of what is still the state’s premier purpose built soccer venue (until the completion of the Swan Street Stadium), the possible addition of a new stand on the outer side and reconfiguring of the social club space will no doubt enhance the overall experience.
South Melbourne FC is one of the Greek-Australian community’s greatest achievements; from a neglected field in Middle Park; to multiple Australian and Victorian titles; and all the way to the Maracana in 50 years. After surviving through the most difficult part of its history, the club appears reborn and reinvigorated, and ready to face the challenges that await it in the next 50 years.
SMFCTV Double Feature!
This week a double feature of SMFCTV, with the first video being the goals from the Preston game, including Goran Zoric's early candidate for goal of the year.
The 2nd part of the double bill is the game against the Melbourne Knights. Didn't believe me that the first half was crud? Well this video includes only a very brief part of it. The 2nd half is soooo much better. The video also includes a bit of Antipodes stall action as well as a post match interview with Vaughan Coveny, who finally got off the mark for this season.
The 2nd part of the double bill is the game against the Melbourne Knights. Didn't believe me that the first half was crud? Well this video includes only a very brief part of it. The 2nd half is soooo much better. The video also includes a bit of Antipodes stall action as well as a post match interview with Vaughan Coveny, who finally got off the mark for this season.
Monday, 23 March 2009
I don't want to jinx them but...
... the under 21s have won 3 out of 4 games, inclduing a 2-1 win against the Melbournre Knights who had been looking good this season having themselves won three games. Francesco Stella looked particularly good.
Sunday, 22 March 2009
More games like this please - South Melbourne 2 Melbourne Knights 1
The first half was a waste of time, so there's no need to go over it. Bogged down in midfield. The 2nd half however, we were attacking from the outset. And we looked like scoring, and we actually did score! Twice! And then somehow, the Knights, who had done very little for most of the game to that point, got one back. And it was game on. It was end to end stuff for the last twenty minutes, with a period where we also pegged in our own half, but we held on. The atmosphere was fantastic, there was chanting from both teams, two sets of South supporters going awol... all we needed was for Nunes' shot to have gone in off the post instead of straight back to him, or for Zoric to have iced the game at the death when he had rounded Knights keeper Savas Ozdemir... but three points in the bag is sweet enough, Next week is against Whittlesea Zebras, when or where nobody knows for sure, because of recent develeopments there involving Chicken Men, Local Councils and the continuing saga of the local Italians trying to destroy seemingly every club they have in ther northern suburbs.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Last 6pm home game for the year - Round 4, South Melbourne vs Melbourne Knights
Last Time They Met
South Melbourne 2 Melbourne Knights 2
South did really good they were scoring goals, 2 in fact, and should have had a third except Gianni hit the post when he should have scored to make it three and we had a player sent off (Nunes) and then the Knights scored twice and it finished a draw. It was the best game of the season but I wish we'd won.
Preview
Knights should be at least slight favourites for this; realistically they have some more runs on the board, but the loss of Frakie Lagana evens it out a bit. South has an interesting situation in terms of who to put in and leave out. Sfetkopoulos should keep his spot in goal; he had so little to do last week that it near impossible to make a mistake. Rama's suspension is over and conventional wisdom says your captian must play... so if he comes in, who goes out? De Nittis has not been looking likely of late, and there's the possibility of a shuffle involving Zoric partnering Coveny up front. How much chopping and changing happens depends on how much Michalokopoulos buys into tyh hype of burying a dead opponent the wek before.
South Melbourne 2 Melbourne Knights 2
South did really good they were scoring goals, 2 in fact, and should have had a third except Gianni hit the post when he should have scored to make it three and we had a player sent off (Nunes) and then the Knights scored twice and it finished a draw. It was the best game of the season but I wish we'd won.
Preview
Knights should be at least slight favourites for this; realistically they have some more runs on the board, but the loss of Frakie Lagana evens it out a bit. South has an interesting situation in terms of who to put in and leave out. Sfetkopoulos should keep his spot in goal; he had so little to do last week that it near impossible to make a mistake. Rama's suspension is over and conventional wisdom says your captian must play... so if he comes in, who goes out? De Nittis has not been looking likely of late, and there's the possibility of a shuffle involving Zoric partnering Coveny up front. How much chopping and changing happens depends on how much Michalokopoulos buys into tyh hype of burying a dead opponent the wek before.
Thursday, 19 March 2009
South at the Antipodes Festival this week
For the first time in years South will have a presence at this weekend's Antipodes Festival. From what the official site has said, there'll be some players to meet and greet, merchandise to order and/or purchase, as well as memberships. I haven't been to the Antipodes Festival in many years, basically because it's not my kind of scene; not my kind of music and way too many people having a good time for a start, though I might to have a look at what films they're playing. I think Neos Kosmos is brining out special Antipodes issue, and there's a possibility that if James Belias likes my space filling contribution, that I'll have something there too.
Wednesday, 18 March 2009
Fanatic of the Week - Paul Mavroudis
So we've exhausted our stash of genuine vintage Fanatics of the Week. And I'm bored and dismayed - and just because I'm typing this up on a rainy Saturday afternoon for release on a Wednesday, it doesn't mean that I won't be bored and dismayed at the moment it's published or when you read it.
FANATIC OF THE WEEK
Saturday, 14th March, 2009
This week’s fanatic is Paul Mavroudis who likes the club because, to paraphrase Lift To Experience "we have to, not because we want to".
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NAME: Paul Mavroudis
AGE: 25.
SUBURB: In the Darkness On The Edge Of Town
INTERESTS: 'Football'; the other football; books; alternative 'music'; Wikipedia; collating statistics; blogging; providing highly educational but seldom understood pearls of wisdom on Internet forums; stopping myself from writing cliched serial killer fiction where I annihilate everyone that shits me and handing it in as part of my coursework; public transport; retro gaming; providing constructive criticism of classmates' mostly pisspoor attempts at short fiction; stickers; Fred Negro's 'Pub' strip when it isn't just St Kilda in jokes; a fair few crazy animated television shows; dessert.
FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Yes. Until the Hellas Fan Club comes in and sets everything right again, back to the way it used to be, in the Beforetime, the Long Long Ago. Soon I hope. Put us all out of our misery.
WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
Probably around 9 years old, the home game against West Adelaide in season 1992/93 where we won won 4-2. They were introduced as our cousins from South Australia or something like that, hmm.
WHITE COLLARS OR BLUE?
Seriously, should it really matter?
FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
The day everyone realised Acropolis Now was actually farken shithouse. Which is technically not a memory since it hasn't happened yet, as can be seen from this review of Stephen Hawking's 'Brief History of Time', which I did end up reading the entirety of, and not just get bored by page 3, thank you very much John Safran. Not that I understood all or even most of it, but I got something out of it I think, and Carl Sagan's question in the introduction to that book about why we can remember the past but not the future struck a quixotic physical and philosophical chord.
MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
The 2006 VPL Grand Final, because within a few seconds a whole bunch of people forgot we'd just won a championship and were more interested in throwing rocks at other people who were piggy backing for a day on the fat woman's current club in order to pursue some sort of justice for issues of blood, land, culture and history located mostly in the Balkans and who were also throwing rocks. Halcyon days.
FAVOURITE DEGRASSI MOMENT
The scene where Wheels is for some inexplicable reason wearing a Footscray guernsey.
FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
James Spanos. Doesn't even have to do anything to be part of the senior team. Doesn't make mistakes. Known by people who don't even know of the actual players.
FAVOURITE BISCUIT
Arnott's Kingston, the grownups chocolate biscuit.
BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Paul Trimboli. Stupid question.
ASTERIX OR TINTIN?
Asterix, but they're both pretty cool.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Oh wow, where do you begin? For starters, I like the lies. The little ones, like why we didn't wear the South Melbourne United heritage strip, to the medium ones, to the big ones, with the claims of 10,000 strong crowds at pretty much every game in the 1980s, because the people making those claims either have dementia or only went to the games with 10,000 people, and not to the games with 800 people against teams such as Brisbane Lions.
I also love the fact that we've never played in South Melbourne.
I love the hypocrisy which pours fourth constantly out of every orifice, especially with regards to the A-League and the AFL.
I love people living off past glories and thinking it's enough to last a lifetime.
I love the fans who see only what they want to see and never what's actually in front of them.
That's just the stuff off the top of my head.
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
The food could be better at times.
WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
No.
WHY?
Well, the league doesn't exist anymore, so I guess it's impossible to support another NSL team.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME PAUL!
My pleasure.
FANATIC OF THE WEEK
Saturday, 14th March, 2009
This week’s fanatic is Paul Mavroudis who likes the club because, to paraphrase Lift To Experience "we have to, not because we want to".
----------------------------------------
NAME: Paul Mavroudis
AGE: 25.
SUBURB: In the Darkness On The Edge Of Town
INTERESTS: 'Football'; the other football; books; alternative 'music'; Wikipedia; collating statistics; blogging; providing highly educational but seldom understood pearls of wisdom on Internet forums; stopping myself from writing cliched serial killer fiction where I annihilate everyone that shits me and handing it in as part of my coursework; public transport; retro gaming; providing constructive criticism of classmates' mostly pisspoor attempts at short fiction; stickers; Fred Negro's 'Pub' strip when it isn't just St Kilda in jokes; a fair few crazy animated television shows; dessert.
FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Yes. Until the Hellas Fan Club comes in and sets everything right again, back to the way it used to be, in the Beforetime, the Long Long Ago. Soon I hope. Put us all out of our misery.
WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
Probably around 9 years old, the home game against West Adelaide in season 1992/93 where we won won 4-2. They were introduced as our cousins from South Australia or something like that, hmm.
WHITE COLLARS OR BLUE?
Seriously, should it really matter?
FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
The day everyone realised Acropolis Now was actually farken shithouse. Which is technically not a memory since it hasn't happened yet, as can be seen from this review of Stephen Hawking's 'Brief History of Time', which I did end up reading the entirety of, and not just get bored by page 3, thank you very much John Safran. Not that I understood all or even most of it, but I got something out of it I think, and Carl Sagan's question in the introduction to that book about why we can remember the past but not the future struck a quixotic physical and philosophical chord.
Our ability to remember past but not future also coincides with the arrow of entropy. The reason, Hawking says, is that whenever a memory is made, in either a brain or a computer, the smidgen of energy required to light up a neutron or move an electron is released as heat. Heat ---roiling, chaotic heat--- increases entropy. Memories, then, because they release heat, increases disorder, too. Entropy increases from yesterday to tomorrow. That`s why memories are made in the past --- to Hawking a more convincing explanation than the pedestrian statement that one can remember only what has already occurred." (Newsweek, January 4, 1993.)
MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
The 2006 VPL Grand Final, because within a few seconds a whole bunch of people forgot we'd just won a championship and were more interested in throwing rocks at other people who were piggy backing for a day on the fat woman's current club in order to pursue some sort of justice for issues of blood, land, culture and history located mostly in the Balkans and who were also throwing rocks. Halcyon days.
FAVOURITE DEGRASSI MOMENT
The scene where Wheels is for some inexplicable reason wearing a Footscray guernsey.
FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
James Spanos. Doesn't even have to do anything to be part of the senior team. Doesn't make mistakes. Known by people who don't even know of the actual players.
FAVOURITE BISCUIT
Arnott's Kingston, the grownups chocolate biscuit.
BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Paul Trimboli. Stupid question.
ASTERIX OR TINTIN?
Asterix, but they're both pretty cool.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Oh wow, where do you begin? For starters, I like the lies. The little ones, like why we didn't wear the South Melbourne United heritage strip, to the medium ones, to the big ones, with the claims of 10,000 strong crowds at pretty much every game in the 1980s, because the people making those claims either have dementia or only went to the games with 10,000 people, and not to the games with 800 people against teams such as Brisbane Lions.
I also love the fact that we've never played in South Melbourne.
I love the hypocrisy which pours fourth constantly out of every orifice, especially with regards to the A-League and the AFL.
I love people living off past glories and thinking it's enough to last a lifetime.
I love the fans who see only what they want to see and never what's actually in front of them.
That's just the stuff off the top of my head.
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
The food could be better at times.
WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
No.
WHY?
Well, the league doesn't exist anymore, so I guess it's impossible to support another NSL team.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME PAUL!
My pleasure.
Sunday, 15 March 2009
Off the mark for season 2009 - and how! Preston 1 South Melbourne 7
It was a great win to be sure, but before we get carried away, sure we played well, and finally started actually shooting (and on target too!) but Preston's performance was the most inept thing I've seen in my 16 years of watching the game. There was no heart, no pressure, no method and not even one chance after their goal. It was bizarre. Best on the day were Zoric, for sure, Joseph Youssef , Coveny, O'Dor, and Nunes played probably his best game for the club to date. A much tougher ask next round against the Knights.
So the South Australia Super League has started...
... with some old South Melbourne faces popping up amongst the scorers. Scott Tundbridge and fucking Adam Van Dommelle of all people both scored for the MetroStars (stupid, stupid name) in their 3-1 win against Adelaide Galaxy. What I also want to know is, what's the deal with something like 8 teams (not just in their top flight) having the word Adelaide and an attached gimmick as their name? Don't they have enough suburbs to go around? And what's the deal with the Super League being above the Premier League? You'd think Premier meaning, well, premier, ie; the first, best etc., would be above it. Ah fuck it, Vam Dommelle scored!
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Preston vs South live at Lakeside
Someone's put their cojones on the line and managed to come up with this nice little solution to all those who don't want to venture out to BT Connor Reserve tomorrow. The game will be streamed live at Lakeside, with doors open at 4pm, with the bar and kitchen open. That's where I'll be. And before anyone makes the accusation that I'm doing it for the money, I do have a media pass remember - so I could get in and not pay a cent - it's the principle of the thing. They didn't think I was worthy enough to enter last year, let's continue that tradition.
Boutsi's 100th NSL goal
Who could forget it? Marconi needed to beat us by four goals to make the finals. They suffered a setback when Boutsi scored a 40 metre half volley lob over Michael Turnbull. And then he came up with this to bring up his ton, and seal the visitors fate well and truly.
Friday, 13 March 2009
Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel? Round 3 - Preston Lions vs South Melbourne
Last Time They Met
I think it was about half way through last year. They won 2-1, avenging their loss at home earlier in the season. The winner was one of those mishit crosses that goes in. Funny that.
Preview
Not that we can't win - we did it last season, and actually haven't lost there since we dropped down to the VPL - but I don't think we will. A good fighting draw is my guess.
I think it was about half way through last year. They won 2-1, avenging their loss at home earlier in the season. The winner was one of those mishit crosses that goes in. Funny that.
Preview
Not that we can't win - we did it last season, and actually haven't lost there since we dropped down to the VPL - but I don't think we will. A good fighting draw is my guess.
Thursday, 12 March 2009
Jenny Mikakos and cancer
South receiving the love and giving it out in equal doses. First up, MP Jenny Mikakos says some stuff, about us. the same way Nicola Roxon wastes valuable Federal Parliament time saying how delightful it is to go down to Point Gellibrand and watch the Towners beat those rapscallions from Box Hill.
Visit the relevant VicHansard page
Then we also got into the news... or at least were able to out it on our own webpage, that we donated some of our players, from both men's and women's teams, time and some merchandise to cheer up some kids who are sick with cancer. Now cancer can be funny, but this time no jokes from me. Great stuff by whoever thought of the idea, and to the players and club for making it happen. People interested in the organisation involved can head to Challenge's website for more details.
Visit the relevant VicHansard page
Then we also got into the news... or at least were able to out it on our own webpage, that we donated some of our players, from both men's and women's teams, time and some merchandise to cheer up some kids who are sick with cancer. Now cancer can be funny, but this time no jokes from me. Great stuff by whoever thought of the idea, and to the players and club for making it happen. People interested in the organisation involved can head to Challenge's website for more details.
Needed more shots of Victorian soccer
SBS TV bit on the tip top relationship between the FFA and the state Federations. According to FFV Prez Tony Dunkerley anyway.
Wednesday, 11 March 2009
Fanatic of the Week no.2 - Anthony Christodoulou
Ok, so we didn't have any responses about the whereabouts of Helen Menidis. Last roll of the dice here with the only other Fanatic Of The Week file we managed to have access to.
FANATIC OF THE WEEK
Friday, 29th June, 2001
This week’s fanatic is Anthony Christodoulou from Noble Park who likes the club because it is much more than a soccer club, it's a way of life
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NAME: Anthony Christodoulou.
AGE: 19.
SUBURB: Noble Park.
INTERESTS: All sports, soccer, going out with friends, meeting new people, watching T.V, having a good time & watching South Melbourne play.
FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne, Endeavour Hills Soccer & Sporting Club, Liverpool, Olympiakos, Celtic, Barcelona, Kaiserslautern, PSG, Ajax & Fiorentina.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Yes I am & will be till the day I die!
WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
6 years – South vs Heidelberg, 1988/89 Season at Middle Park – What a debut!! >; P
FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
Probably falling through the players race at Bob Jane Stadium after we beat Carlton in the 98/99 Grand Final, then spending the night in hospital, only to return the next day to Bob Jane for family day!
MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
Every single game I watch is memorable, but one that really sticks out, is when we beat Olympic 2-0 with 9 men, 4 days after losing to them 6-0 at Belmore.
FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
I’m a keeper myself, so I have to say Petka. But all the boys are top guys.
BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Charlie Egan.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Everything, from the administration, to the fans, to the team, to the stadium itself. Basically the whole set-up.
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
I suppose the only thing I dislike is all those ‘critics’ up in the stands, but what can you do, each person has their own opinion, so you just have to build your bridge and get over it >;P
WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
Hahaha….. HELL NO!!!
WHY?
I live and breathe this club, as anyone who has supported this club or is married knows, once your with South Melbourne, your with South Melbourne for life & until death do us part!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ANTHONY!
FANATIC OF THE WEEK
Friday, 29th June, 2001
This week’s fanatic is Anthony Christodoulou from Noble Park who likes the club because it is much more than a soccer club, it's a way of life
----------------------------------------
NAME: Anthony Christodoulou.
AGE: 19.
SUBURB: Noble Park.
INTERESTS: All sports, soccer, going out with friends, meeting new people, watching T.V, having a good time & watching South Melbourne play.
FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne, Endeavour Hills Soccer & Sporting Club, Liverpool, Olympiakos, Celtic, Barcelona, Kaiserslautern, PSG, Ajax & Fiorentina.
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Yes I am & will be till the day I die!
WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
6 years – South vs Heidelberg, 1988/89 Season at Middle Park – What a debut!! >; P
FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
Probably falling through the players race at Bob Jane Stadium after we beat Carlton in the 98/99 Grand Final, then spending the night in hospital, only to return the next day to Bob Jane for family day!
MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
Every single game I watch is memorable, but one that really sticks out, is when we beat Olympic 2-0 with 9 men, 4 days after losing to them 6-0 at Belmore.
FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
I’m a keeper myself, so I have to say Petka. But all the boys are top guys.
BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Charlie Egan.
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Everything, from the administration, to the fans, to the team, to the stadium itself. Basically the whole set-up.
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
I suppose the only thing I dislike is all those ‘critics’ up in the stands, but what can you do, each person has their own opinion, so you just have to build your bridge and get over it >;P
WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
Hahaha….. HELL NO!!!
WHY?
I live and breathe this club, as anyone who has supported this club or is married knows, once your with South Melbourne, your with South Melbourne for life & until death do us part!
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME ANTHONY!
Tuesday, 10 March 2009
The truth about Coveny's South Melbourne stats
It has been widely circulated that Vaughan Coveny had played some 247 odd games, and 88 goals for South. The information was collated by myself from OzFootball stats and used for Wikipedia as well. It was brought to my attention by John Kyrou that these stats were incorrect, and that Vaughan has in fact played 278 league matches for us, and scored 97 goals. While I can't quite pinpoint the place where I made the error, my suspicions turn towards not counting finals matches. Happily though, the error has been corrected, and Horsey only needs 3 more goals for his South ton.
Monday, 9 March 2009
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Friday, 6 March 2009
The 50th anniversary game of the century! Round 2, South Melbourne vs Heidelberg United
Last Time They Met
Preview
I've been too busy giving the bourgeoisie hell in working class writing this week to type out something meagingful. Ok, that's not entirely true. Just on Friday afternoons. And spent the rest of the time doing the following
1. Arguing with Hellas fans
2. Trying to get smfcboard opened up
3. Arguing with Melbourne Knights fans
4. Dropping a subject I was somehow enrolled in twice.
5. Adding heaps of people on Facebook.
6. Knocking back invitations to join some crew in Mob Wars
7. Telling that summer league agenda spouting twat Teo Pellizzeri to answer the damn question.
8. Getting reeady to join the Offset 2009 crew.
9. And other things.
Anyway, I provided plenty of stuff for this week, so get off my back. Should be a good game but. We'll be wearing the red and white jersey of South Melbourne United this week. The question on everyone's lips though: will there be hooped socks? It's the hooped socks that make the original South Melbourne Hellas strip complete and well balanced aesthetically.
Preview
I've been too busy giving the bourgeoisie hell in working class writing this week to type out something meagingful. Ok, that's not entirely true. Just on Friday afternoons. And spent the rest of the time doing the following
1. Arguing with Hellas fans
2. Trying to get smfcboard opened up
3. Arguing with Melbourne Knights fans
4. Dropping a subject I was somehow enrolled in twice.
5. Adding heaps of people on Facebook.
6. Knocking back invitations to join some crew in Mob Wars
7. Telling that summer league agenda spouting twat Teo Pellizzeri to answer the damn question.
8. Getting reeady to join the Offset 2009 crew.
9. And other things.
Anyway, I provided plenty of stuff for this week, so get off my back. Should be a good game but. We'll be wearing the red and white jersey of South Melbourne United this week. The question on everyone's lips though: will there be hooped socks? It's the hooped socks that make the original South Melbourne Hellas strip complete and well balanced aesthetically.
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.
Thursday, 5 March 2009
Reardo Luka's gone... and someone's not well pleased about it.
It's business...
Reardo LUKA did not have a chance to play for the senior team at South Melbourne FC in the 2009 season. Better saying it, the club's managers did not give him a chance to play for that team he strongly dreamed and genuinely believed would be involved.
After he broke his leg playing for SMFC in 2007, Reardo worked to prepare himself non-stop in both ways, physically and mentally, to challenge the existing 'high standard in that standard of players' and the 'sharp requirements' for professionalism in this category of soccer, looking forward to a magnificent season with SMFC.
My harsh criticism goes to the club's managers that did not value his huge efforts to recover quickly and his hard work to get back on track for the sake of this club and for sure to give a positive contribution for this club.
Looking after their club’s interests, an interest to gain big things and other profitable deals, momentarily out of reach, the managers ruled out Reardo, demolishing his sincere belief that the club would give him a chance… and if he didn’t work as they expected in the club’s preseason games, he would be out of this squad and surely seek other options.
Now, Reardo has registered himself to play for Werribee Bees SC in 2009, a second division team, as he seeks to gain some ‘confidence’ lost after that terribly bad news from his previous SMFC managers… and by playing close to home, he looks to fulfill his family duties as well.
Good luck SMFC and cheers!
Wednesday, 4 March 2009
Fanatic Of The Week - Helen Menidis
This probably breaks at least some aspect of copyright and privacy laws, and probably lacks a bit of decorum, but there's two things I'll say about it before we get into the nitty gritty. Firstly, it's still on the net, and therefore I can use it as long as I make valid comment; and secondly, you people can do an online search with my name and see my halcyon days of making faux-teenage intellectual comments on Monsanto and Trent Croad, and the other Paul Mavroudis who's the president of Melbourne's 'Thessaloniki Association'.
Anyway, while searching through the ancient archives of South Melbourne websites past, I found an interesting semi-regular segment called Fanatic of the Week. Naturally, everyone claims their loyalty to South forever in these things... but where are they now? Are they still supporting the club? Unfortunately the archives don't work in their entirety... so this segment will last for three weeks or so. Shame really... some people are getting off lightly. We'd love to know if these people have jumped off South and onto some other bandwagon and professed their new undying love for that cause - or whether, against the odds, they're still hanging round the joint.
In it's own way, this is a similar idea to the Pumpkin Seed Eaters 'Poulimeno of the Week' (which should be 'Poulimeno of the Month' seeing as how it's a monthly show... and perhaps should have been 'Poulimeno of the Fortnight' seeing as it used to be a fortnightly show, but I digress), but with the added possibility of some genuine redemption for the individual and South itself, if they're still following this great club. And now on with the show; this edition first hit the internet airwaves Friday 8th June, 2001.
FANATIC OF THE WEEK
Friday, 8th June, 2001
Welcome to 'Fanatic of the Week'.
This week’s fanatic is Helen Menidis from Ringwood who misses Ange Postecoglou as senior coach of the club.
See below for full fanatic profile:
----------------------------------------
NAME: Helen J Menidis
AGE: 20
SUBURB: Ringwood
INTERESTS: Soccer, shopping, travelling and sleeping
FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
No, but I will be next season
WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
My family and I have always followed this club and I watch all the games on TV, but my first ever game attended was the Major Semi-Final 2nd Leg against Wollongong this year. I also attended the Preliminary Final against Sydney Olympic and the NSL Grand Final at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney.
FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
Meeting all the players and staff behind the team.
MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
Our win at Olympic Park because I was there and it was much better than watching it on TV.
FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
All of them. I see them a lot and they are a friendly and down to earth bunch of guys.
BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Ange Postecoglou because he was a fantastic player and a legendary coach. He had the passion that champions are made of as a player and a coach, and took the boys all they way to give them the great reputation of being Australia's Most Successful Club. I miss him as a coach!
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Everything
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Nothing
WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
Never
WHY?
Because they are the team I strongly support, and I will always cheer them on through good times and bad.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HELEN.
Anyway, while searching through the ancient archives of South Melbourne websites past, I found an interesting semi-regular segment called Fanatic of the Week. Naturally, everyone claims their loyalty to South forever in these things... but where are they now? Are they still supporting the club? Unfortunately the archives don't work in their entirety... so this segment will last for three weeks or so. Shame really... some people are getting off lightly. We'd love to know if these people have jumped off South and onto some other bandwagon and professed their new undying love for that cause - or whether, against the odds, they're still hanging round the joint.
In it's own way, this is a similar idea to the Pumpkin Seed Eaters 'Poulimeno of the Week' (which should be 'Poulimeno of the Month' seeing as how it's a monthly show... and perhaps should have been 'Poulimeno of the Fortnight' seeing as it used to be a fortnightly show, but I digress), but with the added possibility of some genuine redemption for the individual and South itself, if they're still following this great club. And now on with the show; this edition first hit the internet airwaves Friday 8th June, 2001.
FANATIC OF THE WEEK
Friday, 8th June, 2001
Welcome to 'Fanatic of the Week'.
This week’s fanatic is Helen Menidis from Ringwood who misses Ange Postecoglou as senior coach of the club.
See below for full fanatic profile:
----------------------------------------
NAME: Helen J Menidis
AGE: 20
SUBURB: Ringwood
INTERESTS: Soccer, shopping, travelling and sleeping
FAVOURITE SOCCER CLUBS: South Melbourne
ARE YOU A MEMBER OF SOUTH MELBOURNE?
No, but I will be next season
WHAT AGE DID YOU EXPERIENCE YOUR FIRST MATCH?
My family and I have always followed this club and I watch all the games on TV, but my first ever game attended was the Major Semi-Final 2nd Leg against Wollongong this year. I also attended the Preliminary Final against Sydney Olympic and the NSL Grand Final at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney.
FAVOURITE SOUTH MELBOURNE MEMORY?
Meeting all the players and staff behind the team.
MOST MEMORABLE GAME WATCHED?
Our win at Olympic Park because I was there and it was much better than watching it on TV.
FAVOURITE CURRENT PLAYER?
All of them. I see them a lot and they are a friendly and down to earth bunch of guys.
BEST SOUTH MELBOURNE PLAYER EVER?
Ange Postecoglou because he was a fantastic player and a legendary coach. He had the passion that champions are made of as a player and a coach, and took the boys all they way to give them the great reputation of being Australia's Most Successful Club. I miss him as a coach!
WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Everything
WHAT DO YOU DISLIKE ABOUT SOUTH MELBOURNE?
Nothing
WOULD YOU EVER SUPPORT ANOTHER NSL TEAM?
Never
WHY?
Because they are the team I strongly support, and I will always cheer them on through good times and bad.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME HELEN.
Tuesday, 3 March 2009
South of the Border Confessional - Goal Weekly
Confession time again... I have not been a frequent purchaser or reader of Goal Weekly. I took its role for granted, and justified not buying it because I could get most of the news I wanted on the web. But this was the totally wrong attitude to take. Therefore I'm going to make a commitment to become a regular reader of the magazine, in support of the fine work put in by its contributors and staff to provide Victorian soccer fans with regular print news and opinion.
Monday, 2 March 2009
Under 21s start season off with a bang
Now at the time I was at the Limerick Arms up the road eating food that other people had paid for, but while I was doing that, South's much maligned under 21s scored a 3-0 win over Dandenong. How about that.
2009 SMFC Membership experience - plus a mystery solved!
Rather than stretching it out over a few days as per last year, we're doing this all in one go. The actual obtaining of the membership was an absolute delight, especially when compared to previous years. One line in the social club for people who have already paid for theirs, and another at the usual tent for people who hadn't. Simple and effective, at least for those of us who love paying for memberships as soon as possible.In the picture on the right, we have some of the goodies that come with a South Gold membership. The keyring has been described as 'officially without leave', and one has to agree. It is stunning. It works well with my 3RRR keyring, which doesn't come with a South membership. There's a sticker, of which I had already swiped one from the office during a trip there, and also have another two from the Jersey Presentation Night. One is on my car, and another on my 5 subject notebook. There's also a nice lanyard... for some reason the membership card (not pictured) was not equipped with a slot to attach the lanyard to, but you can get a hole clipped by your friendly security guard or boardmember waiting at the social club entrance on match days. I use my lanyard for attaching my usb key... card can go in my wallet.
But it's not like I need a membership card anymore anyway, now that I have an FFV Media Pass! Oh yeah, thanks to being the FFV Writer In Residence's official lackey, I now have the opportunity to not only visit opposition grounds for free, but also take advantage of media facilites, attend press conferences, and all sorts of other benefits hitherto unrevealed to me. And the solved mystery? Groundskeeper Argiri calls me 'president' because of my classy hat, which I'll have to make my signature now at South games. Maybe.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Shit game, shit result - South Melbourne 0 Dandenong Thunder 1
The first half was mostly slop. The second half was less slop, if only because Thunder were sitting back on their lead and let us have more of the ball. One could whinge about Rama's farcical own goal... but that would be taking away credit from the Thunder who, while not even remotely technically brilliant, harassed and fought hard for most balls and deserved to be one up at the break though we did hit the post. Second half we had some chances, two missed handballs in the box, an advantage play denied and some bizarre fouls and non fouls... but to be fair, we barely deserved a point in the great scheme of things.
Our strength lies in playing the ball on the ground, as was seen last week against Heidelberg. Once the space is shut down though, instead of sticking to the game plan, panic sets in and we take up long ball tactics. Despite the obvious problems we caused their defence when we ran at them, we didn't stick with it consistently, and started lofting long balls wide and high. We lost too many 50/50 contests, and weren't at the fall of the ball when set pieces dropped in the box. Neither side will get to the finals based on today;s performances; the difference being - and its one we shouldn't forget in a hurry- is that's about as well as Dandenoing Thunder are going to play, whereas we have do have the potential to play far, far better than that... we've seen as recently as last week,
Our strength lies in playing the ball on the ground, as was seen last week against Heidelberg. Once the space is shut down though, instead of sticking to the game plan, panic sets in and we take up long ball tactics. Despite the obvious problems we caused their defence when we ran at them, we didn't stick with it consistently, and started lofting long balls wide and high. We lost too many 50/50 contests, and weren't at the fall of the ball when set pieces dropped in the box. Neither side will get to the finals based on today;s performances; the difference being - and its one we shouldn't forget in a hurry- is that's about as well as Dandenoing Thunder are going to play, whereas we have do have the potential to play far, far better than that... we've seen as recently as last week,
SMFC brings you live scores via Twitter
No more using potentially dodgy Asian and European betting sites for your South score updates! If you're a Twitter user head to http://twitter.com/smfc and do your thing. Or you could just turn up to a game. See the real thing. Just saying is all. Mildura Vasili is excused of course.
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