Murney, Schwab, Nestoridis and International Jewry

So me and Ian Syson went out to Hugh Murney's place today, to talk about Max Sterne, the noted Australian stamp dealer and oldest registered soccer player in the state still going at 80 something (and not the Italian vet who developed an anthrax vaccine), but as sometimes happens we ended up going off on a few tangents, and we got to learn a fair a bit about Hugh's football story. And soccer-forum got a mention as well, for the North Caulfield on Sundays saga, whereby every team that plays against North Caulfield Maccabi must play even their home games on Sundays.

For those like myself, unfamiliar with Hugh Murney, he was a Scottish footballer who came out here to play for Hakoah in the mid 1960s after having played all over the place in Scotland, and then also played or coached at many places, and so I enjoyed having my knowledge of obscure and now defunct Melbourne soccer teams validated, as we talked about Albion Rovers (before the Turks took over), Kew Park Rangers, Sunshine City etc. One of those rare occasions where all that time spent working on OzFootball didn't go waste.

And we also talked about the great characters he's met along the way, Eddie McGuire tucking into a Scottish breakfast at Hugh's pub before the Scotland/Australia game in the 1980s, Manchester United, England and Scotland touring teams, with plenty of stories about drinking and tongue in cheek jokes about the meanness of the Scots and the Jews. And an unprompted bit about Kostas Nestoridis, and him scoring two goals from corners in one game, after having been drinking and playing cards the previous night until well into the next morning. Oh, and Footy Show (co)creator Harvey Silver's involvement in local Jewish football.

There's a hell of a story in there, or at least, hundreds of anecdotes worth collecting and preserving. But he gave us the name of one bloke writing a book, called Michael O'Hara, who's written this bizarre book about his time in MI6, of which the segment I've chosen talks about the great Hakoah side of the mid 1960s, and some other stuff. Fascinating game, Australian soccer.

That's that then

Socceroos through to next world cup. Nice. Big piece of the local footballing puzzle shuffles into place, and while most Australian footballing hearts will be happy this morning, there's a bitter element that won't be. Let me make it perfectly clear that I don't share their point of view. Well done to Pim and the lads! Now maybe with two games to play, we might get the chance to see some stuff that doesn't involve parking buses, so it's worth me wasting my limited bandwidth streaming the Bahrain game, and me and Chris Egan can see something worthwhile at the MCG when he comes down here in a week or so.

The horror of the bye week

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

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

Blatsis officially calls it quits

Finally, after one injury breakdown too many, and not having played a game since 2006, Con Blatsis has called it a day. The 31 year old will be fondly remembered as part of the mid 90s youth revival that Frank Arok created, as well as for being a part of the back to back championship teams. He also played for the national youth and senior teams, but will perhaps be best remembered for his golden goal in the first minute of extra time against Adelaide City back 1996/97.

Someone quite mean once suggested to me...

...that I needed a life outside South. Now that person obviously hadn't paid attention to my bookshelf picture that's crammed with books and papers and stuff, almost all of which has naught to do with South, and doesn't include all the other books and shit lying around my house. Ok, so maybe I should get a life outside South and books. But what about my music? There are a fair few CDs in the rack behind me, and a fair few mp3s and stuff on the laptop, and even more CDs in my swiveling CD rack. Ok, so maybe I need to get a life outside South, my books, my music, my occasional trips to the cinema with my bro, barracking for Collingwood - which is quite hard when one is at South every weekend - and hanging out with all these people you don't know because they don't come to South. Maybe I should get a life outside all those things mentioned above, and quit playing board games too and avoid going to the Melbourne International Animation Festival. Just to please you, see?

I guess what I'm trying to say is, there's over 600 posts on here. Most are to do with South, of course. Some aren't. There's a bit of a hint in those posts, if one cares to read between the lines, that no matter how infatuated I may seem with South, there is more to my life than that... and the fact that other stuff gets short shrift here is no accident, because this is a South blog after all, and I reckon I'd get even less people hitting their bookmarks if it was a Paul Mavroudis blog. If however, one wants to listen and learn about some of what I do in my weekday life, tune into 102.7 RRR at about 12:15pm today, because I may may be making an in studio appearance on the wonderful Aural Text program to plug Offset 2009 and try and get a few more submissions for it. Here's hoping I both get on air, and that it turns out a lot better than my Nearpost gig, which when all is said and done, sadly didn't turn out that great. And I still haven't got my copy of the entire interview.

SMFCTV Episode 13 - Ange Dallas gets cramp in his eyebrow

This week's edition of SMFCTV includes footage of last week's game but also scenes from the inaugural SMFC Corporate Challenge, which apparently went quite well.

A year and a bit down the track, Marinis gets his man

A curious addition to the Melbourne Knights squad last week... one Neil Young (WA State Rep) whom some of you might remember from this adventure. One wonders of course what might have been, on so many fronts... below are a couple of bits about the keeper we almost had.


YOUNG TORN ABOUT MOVING TO MELBOURNE

State goalkeeper Neil Young has embarked on a brave new phase in his career by joining Victorian Premier League club Melbourne Knights. The long-serving Sorrento stopper jetted out of town on Tuesday evening and is likely to make his debut for the Knights in Sunday's game with Richmond. "It's a bigger stage in Melbourne and you never know what may come of it," commented Young on moving east. "I've only ever played for Sorrento so I'm looking forward to experiencing another club and improving myself as a player ... and to get a trial with an A-League club would also be nice."

The Knights, currently tenth in the twelve-team VPL, made initial contact with Young earlier this year. "They've been in touch since the roughly the beginning of our season and made me a pretty good offer," said Young. "It wasn't the easiest decision I've ever made as I'm leaving my wife and two young boys behind. And when I told (Sorrento coach) Steve Neville I was a blubbering mess - so was he I might add - then telling the boys before the game on Saturday again brought tears to my eyes. I've been at the club fourteen seasons and have a lot of mates there who I'd also call family."

And it's that camaraderie that Young says he'll miss most about not being a Sorrento player. "There's some great banter in the change rooms, Thommo, Todd, Macca, Ordy, Nuggs, Banksy, Monty and even Kilkelly are good team mates but are also my best friends and it will be hard not to miss them," said the 29-year old 'keeper. "Sorrento is a family. Tom Bartlett and Derek Harnwell are great men and have looked after me like one of their own sons. And Nevs is a quality coach and a mate, he's always there for his players."

Young kept goal during the most successful period in Sorrento's history and has many fond memories from his time at the club. "Winning the Premier League title three times, once as captain, rate as the highlight along with being named the 2006 Goalkeeper of the Year, it's great to get personal awards too," said Young, who on four occasions wore State team colours. "It's a great honour to be selected in the State squad, and to hold the number one shirt for the games I played is something I'll always cherish."


Off some WA club forum

His command of his area is also a tremendous credit to him, an on song Neil Young will win you games. Also very aware of his tendency to 'self destruct', If he was a painter he would have probably cut off both of his ears by now! At this point he probably needs a new challenge and possesses the talent to rise to it.

Round 8 WVPL action.

The Seniors made it five wins in a row, beating Sandringham 4-2. The Reserves meanwhile got a belting, losing 6-0. The Seniors are in 2nd place, but have played one extra game, while the Reserves are also 2nd. Both sides have the bye next week as the season reaches its halfway point, with the Women's teams doing rather well, especially in comparison to previous years. The Seniors in particular are putting more and more good games together, and not succumbing to the inconsistency that hurt them so much last season.

Not how, but how many - Bergers 1 South 0

Think the title sums it up.

Trivia Night Shenanigans

The following is a hazy and at best only moderately accurate recollection of being a quizmaster for a night.

While killing some time on the interwebs yesterday arvo, a message pops up on msn.

(2:51:34 PM) Tony: oi
(2:51:35 PM) Tony: need your number
(2:51:41 PM) Tony: need to call you
(2:51:49 PM) Paul: 1234 5679

"Phone Rings"

Paul: Hello
Tony: Are you going to the trivia night?
Paul: Yep, will be there.
Tony: Do you mind hosting it? George Triantos is sick.
Paul: No problem mate, do we have the questions?
Tony: Nicki has them, I think it's six rounds of ten questions.
Paul: Do we have a prize?
Tony: Yeah, a signed ball. What time can you be there?
Paul: I can be there, by 7:00, 7:30 at the latest (senses this is not the best answer to give)... actually I could be there at 6:30, 7:00, not a problem...

Anyway, you can use your imagination for how the rest of this plays out. I rock up to the club at about 7:00 or so, after the South Melbourne Corporate Challenge is over (apparently a success). I've prepared some of my own ballbreaker questions in the few spare hours I had before showtime, and a gimmick round on Australian Prime Ministers, because I've been asked to stretch it out as much as possible. And it was a good thing I did too, because when I get my first look at the questions, there's only 52 of them, with no numbering. I spend some time doing that myself, breaking them up into five rounds, plus my gimmick round.

Heading back out to the social club, the turn out is not looking too flash. There's enough for about 5-6 teams, provided we make them no less than 3 and no more than 5. I manage to rustle up an assistant, we scrounge around for some more prizes - how they thought they were going to split a ball between several people is anyone's guess - Dangerous Dave gets a laptop to help us keep track of the scores, and with an internet connection to help deal with the inevitable challenges to the provided answers. We call for team names, some of them bland, two of them unmentionable in polite society, and one given some thought. And therefore All The President's Men got the bonus points for best name, and Chereka Boys and Shaven Balls pleased themselves with their childish antics.

After some initial microphone problems, the evening went rather well. The lead swapped a few times with the President's Men holding the lead for much of the contest, and the South Women's contingent doing ok until they had to answer questions about Australia. Then we get our our first challenges to questions. "What city is known as the 'pearl of the Adriatic'? Most teams had written Dubrovnik, but the answer provided was Venice. A quick check up of that on the net cleared up that situation in favour of several of the teams. The President's Men also got an additional point for having baseball down as a 1956 Olympics demonstration sport in addition to Australian Rules.

Just as everything seems to be going swimmingly, the cheating allegations start. Accusations are made that one team has too many players and is googling answers as well. The judging panel decides to delay any response until after the contest, hoping one of the other teams can win and save us some grief. After the fifth round, we hastily put together a 7th round of 15 South Melbourne related questions. The Chereka Boys do everyone a massive favour by coming out on top and not requiring us to make a difficult decision in regards to the cheating allegations. A good night had by all... I just wish more people had come. Thanks to Dave, Tony, Dubs, everyone that came and had a go, especially the winning Chereka Boys and the rather silly Shaven Balls crew.

Derby Week - Round 13, Megas Alexandros vs Hellas

Last Time They Met

South 0 Bergers 1

Osagie Ederaro mishit a cross that sailed over a rather stationary Tommich. Bergers deserved to win it though, if anyone did.

Preview

2nd vs 3rd. Derby game. Change of date and time to accommodate South fans. What more could one ask for? Been a while since we lost, and I have a bad feeling this game will see us end our 10 game unbeaten run.

Don't forget, Trivia Night this Saturday!

There's a corporate football day on before that. And some game called the FA Cup after it. But the centrepiece of this Saturday is the Trivia Night, at 8:00pm, cost $10... and there's prizes. South of the Border is almost certainly going to be there - pending any mishaps. South of the Border also expects to do quite well, provided the questions are half decent. Also, have you seen? South's Twitter service which keeps you up to date with the goings on at the club, especially live score updates from games, also has trivia on it, written and compiled by South of the Border. Some are easy, some are ballbreakers, a couple have nothing to do with South at all. Don't ask me for answer at games, chances are anyway I've forgotten what the answer was.

South Melbourne feature club in Goal Weekly

If you pick up a copy of Goal Weekly this week, you'll get a nice double page spread dedicated to South. There's some nice photos, and some commentary from Ramazan, Jimmy Armstrong, Michael Michalakopoulos and George Koukoulas about what it to be part of the greatest football club in the world. It's pretty cool.

It does my head in / What happened to the bigger picture?

It's all rather typical and generic. Everyone hates the same things and people. Sometimes different people and things. And sometimes they can even be convinced to change a previously held opinion, all because someone all of a sudden agreed with them, or did enough agreeable things over a period of time to sway that opinion to the other side. Or they get caught up in the emotion and half-eloquence created by someone who washes and learned how to spell.

What I am talking about? Well, in the lesser sense, football fandom and the ongoing Bitter/New Dawner trench warfare, but in a larger sense perhaps, Planet Earth. But there's humour to be found in it, humour and irony and sadness. Les Murray and SBS are despised for being pro A-League and forgetful of the old migrant and other NSL clubs, those that gave them their livelihoods for so many years. They are also accused of being anti A-League and everything that the new regime has tried to make happen. Mike Cockerill has gone from hated to loved, and loved to hated. Michael Lynch from love to hated and hated to loved, and to writing essays defending his coverage and lack of coverage to angry letter writers.

There are those who love the game above all, because without the game there is nothing. And there are those who reluctantly and not love their club above the game, for without clubs, there would only be nations, exhibition matches and park football. There are those from both sides who hate indiscriminately, and from who don't care what the evidence is. And there are those who put forth faux intellectual spins, Hephaestus inspired word and truth smithery. And then there are those caught in the middle. Those who embraced the A-League as their first true footballing love but who can see the Bitter side... and those Bitters who still attend their first love club but have an appreciation of the need to change. And we are forever painted in blacks and whites, ethnics and anglos, Bitters and New Dawners, reactionaries and other reactionaries.

Oh, and everyone being Against Modern Football, even though it's an inconsistent and never the same to two different people mix of terrace romanticism and excuse to bash the fuck out of whoever they feel like, because that's what real soccer support is all about, maaaaaaaaaan.

The broader fantasy land that is Australia, or at least huge swathes of it, says there is only one type of Australia. It is meat pies, it is kangaroos, it is Holden cars. It is Bradman, it is Digger, Aussie, Digger, Aussie, Dinkum and a flag with four foreign nations represented on it and the mistaken belief that we own the Southern Cross, or some neo-Nazi group does, or worse, Melbourne Victory fans. It is asking Asian people how long they've lived in Australia even though they were born here. It's not nearly illiterate factory wogs learning to speak different languages while working. Or babies brought up by neighbours of different ethnicities while you worked. It's not 25,000 at Olympic Park when the VFL was actively trying to kill off VFA clubs.

The NSL was, in its own typically bumbling fashion, so Australian that it was not Australian. It had the broadest range of people, and experiences, and food, and style, and all that tree hugging multicultural crap that we were told was an essential part of being Australia, that after many backward years of racism, the multicultural shift that had made Australia great. No. It was too Australian. Too pluralist, too ramshackle, too independent, too anarchic, too representative of everything the beloved mainstream didn't stand for, neat cul-de-sacs and sunny beaches to send back to the old country which was wasn't (but really was).

I'm sick of the crap and the hypocrisy, but I'm more sick of how it all misses the greater issues that this stuff taps into. That so many in this country have been duped into thinking multiculturalism means everyone acting the same, just eating different food. Reminds me of a line in a song, 'The New World Order is like the EPL; same old shit, just more expensive'. And if you stand a up like a nail, then you will be knocked down. And the Commonwealth Ban has sent me several important messages about my account through email, which is great except for one thing. I don't bank with the Commonwealth. And maybe doing Working Class Writing was a lot of fun, but it also made me even more negative. And maybe I saw or maybe I just thought I saw an old teacher of mine today, who believed in me and encouraged me, but I couldn't be sure it was him so I didn't say anything, and then came to the conclusion that if it was him, he didn't recognise me because of my hat and the fact that I was wearing a band t-shirt.

Which doesn't make any sense of course. And it's really tiring. And that looking at pictures of deepest space, or remembering lessons from Epicurus and Seneca derived from pop-philosopher/entrepreneur Alain De Botton... and thinking about a silly photocopied sheet of paper passed on to me by Mike Baylis who I haven't spoken to in 7 years and will likely never speak to again even though tracking him down is not an impossible task, from Lyle Stebbing, the aforementioned teacher, whose class I wasn't even in anymore because I'd done it the previous year, about existentialism... it changed my life, probably for the better, but it's taken a while for that fruit to ripen on that tree.

Few things to pad out a Tuesday entry

• Item! Why is someone like Michael Cockerill of the Sydney Morning Herald calling us to ask and publish our opinions about B-Leagues and such - remember he's in Sydney - and Michael Lynch and The Age - remember, they're in Melbourne, like us - seem to have missed the boat entirely on this one? Maybe there's no real story and Cockerill was bored... I'd hope for Lynchy's sake, and that of his reputation that was the case.
  

• Item! I was made aware last Saturday of a bizarre local practice of certain ethnic minorities building entire kitchens and dining areas in their garages, so they wouldn't scuff up the inside of their house. Not that I disbelieved it, but I did find it odd. And then we took a wrong turn somewhere in Dandenong, ending up in a cul-de-sac, and as we maneuvered our way out of it, we spied an open garage... with a full on kitchen set up inside... crazy!

• Item! The online football game Hattrick! has its first ever South Melbourne Hellas Federation. The brainchild of the Hellas fan known as 'Gate 13' for some unknown reason, it's managed to get enough members within a week (five!) in order for it not to be shutdown by Hattrick's authorities! Excelsior!

Stay focused, please

In Sagan's name, I wish I could ignore this, but it appears we're obliged to offer some intellectual rigour to it. I suppose Carl wouldn't have wanted it any other way


NSL giants back second tier

FOOTBALL Federation Australia's decision to investigate a national second-tier competition has sparked intense interest among the game's traditional custodians after years of being frozen out by the game's governing body.

The FFA revealed last week that it was forming an eight-man taskforce to consider the practical and logistical implications of a proposed "second division", which would derive the majority - if not all - of its teams from the existing state leagues around the country.

Those teams most likely to be in the running are those who previously participated in the old National Soccer League, many of whom have returned to their state league roots with varying degrees of success.

Since the demolition of the NSL and subsequent creation of the A-League in 2003-04, relations between the powerbrokers of "old soccer" and "new football" have been frosty to say the least, with many feeling the FFA had unfairly distanced themselves from the game's somewhat rocky past.

Until now, little effort has been made to end the stand-off but the FFA has recently shown signs of wanting to reconnect with the storied clubs of yesteryear instead of continuing with its policy of isolating the A-League.

A national cup competition might have been postponed but will almost certainly take place in the next year, while alterations to the transfer system - including removing the $3000 transfer cap for players moving from a state league to the A-League - are being considered.

As arguably the nation's most successful club, boasting four national and eight state league titles, South Melbourne initially felt aggrieved at being overlooked for the A-League but said they would love the opportunity to return to the national stage.

"We're definitely interested in playing at a higher level and the ambition of South Melbourne will always be to compete on that kind of stage," said South Melbourne director George Triantos. "It would be a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our great club once again. We've been part of football in Australia for 50 years."

While many clubs remain bitter about the nature of the NSL's demise, South Melbourne have gradually moved on and have tried to position themselves not only as a Victorian power but as a club willing to work within the constraints of "new football".

"We've always wanted to stay relevant, and we understand that means embracing a new direction. After all, we host Socceroos training here when they're in town, the Melbourne Victory's women's team and youth teams, so we think we're a part of it," Triantos said. "Look at how we compare to other Victorian clubs in terms of the number of full-time staff we have, the training and stadium facilities, the way we present ourselves in a corporate sense, in the media, with our marketing and so on. Many other clubs don't have that.

"Are we too big for the state league? I wouldn't like to say. But you'll find that the bigger clubs are looking for either reform or something else altogether."

Should such a competition prove to be financially viable, the biggest stumbling block to bringing clubs in remains the delicate prospect of promotion and relegation and whether there was a possibility of winning a place in the A-League.

"Most clubs would look at having promotion and relegation as very important," Triantos said. "Would we enter that competition if we couldn't get in the A-League? I don't know. .. You'll find most clubs aspire to play in the top level."


First up, can I just say that George Triantos is obviously enjoying himself in this little article.

Are we too big for the state league? I wouldn't like to say.

Wink, wink, nudge, nudge. The things we can and can't say, and the things we choose not to say, fascinating stuff. How convenient also that we could list all those things that we've contributed to pitching in for the New Dawn revolution... despite the displeasure of some people out there.

But the most important thing to remember in this situation is that this is all highly speculative, and the really big thing to do, that is being done, and should be done until it is finished, is secure the future of this club with the Lakeside redevelopment project, so that whatever happens, this club is in the best possible position to meet those challenges, and take those opportunities. B, V, E and Z Leagues are all fine and dandy, but there's no point in getting distracted by them at the expense of the main game.

SMWFC make it four wins in a row

The seniors made it four wins in a row, with a solid if mostly unremarkable 5-0 win over Geelong Region FA. Best goal was number 4, a long range bomb which anyone could appreciate. Seniors up to 2nd place, but they have played one more game than the other sides around them. The reserves also won, 8-0, and are now top of the table, 3 points clear of Sandringham (who have played two less games) and who they meet next week.

Wild Scenes! Dandenong Thunder 2 South Melbourne 2

That was a crazy little game to be sure. Thunder cane flying out of the blocks, and were pretty much all over us for the first 10 to 15 minutes - former South player Hamlet Armenian showing the kind of form that was missing for nearly every game he played for us last season. Then the game slowed down a bit, we worked our way into it, and were it not for some poor crossing and poor finishing, who knows what could have happened - and then Dandenong scored their first goal, and they took over again - and somehow only went in 1-0 up at the break.

They scored early in the 2nd, pressed for a bit, then sat back. Michael Michalakopoulos rang the changes, threw on some of the young lads, such as Torrens and Stella, and while we pressed forward, we didn't ever look much like scoring - especially from Fernando's corners, which were either short, underhit, or floaty things way beyond use. And then Webster intervened. That was the kind of brain explosion you see once in a lifetime. It got us back into the game, and from there on, amazingly, we probably should have won it. Webster partly made amends by pulling out a great save low to his left off a De Nittis turn and shot, but the internal damage done to Thunder remains to be seen.

Because one could blame Webster for literally letting South back in the game - but it would only disguise another Stuart Munro coaching choke - sitting back so early echoing South's sitting back on a 1-0 lead at Hindmarsh in our last NSL game - even more bizarre considering Dandy were dominating the game. And it usually this season being Thunder who've scored wins and draws when they perhaps shouldn't have, digging themselves out of myriad holes - now that the shoe is on the other foot, it will be interesting to see how they respond. I don't think it will do too much damage, but it opens up a window of doubt that may not have existed before, as well as hope to other clubs as well.

And it's getting awfully messy around the finals places now. Thunder clear at the top, and Preston and Whittlesea being so far away at the bottom means that the other nine teams have been sharing the remaining points pool rather fairly. Another away game next round, to the Bergers. before the Queens Birthday long weekend break. I suspect there hasn't been that much anticipation for this game for quite awhile.

And now a word on the visitors facilities and hospitality of the Thunder. Lovely grandstand though I didn't use it myself - I liked how it had seating... please note Oakleigh. There are no hills though which, like Jack Edwards Reserve, makes viewing difficult when it's even one deep around the fenceline, and very hard to get a spot, too. The lights were good, better than most, though could be a little brighter. The pitch was in very good nick, praise Demeter. The gate organisation was a bit haphazard, but hey, I've got a media pass, so I get in easily enough. The food was good... and they had gazoza! Very classy! A proper European soft drink... you don't get that pretty much anywhere else in these leagues except the Bisleri chinotto at the Veneto Club.

But perhaps the best thing about it was the lack of police... and the lack of tension. Reportedly some Thunder supporters threw their drinks on the South players as they went through the tunnel... but apart from that, there was chanting form both sides, no segregation, fans mingling freely, and a great football buzz that was refreshing on so many levels. It proved to a lot of people - even restoring some of my lost faith in humanity - that there could be big games at this level without trouble, that tension can explode in positive ways and the buzz of a big game not be killed by idiocy. It's only one game, sure... but more of it please, and soon.

First vs Second in Darren Millane's (PBUH) backyard - Round 12 Dandy vs South

Last Time They Met

South Melbourne Stripy Shirts 0
Dandenong Christina 1

Rama own goal.

Preview

How should I put this... this guy I've been working with on several radio projects this year for school told me that he'd never heard me laugh. I thought that was a preposterous statement to make, but it did trouble me - almost as much as missing out on using the line, 'well, it's because you're not a very good comedian' - one of those barely awesome witty remarks that one typically thinks of. And then the next day I accidentally caught up with an old classmate, Dominika, and we started having a natter about various things, and I brought the incident up for some stupid reason - stupid because she ended up agreeing with it, and making the comment that I liked making fun of people.

I then said to her, who do I make fun of, no wait, that could be a long list. She said that it wasn't so much perhaps making fun of, but picking at people's work... and then we got sidetracked, because she was referring to the Writing Selves class (the best subject I've had the privilege of being in) we were in, were we supposed to be critiquing others people's work. I was just far more insightful, honest and fair than the rest of the class who tended to write works that were simultaneously solipsist and almost entirely about other people... a feat in itself, if only they'd done it on purpose.

So in my public relations class later that day, through various plausible digressions I ended up talking to my tutor Simon about the time I had a panic attack at a student union election after party, partly induced by me being in a small room in which I was the pretty much the only person not drinking - while a fair few others were rapidly getting trashed on Tia Maria and playing Pictionary... anyway, the point of this story is... well I don't know. It's just something that's been troubling me, a minor existential crisis of sorts. Should be a good game this week. I just never realised that my reputation at school of being such a miserable sod was that bad.

Women's results: Seniors and Ressies with 2-1 wins over Casey

Aimee Benton with another double to give the seniors three consecutive wins - all away too - and four unbeaten games on the trot. Great stuff. Back at home this week - and by home we mean Lakeside - against Geelong Region FA. Good chance I'll be down there.

SMFCTV - Georgies - Hellas Highlights

Youth ride luck to beat Georgies 1-0

South's under 21s struggled for possession and midfield ascendancy, but pretty much made the most of their few opportunities to snatch an important win which keeps them well and truly in the hunt for their title race.

A Little Lucky For Mine - Georgies 1 South 1

A fair few people are happier with this result than I am, and I can understand why, what with the poor ground conditions and tight dimensions of Chaplin Reserve, as well as playing a side more used to the hit 'n' hope/crunching style of play that suits such conditions. Taking that into account though, I still felt we weren't quite up to scratch, and that we'd be happier with the result rather than the performance, and vice versa for the Georgies. Clear 2nd by a point halfway through the year, and away trips in the next two weeks to Dandy and Heidelberg which will either set us up for a real double chance shot or send us back into the pack. Nine games unbeaten though, which is showing we can ride our luck a little and grind out results when we need to.

Something Really Important

It has come to my attention that someone is not happy with something I have written. That person is Ulysses Kokkinos, and the offending statements are contained within this post about the 2009 season launch. I would like to make it perfectly clear, that at no stage did I intend to cause offence to Ulysses, though I can well understand how the post would have done so - and for that I apologise. I would also like to clarify that I do not have any issues with Ulysses personally - to the best of my recollection I have never met Ulysses, or if I have, we have spoken only briefly and not at all to do with the relevant issues.

The issue that I was raising within the relevant parts of that article was as an observation of how club cultures work, specifically South's, and how some people who have committed acts which could earn them derision and ostracism from within club circles - whatever those actions may be - are treated differently from others in the same or similar boats. In my estimation, the examples of Ulysses Kokkinos and Con Boutsianis were the most relevant and well known amongst the broader South family in order to illustrate my point.

Jakarta Casual Blog

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

Round 11 George Cross vs Hellas

I don't normally do this, but John Kyrou's effort on the match preview is pretty good this week, with stats and history and stuff, so we're diverting you there.

Now that wasn't so hard, was it?

Mind you, the last time I said that to someone at South I copped an earful... which I won't elaborate on, as it was so long ago, and would probably breach some notion of trust that society has placed on stuff like that.


SMFC to Star in International Documentary

Thursday, 14 May 2009 2:18 PM

By George Kouroumalis

In an exciting development for the club, South Melbourne FC has been involved in the making of a documentary mini-series that outlines the Greek Community’s involvement in Sport and Sporting clubs around Australia, and across the globe.

The documentary, which is filmed and produced by the Hellenic National Broadcasting Service ERT, will be a worldwide 26 episode documentary series that will cover all sporting organisations and individuals that have some form of Hellenic background and or influence.

South Melbourne FC was chosen by the ERT directors to be the featured organisation in Victoria, with an entire feature episode dedicated to the club.

Within the episode, ERT representatives interviewed with some SMFC legends including the great Jimmy Armstrong, Takis Mantarakis, Ulysses Kokkinos, Andreas Roussis, Jim Pyrgolios and Manny Poulakakis, each of whom assisted in telling the story about the history of this great club.

As well as recording interviews with past legends, the production crew also filmed the Altona Magic match on Sunday, as well as recording interviews with SMFC coaching staff, players and club officials.

The episode dedicated to South Melbourne FC is due to be screened worldwide via ERT World in September this year.

More South Melbourne United and Frank Crean and Des Hamilton stuff

From Soccer News, August 1, 1953 (page 6)

It is in the junior ranks that South Melbourne United has had its greatest successes. Today we find South Melbourne Junior teams in Under 20, Under 17, Under 15 and Under 14 competitions, and in each case the club's team is well to the fore. With South Melbourne Technical School to draw on and with the club junior coach, McFadyen, coaching at the school, the club is assured of a constant stream of juniors from year to year.

The club is fortunate in having as its president a keen soccer man in Mr. Frank Crean, M.H.R.. The present secretary, Des. Hamilton, who has been a member of the VcA.S.F.A; council for five years, is a wide awake and tireless worker for soccer generally, and for his club, which for so long has had the ground at Middle Park as its headquarters

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.

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.

South vs Magic highlights

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Vaughan Coveny 100th goal tribute video

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Richmond highlights online

courtesy of Cuddles.

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.

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".

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.

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.

Zebras - South highlights online

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.