SOCCER THE silly season exploded into action last week with Jamie Skelly, Billy Armour and Scott Morrison taking a spin on the annual coaching merry-go-round. And more local clubs will join in shortly with newly created coaching vacancies at Peninsula Strikers and Skye United, Baxter still searching for a senior coach and rumours of change at Frankston Pines. Skelly was appointed assistant to Scott Miller at Langwarrin last week. He is a former Langy player, reserves coach and senior assistant who has now finished a second stint as senior coach of Peninsula Strikers. “This is an opportunity to further my…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER SOUTHERN United will lay claim to having the best under-14 squad in Victoria if it wins next weekend’s grand final and records an historic second successive double. Last year the side coached by former Matilda and FFV Hall of Famer Deb Nichols and former Langwarrin, South Melbourne and Casey Comets keeper Emma Bracken won the under-13 NPLW championship and Grand Final. That cemented their status as the premier outfit in Victoria’s elite underage competition. This season the squad clinched the under-14 title in August and on Saturday defeated Victorian powerhouse South Melbourne 3-2 at Monterey Reserve in the under-14…
SOCCER Adam Jamieson’s return to Mornington and Baxter’s escape from relegation are the major stories to emerge from last weekend’s final round of the league season. Mornington will announce this week that Jamieson has been appointed as head coach for 2019. It will be his second stint at the club after stepping down last May citing work commitments as the main reason for his departure. Jamieson first took the reins at Dallas Brooks Park in 2009 and led Mornington from Provisional League to the doorstep of the NPL winning State 1 championships in 2015 and 2016. “A big part of…
SOCCER WHILE Langwarrin was unveiling The Gus Macleod Stand at Lawton Park on Saturday Peninsula Strikers were securing their State 2 South-East status. Macleod has held the reins at Langy for 20 years and in his final home match watched his side come from behind to snatch a 1-1 draw against already relegated Nunawading City. Big reputations and a big budget have not saved the visitors who featured former A-League stars Ben Khalfallah and Massimo Murdocca, the former playing as sweeper while Murdocca took up a central midfield role. After a goalless first half the deadlock was broken in the…
SOCCER LANGWARRIN stunned Victorian soccer circles last week when it named former Socceroos assistant Scott Miller as its new head coach for the 2019 NPL2 season. The video announcement on social media attracted more than 8000 views and the Herald-Sun reported the appointment online. The former Fulham assistant and Newcastle Jets head coach returned from Denmark last year where he worked as an assistant coach at Aalborg BK. Miller, 36, is one of the highest credentialled coaches in Australian soccer and is contracted to Fox Sports as a football analyst. He holds an AFC Pro Diploma and a UEFA A…
SOCCER JUST before 5pm on Saturday 8 September Gus Macleod will walk off the pitch for the last time as head coach of Langwarrin. That moment will mark the end of a journey that started in pre-season training for the 1999 season and took 20 years to complete. In all Macleod will have been at the helm for 447 league games, a feat that seems destined to stand the test of time. He’s won multiple promotions and league championships with Langwarrin, Dockerty Cups with Fawkner and Green Gully and a State League Cup and Division One title with Springvale City.…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers and Baxter defied the odds last weekend to claim vital points as they ramp up their battle to avoid relegation. Strikers caused a minor upset by holding champion elect Doveton to a thrilling 2-2 draw in their State 2 South-East clash at Centenary Park while Mark Pagliarulo made his comeback for Baxter in its 2-0 away win over State 4 South rival Harrisfield Hurricanes. Strikers stunned the visitors in the 8th minute. Nathan Smith got free on the left and his shot was parried by Doveton keeper Stuart Webster only to fall to John Prescott but his…
SOCCER GUS Macleod has come through the toughest test of his coaching career by steering Langwarrin to NPL2 safety. The veteran gaffer is in his 20th season at Lawton Park and has enjoyed league titles and multiple promotions highlighted by the 2017 State 1 South-East title which was Langy’s ticket to the NPL. “I’ve felt the weight of the club’s expectations on my shoulders and it would have been a disaster for us if we’d have been relegated in our first season in the NPL,” Macleod said. “This has been the hardest season of my coaching career and I’ll sit…
SOCCER BAXTER teeters on the edge of the State 4 South relegation abyss after the controversial abandonment of Saturday’s clutch away fixture against Hampton Park United. Baxter was losing 2-0 in the first half when the decision of referee Zhihao Lu to give Baxter striker Liam Kilner a second yellow card triggered a reaction that saw his brother and Baxter captain Owen Kilner also sent off. Their father and Baxter senior coach Roy Kilner believes that he also was sent off as Saturday’s clash descended into farce. Referee Lu abandoned the match in the 39th minute and Roy Kilner claims…
SOCCER ROY Kilner is back at Baxter in a last-ditch attempt to rescue the club from relegation from State 4 South. When news broke last week that work commitments had forced Francis Beck to step down as head coach the club turned to former coach Kilner and he has targeted controversial striker Mark Pagliarulo as the man to lead the front line. ‘Pags’ has also attracted interest from Somerville and Skye United but his relationship with Baxter is expected to tip the odds in Kilner’s favour. ‘Pags’ last played in 2017 and has since concentrated on his job as head…
SOCCER LOCAL NPLW club Southern United has signed American striker Michaela Dooley to a two-year deal with a one-year option. Dooley arrived in Melbourne last week and has trained with her new teammates and Southern hopes to finalise her international clearance in time to face Alamein next weekend. Dooley’s signing is a major coup as she has been in sparkling form for Swedish club Skövde KIK and had been approached by a Queensland-based club who offered her $2500 a month, a job and free accommodation. The 23-year-old was born in San Diego, California but grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers gave themselves a lifeline by winning Saturday’s State 2 South-East derby 2-0 against Frankston Pines at Monterey Reserve. It was only the club’s second win in a season of turmoil but it gives Strikers hope that they can climb off the foot of the league ladder. Referee James Milloy took centre stage before the match with opinions varied as to whether or not he should allow the contest to take place given the drenching the pitch had taken with little respite in sight. And eight minutes into the contest the home team was wishing that Milloy hadn’t…
SOCCER JAMIE Skelly has nine games left to save Peninsula Strikers from relegation from State 2 South-East. The revolving door at Centenary Park was spinning once more after Casey Comets shot themselves in the foot by sacking Skelly as head coach last week and inadvertently giving Strikers a lifeline. Within hours of his sacking Skelly had agreed to join Strikers on the proviso that Trevor Johnston remain as president. Johnston had resigned the previous night but the chance to rescue his club’s faltering season proved too good to resist and a back flip was duly performed. Skelly became Strikers’ seventh…
FORMER Socceroos assistant coach Scott Miller is keen to provide elite soccer coaching for junior boys and girls throughout the Mornington Peninsula. Miller is the principal of Identity Pro Academy based at Toorak College in Mount Eliza. The former Fulham assistant and Newcastle Jets head coach returned from Denmark last year where he worked as an assistant coach at Aalborg BK. Miller is one of the highest credentialled coaches in Australian soccer and is contracted to Fox Sports as a football analyst. He holds an AFC Pro Diploma and a UEFA A-Licence as well as tertiary degrees in sports science…
SOCCER A SUPERB first half-display from Frankston Pines and the shock resignation of Peninsula Strikers president Trevor Johnston were the big talking points to emerge from last weekend’s round of matches. Pines blitzed Heatherton United early and led 4-0 at the interval eventually running out an easy 5-0 winner. Ben Millward opened the scoring in the 13th minute and two minutes later CJ Hodgson struck. When Lewis Potter headed home from a set piece in the 31st minute Heatherton was staring down the barrel and Hodgson was at the back post right on half-time to drive another nail into the…
SOCCER SEAFORD United recorded its second win of the season and its first under senior coach Matt Morris-Thomas when it defeated Noble Park United 3-2 at North Seaford Reserve on Saturday. Harry McCartney reports that Seaford stunned the visitors in the 27th minute when defender Callum Richardson’s acrobatic overhead kick opened the scoring. Three minutes into the second half Dylan Waugh broke past two defenders before slotting the ball past Noble Park United keeper Andrea Stoilovic to make it 2-0. Seaford fans were in raptures in the 72nd minute after Cam Bryden’s clinical side-foot finish made it 3-0. But a…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines combined pace with a slick counter-attacking style to overrun Peninsula Strikers 5-2 in Saturday’s State 2 South-East derby at Centenary Park. Strikers started on a positive note and in the 6th minute a cross from Tommy Hawkins on the right set up Ryan Thompson whose shot was parried for a corner by Pines’ keeper Jarrod Nardino. Two minutes later Pines ruthlessly exposed the lack of pace in the Strikers’ defence when CJ Hodgson sent Mitch Lander clear through the middle and his left-foot strike from the edge of the area flew past advancing Strikers’ keeper Ash Kupre…
SOCCER LANGWARRIN coach Gus Macleod says Langy fans have much to look forward to after clinching the signature of attacking midfielder Mehdi Sarwari late last week. The 21-year old previously played with Melbourne City, Dandenong Thunder and Oakleigh Cannons. “He’s a huge signing for us, a very exciting player and I think the fans are going to like what they see,” Macleod said. Langwarrin also received clearances for central defender Lloyd Clothier (Malvern City) and goalkeeper Jeremy Sandoval (South Springvale) and they join Queensland strikers Chris Swain and Matt Heath in a strengthened first team squad. Heath is recovering from…
SOCCER SEAFORD United has appointed star midfielder Matt Morris-Thomas as senior coach after Paulo Pinheiro’s resignation last week. Pinheiro fell on his sword with his side staring at a second successive relegation following a nightmare start to the 2018 State 3 South-East season. Morris-Thomas, 28, will be assisted by former Seaford player and reserves coach Stuart Mitchell and faces a monumental task to avoid the drop. He has decided to step down as a player which caught most observers by surprise given the lack of quality in the senior squad. “This is my first senior coaching job and I didn’t…
SOCCER PENINSULA Strikers’ senior coach Jamie Paterson resigned last Wednesday morning and assistant coach Lenny Greenan has been appointed in a caretaker capacity. Paterson’s decision took the State 2 South-East club by surprise but president Trevor Johnston is hopeful that a decision on who will take charge of the senior squad till the end of the season will be made in the next fortnight. “We are actively looking at candidates and we will exhaust every avenue to find someone who can hit the ground running and take on a rebuilding phase for the club,” Johnston said. “We want someone who…
SOCCER Langwarrin has sacked giant second-string keeper Josh Dorron and is on the lookout for a replacement. Dorron will join State 1 South-East outfit Caulfield Cobras a week later than planned after Langy held up his clearance late last week. The local club was incensed when told that Dorron had trained elsewhere without informing Langy’s coaching staff. The good news is that long-serving Langy boss Gus Macleod welcomes three new faces at training this week. Queensland strikers Matt Heath and Chris Swain will be joined by tall central defender Lloyd Clothier. Heath is from Brisbane-based Olympic FC, Swain is from…
SOCCER ADAM Jamieson ended a 10-year association with Mornington when he resigned on Saturday morning. The news rocked the Dallas Brooks Park outfit as it prepared to do battle with visitors South Springvale in their State 1 South-East fixture. Jamieson cited work commitments as the principle reason for his departure. “I have a lot going on with business and I can’t give Mornington 100 percent commitment anymore,” he said. “It’s been my second home for a long period but I just knew that my time had come. “I want to thank the committee for everything they’ve done for me. It’s…
SOCCER MORNINGTON staged a remarkable comeback to snatch a point from Casey Comets in a controversial and spiteful State 1 South-East encounter at Comets Stadium on Friday night. Comets players trudged off the pitch at game’s end with their heads down after blowing a two-goal lead and having to settle for a 3-3 draw in a riveting contest. Comets struck first thanks to a superb Connor Belger through ball and a clinical low strike from the talented Robert Prescott in the 27th minute. Sammy Orritt was left dumfounded after a point-blank tip over from Comets keeper David Thomson in the…
SOCCER CALEB Nicholes made sure of Skye United’s first win of the season with an eight-minute goal blitz against Dingley Stars at Skye Recreation Reserve on Saturday. The veteran striker’s quickfire hat-trick underpinned Skye’s 4-1 win and ignited the club’s push up the State 3 South-East ladder. The first half was a cagey affair with Skye dominating most of the possession and it was rewarded when Mitch Blake pounced in the box and finished well to give the hosts a half-time lead. Nicholes opened his account two minutes into the second half when he tapped in from close range following…
SOCCER SOMERVILLE Eagles continued their winning ways in State 5 South with a 3-1 win over Aspendale at Tyabb Central Recreation Reserve on Saturday. Eagles’ player-coach Dave Greening refuses to discuss the club’s promotion chances but his side is doing its talking out on the pitch and now boasts a perfect start to the season. Somerville flew out of the blocks and dominated the first half-hour before a superb ball down the line from Sam Beadle found Greening. The ace striker twisted and turned past two opponents before firing a shot at goal which was parried to Louis Griffiths who…
SOCCER A FIRST-HALF hat-trick from Ryan Thompson spearheaded Peninsula Strikers’ 4-0 away win over Old Scotch last weekend. The English import became the 22nd player to get a hat-trick for the local side and former Everton striker Femi Orenuga completed the rout in the second half when he ran onto Stefan Karac’s pass and rounded the Old Scotch keeper before stroking the ball into an unguarded goal. Strikers had lost the opening league fixture after a tumultuous pre-season and the victory kick-starts its promotion campaign under new head coach Jamie Paterson. The Centenary Park outfit was the only local State…
SOCCER DANIEL Attard expects Skye United to bounce back from losing the opening match of its 2018 campaign and mount a serious promotion push. The 23-year-old striker is the longest serving player in Billy Armour’s senior squad having first played for the club in 2011. Attard started playing as a six-year-old in midfield for Glen Waverley and his first 10 seasons were spent under the tutelage of John Frantzis. “He kept me interested in the game because there were a few times I thought about not playing,” Attard said. When he switched to Skye United he played as a left…
SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines and Somerville Eagles were the only local teams to start the 2018 State League season on a winning note. Pines head coach Paul Williams gave starts to Mitch Landers, Naseer Mohammed, Aaryn Rix and CJ Hodgson and used their pace and ability to transition quickly to hurt home team Heatherton United on Saturday eventually running out a 2-0 winner in their State 2 South-East contest. Heatherton was caught on the break half a dozen times with former Pines’ keeper Alfonso Cardinale making a fine save to deny Landers from converting Pines’ best first-half chance. It took a…
SOCCER THE State League season kicks off this weekend with Mornington, Peninsula Strikers and Skye United looming as serious promotion prospects. Mornington and Strikers will underpin their promotion push with quality visa players while Skye has used the local market to bolster its senior squad. Promotion for Mornington would mean a third State 1 South-East title in four seasons and would unlock the NPL door for Adam Jamieson’s men. “If anything I was probably guilty of being overconfident last season so I’m a bit more wary this time but we know what’s ahead of us and what we have to…
SOCCER LANGWARRIN’S victory against high-flying Dandenong City and FFA Cup wins to Mornington and Peninsula Strikers highlighted last weekend’s local action. Langy went into Saturday’s league clash at Lawton Park as a pronounced underdog having come off a 4-1 thumping from Springvale White Eagles and facing the big-spending second-placed team in NPL2. But Gus Macleod’s men defied the odds and stunned the Croatian-backed visitors with a 2-1 triumph in front of a large crowd. “I keep telling people that we’re three years behind all these other NPL clubs,” Macleod said, a reference to the league’s inception in 2014. “We go…