A momentary renewal of reason

So I took a break from the madness that is my life at the moment (I completely acknowledge that I've been working too much, such that I have time to study but not much free time) to return to my true love - football. I went into the city to watch the Doncaster vs. Leeds League 1 play-off with... gasp... other people!

To be honest, I'd forgotten how much I cared about Leeds. Despite having only picked them many years ago because of Harry Kewell, I haven't jumped onto any other team. No matter how swoony or awesome a player may be (my heart broke when van der Sar joined his current club), I've stuck by Leeds. I'll admit that I didn't keep up with their matches in the lower leagues... and then I found out about Leeds United Victoria. And slowly got back into it.

Anyway, I'm still sulking after last night. Arrived at work this morning blood-shot, hoarse, and in a foul mood. It was 7.30am, so you may figure out that I had very little sleep (it takes me about an hour to get to work). But despite that deflated feeling that currently occupies me, I think I had a good night. Despite me being nervy most of the time. Anyway... I just miss football.

But I only have a few months of uni left, and then I can be free to do everything again.

And I will quit the Saturday job (the optometrist) by the next semester, leaving my weekends free to watch football study.

P.S. Looking forward to the new A-League season kicking off! Particularly the National Youth League... hee hee. Must keep my mouth shut, but I am very proud of someone! :)

Excuses, excuses...

Well, for those that don't know, I'm in my seventh and final year of uni. FINALLY! Last year I did really well marks-wise, not that I intended to try and ace my course, but I more-or-less did. I got a P (for pass) in one subject - transport engineering, yuck! I liked how my academic transcript looked with all those high marks and I've decided that I'm going to work my arse off this year. Also, I reckon B. Eng/B. Sci with double Honours would look good on a resume. Hahaha.

I will also working a substantial amount of hours in a job that I actually like (even though I do get stressed at times) and is related to my uni course.

So I set some priorities...
1. Uni
2. Work
3. Me time
4. Coaching

I decided that I couldn't commit to coaching. So this season I'm not. As a result, I don't think I'll have much to write about during the off-season. There are VPL matches (I follow Richmond) and other matches too... but who knows how much time I'll have.

So consider this post as my temporary farewell.

May Melbourne progress in the Asian Champions League!

Well, there's not point repeating what's already been said. My opinion is over on Eamonn's blog, so go check it out there.

I had an excellent night at Telstra Dome, with hilarity of the security guard at the bag check and the St John's first aid people helping me out all before the match even kicked off setting an excellent tone for the night.

Throughout the day I was not all that excited. I was a bit worried - would the boys be able to come together and play as a team? How will Verbeek make them play? After all, the most recent kickabout the Socceroos had was behind closed doors, and the media reports weren't all that helpful. There was a lot of uncertainty, not necessarily doubt, but just a general fear of the unknown.

We needed to win last night - not just because we were the home team, but because it was our first match in the qualification run. At 1-0 I was still a little quiet. It was too early in the game, perhaps Qatar hadn't gotten into the swing of thing yet. At 2-0 I wasn't as nervous, but a lot of use know that 2-0 isn't that much of a lead. By the time it was 3-0 I had settled down, though it should have easily been 5-0 by that point. 3-0 was fine by me, we could settle down and steady the boat. After all, if Qatar got one back and obtained the momentum to get another (as happened in that upsetting 2-0 situation that not many of us are likely to forget) at least we still had a buffer.

In the end, it didn't matter. Those times when we were exposed in the second half, Qatar just couldn't finish it off. Can't wait until China.

Club Hunting

So I spent my Thursday night with 11 U/14 girls and 4 similarly aged boys. This was at a different club to where I was last year. I had so much fun, that it really confirmed my coaching intentions.

The girls at training this evening at this club (let's call it Club 1) are younger than the ones I coached last year, but have been playing for longer. It's weird. I started playing at 14 and these girls have been playing for at least a few years and are going to turn 14!

The best thing to see about these girls was their skill level. They're not Ronaldos and Maradonas, but they are still at that sponge stage - where they can learn turns and touches easily. As their minds aren't yet set with tactics, they will then use these skills at any stage of the game. It's great to see this 'free' football.

Such a change from the girls I had last year - older at U/16, and a number were beginners who decided to join a football club for the sake of doing a sport. "Heck, my friends go there, so why not?," rather than the "I want to play football" attitude.

I'm not saying that you shouldn't join a football club just to be social - even I acknowledge that I found football easier to deal with than hammer throwing (my other love, it's a strange mix and now I compete neither of them...) because I had all my teammates to support me. You weren't out there on your own and even the occasional, "Head-up!" when you're feeling a bit blue from an error makes a massive impact on the spirit. Part of the fun about football is that social element, it's just a matter of finding somewhere that has the right competition/social mix.

I suppose the way to define is that you can see the difference between girls who play football because their friends do and girls who play football and become friends with their teammates.

Anyway, I enjoyed my night with Club 1 but I also have another few clubs to look at. Club 1 has me in mind for the U/16 girls who I am yet to meet, but doesn't matter how great the girls are I need to be happy with the club itself. I can't see myself at the club I was at last year because of their association with a senior club I once played at (well, twice or thrice) and I know fairly well.

Club 2 is probably not going to happen due to location (Club 1 is on my way home from work and/or uni, Club 2 is beyond home and Club 3 is on my way home from work and close to uni).

We'll see what happens. After all, for some reason I am yet to respond to an enquiry from last year's club about my coaching future...

No wonder Muscat's in the Oz squad...

...who else can take penalties?

Meanwhile, that assistant referee needs to be wearing a cap. The sun must've obstructed his view...

And I think Breeze left his yellow cards at home - it's sheer thuggery out there today. I know it's a derby and it's the major semi, but it's no reason for the players to be as rough as they currently are.

Half-time at Hindmarsh

Sorry Hamish and John, but I'm finding myself going for the Reds here. I did want Qld to take the premiership and have a chance of hosting the HAL final... but then Ognenovski fouled Galekovic. And the ref... did nothing.

Later, Tiatto fouls Djite, and the ref... did nothing.

Later again, Tiatto slaps (it wasn't that hard) Dodd, and the ref... sends him off.

To some, this may seem 'fair', but it's really not. It's inconsistent and the whole thing could have been avoided if the ref had the balls to give Oggy a yellow in the first foul at 4 minutes. Delovski had a chance to set himself in control of the match - instead he chickened out and gave the players the indication that they could have free-reign.

And so along came Tiatto's first foul - which it could be argued was none of Djite's business, but that's another matter. Delovski again did nothing, we all know it should have been a yellow. So when Tiatto slaps Dodd - while we all know that would have effectively been his second yellow... the ref gives him a straight red.

Perhaps what I'm arguing makes no sense - in short, the ref is being inconsistent and has no control of the match. Dodd should have been given a yellow for trying to get to Tiatto post-red card, and given one to Djite too for the same reason. Only to put those players back in their place and send a message to the rest that no more utter rubbish was going to be taken.

But it really should have been dealt with in that first unnecessary foul by Oggy.

If it ain't broke... Uncle Ernie will fix it!

Of course, in his own Uncle Ernie way.

Last week we all saw what Melbourne Victory could be - what it was last year and what it was going to be leading into the Asian Champions League. With only one of the Allsopp/Thompson partnership playing last week, the team looked and felt different. Fresh, eager to play and they looked free.

This week Uncle Ernie has decided that he wants Allsopp back. We were fine without him, so let's put him in! So someone had to go... Muscat had to stay in the starting eleven - not even Uncle Ernie is immune to Kev's wrath. But there's no room in the midfield... so let's put our old slow leader in the back four! Yes, that makes a lot of sense! Defenders need to be quick to chase down players who break through - Muscat, with his current speed of a snail, is an excellent candidate!

So who to drop? Well, he couldn't drop poor little Matty Kemp - not now. After all, Kemp kept playing throughout all his poor matches - not even being subbed! Ryall's been doing well, although he strikes me as lazy - more on that at a later time. So Seb can stay, he's young too, and Ernie likes to give youth (and the aged - see Muscat) a change. And you'd be mad to remove Vargas from the starting eleven (although it wouldn't surprise me if Uncle Ernie stoops to this at some point, because, let's all face it - a coach who doesn't feel the joy of goals and brilliant saves MUST be mad!)

So Vasilevski was dropped. Out of the starting eleven... and out of the squad altogether!

Let's move onto the midfield - unfortunately, Broxham is there on his own. Ward's been losing balls throughout the whole half and Hernandez isn't really doing much in winning the ball. Caceres has always been lacking in defensive abilities.

I know Broxham's good, but he's not that good to be able to hold out the entire Sydney midfield!

And so Sydney won the ball in their defence, got through our absent midfield, and Sydney's speedy old man Corica completely out-runs Melbourne's slow old man Muscat. Muscat is a liability in the defense line, and it's a shame that Uncle Ernie persists with playing him there.

By all means, if you want to remain injury-free Ernie, keep Muscat on the park - but not in the defense. In fact, why play Allsopp at all and avoid the whole fiasco? We played brilliantly last week... why change?