Day: December 12, 2003

Friday, 12 December 2003 12:00 AM

South Melbourne Soccer Club has announced that Sunday’s “blockbuster” match at Bob Jane Stadium will be a day for the women and children.

With the generous support form Club sponsor Rocket Batteries all children attending the game will receive a free gift whilst all women will be admitted free of charge. “We are challenging all soccer supporters and Melbournians to come down to Bob Jane Stadium and see the country’s best two teams battle it out in the top of the table clash,” said CEO Mark Patterson.

“We want to add value to the fans who attend on Sunday, and I am quietly confident that we can generate a crowd of more than ten thousand on Sunday” Patterson said.

Friday, 12 December 2003 12:00 AM

Young Socceroos Vince Lia and Massimo Murdocca will arrive back in the country tomorrow.

After experiencing the highs and lows of World Cup competition in the past month, both players are looking forward to joining their South teammates as the club continues on its successful run in the National Soccer League.

Sunday’s match against Parramatta is the match of the season to date with first placed South hosting second placed Parramatta and only goal difference separating the two.

Friday, 12 December 2003 12:00 AM

By Michael Tsoukalis

The top of the table clash is always an enticing affair and this season’s version will be no different. Parramatta come to Bob Jane Stadium knowing that a positive result against South will go a long way into confirming their championship credentials whilst a win for South would no doubt firm Stuart Munro’s men as one of the major contenders.

Nick Theodorakopoulos’ Parramatta Power have unquestionably one of the, if not the most, talented-on-paper squads in the league. With an enormous amount of depth throughout the squad the Power possess a playing roster that can take apart any team in the NSL.

Leading marksmen Ante Milicic as always is a key player in the Power setup, Milicic has already reached double figures (10 goals at the time of print) and will command a great deal of attention from the South defensive line. Socceroo Simon Colosimo provides the steel and guile in the centre of the park whilst Andre Gumprecht adds a dimension of class to the line-up that only European experience can bring.

Conversely, under the stewardship off Stuart Munro South Melbourne have become one of the most formidable and cohesive line-ups in the NSL. South are playing an accountable brand of football having only conceded a handful of goals whilst at the same time managing to score quite heavily. Coach Munro has done a superb job in not only assembling a vastly new playing-roster, but also in managing to get his men to play an attractive brand of football.

The Lakesiders possess a squad that is littered with experience yet has a strong blend of up-and-coming youngsters. Usual suspects Con Boutsianis, Paul Trimboli and Vaughn Coveny highlight the level of experience in the South line-up whereas players such as Steve Laurie, Kristian Sarkies, Max Lohy and Simon Storey are great examples of astute and intuitive signings of younger players who have contributed a great deal to South’s plight so far.