Author: George Kouroumalis

South Melbourne FC is pleased to confirm that former NPL Youth Player of the Season Gerrie Sylaidos has re-signed for the 2020 NPL Victoria season.

Sylaidos arrived at South from Northcote City in 2019 and immediately made an impact, scoring on four occasions and providing the seven assists in various roles across the attacking third.

The 20-year-old will be looking to take his game to another level under the guidance of Esteban Quintas.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Senior Football Director Andrew Mesourouni was looking forward to seeing what Gerrie has in store in 2020. “Gerrie is a super talented player and someone who we expect to grow further as a footballer next season. e He will work closely with the coaching staff throughout pre-season and will once again be a key member of attacking line up.”

Gerrie was equally excited about the season ahead. “I am very thankful to the club for extending my time at Lakeside and I am really looking forward to starting pre-season ahead of the upcoming season. On a personal level I will look to improve my game and as a team with some new signings coming on board, I believe we have some exciting times around the corner.

We wish him all the best for the 2020 season.

South Melbourne FC can confirm that Esteban Quintas has been appointed as SMFC Senior Head Coach for the 2020 NPL Victoria season.

Quintas was caretaker coach for 18 games this season following Con Tangalakis’ resignation after Round 7.

The 40-year-old Argentine has had a wealth of experience in Europe over the past two decades, with a long career in Spain including with Atletico Madrid and various clubs in the Spanish Segunda Division.

Since retirement, Quintas has embarked on a coaching career that had him lead Real Murica and Hercules CF in Spain.

Injured central defender Luke Adams will join Quintas’ coaching staff as an Assistant Coach. Adams suffered a horrific injury to his anterior cruciate ligament during our FFA Cup win over Langwarrin and is expected to miss a large part of the 2020 season. His career so far with the club has seen him play in 115 matches across all competitions, scoring 8 goals and playing a key role in the 2016 NPL Championship win.

Luke found himself part of the coaching staff in the later stages of the 2019 season and has accepted the position as assistant senior coach to Esteban. The pair will bring a great combination of football knowledge both from Australia and abroad.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Senior Football Director Andrew Mesourouni , he was pleased with the appointments.

“Esteban has spent many years in the Spanish football environment and has a wealth of experience at all levels of the game. More importantly he has spent quite a bit of time within our club working with players across multiple age groups. His appointment has already been welcomed by all of our senior players. He certainly understands the history and expectations of the club and we look forward to supporting him throughout the pre-season as we embark on a successful season on the park.”

“Luke is a much-loved person in our club and his leadership is something that has stood out during his time as a player. With a passion for the game and our club, Luke will be an important factor to our season. We are thrilled to have him as an Assistant Coach, after accepting Esteban’s offer to work along side him”

We wish them all the best for the 2020 season and beyond.

South Melbourne FC confirms that Marcus Schroen has re-signed with the club for the next two seasons.

Schroen enjoyed a solid 2019 season with SMFC. He was promoted into the leadership group and was also given the captain’s armband on several occasions throughout the season.

His overall time at South has been impressive, playing in 116 matches across all competitions and scoring 26 goals. This included scoring a double in the 2016 Grand Final win over Oakleigh and subsequently winning the Jimmy Rooney Medal for best player on the field.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Schroen said that “I am excited to sign on for another two years and couldn’t be happier. I’ve got a great relationship with the club and feel at home here. I really believe in the direction the club is moving in and I am looking forward to helping South get back to the top where we belong.”

Senior Football Director Andrew Mesourouni echoed Marcus’ thoughts. “Marcus is an integral part of our senior team and a leader of our club. We are looking forward to 2020 and are confident that with individuals such as Marcus leading the club, we can make strides on the park towards a successful season. He is a quality and hard-working player that leads by example, so we are thrilled to have him back on board.”

South Melbourne FC can confirm that captain Brad Norton has re-signed for the 2020 NPL Victoria season.

Since arriving ahead of the 2012 Victorian Premier League season, Brad has been a key member of our club, playing in 230 matches across all competitions and scoring on 13 occasions.

As well as being our current longest serving player, Norton has been vital to our on-field success in the NPL era as a leader in our 2014 and 2016 championship wins. His personal achievements also include being a Theo Marmaras Medallist and Hall of Fame member of the club.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Brad was pleased to be returning for another year. “There’s no bigger club for me in this country. I think any player feels blessed to be able to play for South, but for me to enter my ninth season it’s honestly a great feeling and I am proud of that. I want success and I think going into next season we shouldn’t be aiming for anything less.”

Senior Football Director Andrew Mesourouni echoed Brad’s words. “It gives me great pleasure to confirm that Brad Norton has signed for another season in 2020. He is a great ambassador of our proud club and a person which will be remembered well after his football playing days are over. He is a true clubman and an excellent example to our junior footballers. I have known Brad for seven seasons now and he is without any doubt a person that is respectful to others and compassionate and loves life. A true champion of South Melbourne.”

We wish Brad all the best for his ninth season in our famous blue shirt.

South Melbourne FC confirms the retirement of dual NPL Victoria championship winner and Hall of Fame member Leigh Minopoulos. He will play his final match for the club on Sunday against Heidelberg United at Lakeside Stadium, with kickoff at 3pm.

Minopoulos began his SMFC career by playing four seasons in the juniors before being promoted from the Under 21s into the first team in 2011. After a few years away from Lakeside, Leigh returned to the club in 2014 and immediately had an impact upon his arrival.

Overall he has featured in 153 games, scored 37 goals and won numerous honours. This includes the 2014 and 2016 (scoring in the final) NPL Victoria championships, the 2015 Premiership, the 2015 Dockerty Cup (scoring in the final) and the 2015 Charity Shield (scoring the winning goal). On an individual level, he won the 2018 Theo Marmaras Medal and was the only South player to have scored against A-League opposition.

Speaking to smfc.com.au, Club President Nicholas Maikousis congratulated Leigh on a fantastic SMFC career. “Leigh has grown up as a South Melbourne supporter and has had a fabulous career with the club. As well as being a Hall of Fame Member, Theo Marmaras Medallist and dual championship winner, many will remember Leigh for his leadership and love for the badge. We are going to miss his passion at the club and we all wish him the very best for life after football.”