Author: SMFC Administration

South Melbourne FC is proud to announce an exciting new partnership with strength and conditioning sports company, Woodford Sport Science Consulting (WSSC).

Their methods are derived from thousands of hours of experience applied across 1000 athletes and they pride themselves on thoroughly understanding the basic principles of human performance and applying them accordingly to those they coach.

Elite athlete preparation requires an in-depth knowledge of physiological systems, the science behind programming and how they interact with the specific individual. WSSC brings a holistic and innovative edge in performance training that has been derived from years of study integrated with international and Australian elite sport practical exposure.

WSSC coaches create structured programs that have focus on building a variety of physical qualities depending on the athlete’s goals and needs – which could range from strength, power and speed – to facilitate optimal running mechanics and efficient movement in their sport.

Strength underpins power therefore the goal is to develop strong athletes so they can run quicker and be more powerful. This means learning to master body weight before progressing to loaded movements.

Agility and reaction time is honed-in on once the athlete has mastered the above fundamentals.

Aerobic/anaerobic endurance is predominantly addressed in the final stages of their sessions with various short, high intensity, conditioning protocols.

Mobility is a constant focus in their sessions as they integrate various mobility movements throughout rest periods to help the athlete feel better, improve joint health and reduce chance of injury

To learn more about Woodfords Sport Science, visit https://woodfordssc.com/

South Melbourne FC acknowledges the article published this morning (Tuesday 18 February 2020) in the Sydney tabloid media relating to the clubs relationship with former players and containing accusations of players not being paid.

The club was requested to provide a comment on the allegations however was not provided any information or specifics as to who or what they were about. Club representatives asked the author on a number of occasions to provide such details enabling a meaningful response to be outlined however the author refused to do so. This ensured the club was unable to provide a factual and accurate response to the allegations, or even verify if those players involved have ever played for South Melbourne.

The article refers to the club withholding the wages of multiple players. The author of the article reports this as an accusation but continues without providing any substance or evidence to support the claim. More so when South Melbourne advised the author it has not had any contact from the PFA or Football Victoria on any such player dispute, the author simply noted that the PFA has contacted Football Victoria. The fact no contact has been made with the Club adds to the intrigue of the veracity of the accusation and the real motivation behind fabricated stories such as this.

The Club is appalled with this type of journalism and the lack of integrity and transparency demonstrated by the author and publisher. On face value the article appears to be aimed at discrediting NPL clubs and the biggest, South Melbourne FC, in particular rather than an accurate representation of the facts.

South Melbourne has an extensive history of having its Senior Men’s players on professional contracts. This approach ensures consistency, transparency and accountability for both players and the club.

South Melbourne FC welcomes the opportunity to fully professionalise the league and establish the National Second Division. The club has and continues to work proactively with the FFA, the PFA and the AAFC to achieve this. The National Second Division is critical component of Football’s survival and development in this country. It will serve as the peak in a Whole of Football framework whereby any club in any state or territory can embrace aspirational football and, under the promotion and relegation system, make their way to play at the national level. It appears there may be forces opposed to that objective and the growth of the game in Australia.

The club is very comfortable with its position regarding all past and current players. We believe in and welcome the establishment of an independent grievance process for players and clubs to deal with legitimate disputes as they may arise from time to time.

The club notes the statement provided in the article by the PFA does not relate to South Melbourne FC but to NPL clubs generally. South Melbourne has had no correspondence from the PFA dating well back over at least a year relating to any form of player dispute.

Similarly the statement in the article by Football Victoria CEO Peter Filopoulos does not mention South Melbourne FC in any way. The club has received no requests from Football Victoria on any form of player dispute.

The club maintains a positive and constructive working relationship with the PFA and Football Victoria.

The club will continue to support its current and former players with their professional football careers. The club will vigorously defend the integrity of its brand and its players from defamatory publications, in particular where the facts have been knowingly omitted and/or the club is not provided the opportunity to contribute a meaningful response.

South Melbourne FC acknowledges the article published yesterday by the Sydney Morning Herald in relation to the separation of former coach Chris Taylor from the club.

The club has participated in the process in conjunction with FIFA and related parties. FIFA have made a finding on the case however despite repeated requests, FIFA has not provided the South Melbourne FC with the basis for this outcome.

On the basis of legal advice received, the club has made the decision to appeal the matter. FIFA have confirmed the appeal process has now commenced and whilst the matter is before the courts the club will not comment further on the matter at this time.

TRIBUTE JERSEY DESIGN

The design is a tribute to one of the most iconic jersey’s in the clubs history. The jersey has been prepared by the club’s apparel partner Kappa with the sleeves featuring the recognisable Kappa Banda accent. The S.M HELLAS logo embraces the 1980s era of the club’s history. Each jersey is highlighted by an embroidered unique number from 1 to 100.

FRAMED

Limited edition jerseys numbered 1 to 20 are offered in a stylish frame presented on a montage of photos highlighting significant events and teams from the clubs history. Club milestones are annotated under the jersey and the tribute is completed recognising the logos used by the club throughout its 60-year past.

Accompanying the framed jersey is a 20-page limited edition story book with images selected over the 60 years of the club’s football journey.

The cost of the framed jersey is $990.

UNFRAMED

Limited edition jerseys numbered 21 to 100 are offered unframed in sizes from extra small to five extra-large.

The cost of the unframed jersey is $129

HOW TO PURCHASE

BY PHONE:

You can call the club on (+61-3) 9645 9797 between 10am and 4pm on weekdays to purchase your jersey. You can enquire as to the limited edition numbers available in your size and make payment over the phone by credit card. Jerseys can be collected from the club at Lakeside Stadium or for a small additional fee posted to you.

IN PERSON AT LAKESIDE STADIUM:

You can purchase jerseys by visiting the club at Lakeside Stadium. You can inspect the jerseys and identify the limited edition numbers available in your size. You can try on the jersey to ensure the right size fit. Payment can be made by cash or credit card.

One opening. Regardless of how he is playing, that is all South Melbourne striker Milos Lujic needs to alter the result of a game.

“I’m a different kind of player,” Lujic tells smfc.com.au. “Whereas a winger’s game can be judged on crosses and dribbles, I get marked on my goals.”

“I’m always going to be in the box and trying to score because that’s my game. I’m the type of player where even if I don’t get a touch the whole match I can just pop up and score a goal.”

Lujic’s goal scoring nous was no more evident than in South Melbourne’s NPL Victoria round four clash against Bulleen Lions at the Veneto Club on March 14, 2016.

Two-nil down and being outplayed by the Lions, South dug its heels in and reduced the deficit through a Mathew Theodore strike in the 84^th minute. South Melbourne continued to press but scoring an equaliser so late in the game looked increasingly unlikely.

Enter Milos Lujic.

Having been well held for the majority of the match, Lujic drifted into a dangerous area and was found by a sumptuous cross from the left wing by Nick Epifano. Lujic rose above both a desperate Lions’ centre-back, and goalkeeper Griffin McMaster, to nod home the equaliser and send the strong away contingent into delirium.

Self-belief is a major barometer for Lujic. It is the faith that he has in his goal scoring ability that has helped him to win the last three league golden boot awards.

“I’m confident of scoring goals in every game I go into and if I wasn’t then I wouldn’t be the striker I am today,” Lujic says.

Lujic endured an interrupted start to South Melbourne’s campaign as he missed the latter part of the preseason due to family commitments. In spite of this, his goal against Bulleen was the 26-year-old’s third in four matches.

“To be honest I had a really good preseason but then I had my wedding and the honeymoon and that set me back a little bit,” Lujic says.

“With me it’s just about getting fit. There’s no real in or out of form; if I’m fit I score goals.”

Life away from football also assists in keeping Lujic grounded. As a grade three teacher he is helping to mould the next generation of youth.

“I coached the kids first and then decided to get into teaching as well,” Lujic says.

“I love working with kids and always wanted to be a P.E. teacher and it sort of went into classroom work as well after I finished my degree.”

Lujic’s nurturing character is also evident at South Melbourne as he is prone to taking younger players under his wing.

“I started playing seniors at 16 so I try to give a bit of advice to boys in a similar situation like Andy Kecojevic,” Lujic says. “I tell them not to stress out too much and just work hard.”

“It’s important that they don’t get too down on themselves, because I remember when I was a kid and things didn’t go my way, I’d be a bit harsh on myself. Putting pressure on yourself is not the right thing to do.”

“The most important thing I’m encouraging the boys to do it just enjoy the experience. I know I’m really starting to enjoy my football especially now in the later years of my career.”

 

 

For any young player, the chance to move to England and chase a professional footballing career would be a dream come true.

One need only look at the new English Premier League television rights deal to see the extent to which English Football has become a powerhouse.

So, when defender Luke Adams was called to try out for Derby County in England’s second tier, he jumped at the chance to prove himself.

However, the Kiwi Youth International’s ambitions of one day playing in the English top flight quickly turned sour.

“It was only two days into my first trial over there and I did my ACL,” Adams tells smfc.com.au.

Any 18-year-old who succumbs to an injury of this severity during the biggest opportunity of their life has the potential to break down mentally. Adams, however, was only made stronger by this setback.

“To have gone through something like that at such a young age was massive for my mental toughness,” he says.

“You’ve got boys like KK (Kristian Konstantinidis), Eagar, Schroen and others at South Melbourne who have done it recently so it’s one of those things that you learn how to handle and get over it and you’re better for it in the long run.”

Despite the injury, Derby offered to keep Adams. At a crossroads, Adams was faced with the choice of leaving and completing his rehabilitation on his own, or staying and recovering overseas.

Ultimately, he decided to sign with the English side.

“It was a big decision for me to stay but I’m glad I did because there’s no way I’d be back to where I am now if I had have left,” Adams says.

“You know how it is you when you are young. I probably would have come back to my mates and not been as diligent with my recovery as I was over there.”

After a stint in the A-League at Wellington Phoenix – in which he made three senior appearances – and a brief period at Waitakere United, Adams joined South Melbourne for the 2015 NPL Victoria season.

Today, as a stalwart in South Melbourne’s central defence, Adams has rediscovered his top form.

In 2015 he played a total of 21 games and contributed to a defence which conceded only 22 goals in 26 games and ultimately won the premiership on goal difference.

Pivotal to South Melbourne’s success last year was the solid centre-half partnership that Adams had formed with Captain and fellow countryman Michael Eagar. The defensive duo form South’s ‘Kiwi Konnection’.

“It’s funny I didn’t really know Eagar before I came to South Melbourne. I knew of him and had had a few chats with him but had never played with him,” Adams says.

“It’s been awesome partnering him down back. We’re always communicating and we’re actually pretty similar defenders so it makes things so much easier.”

Interestingly, Adams has not been a defender for his entire career. For his first ever club, Fencibles United, he played as a striker but was moved into defence at the age of 12. In a way, this has helped him with his defensive responsibilities.

“Having played up front it helps a lot with defending for sure. You know the runs strikers make because you used to make those runs yourself,” he says.

“It also helps with your ball control at a young age. As a striker you get a better understanding and more time on the ball as opposed to being an out-and-out centre back.”

At only 21-years-old, Adams strongly believes that there is still growth to be made in his game. He maintains high hopes of redeeming the misfortune that struck him down during his previous attempt at playing professionally.

“It’s all about consistency for me at the moment. I think it comes with team consistency because if the team is playing well then it sort of means I’m also playing well,” Adams says.

“I’m looking to go pro again if I can, so I’m hoping to really develop and push on this year and who knows what opportunities could be ahead.”

With aspirations of one day returning to professional football put to one side, Adams has his sights firmly set on a stellar 2016 season with South Melbourne. And, if statistics are anything to go by, he is off to a great start.

After three rounds of the 2016 NPL Victoria season, Adams has already contributed to a defensive unit which is yet to concede a goal and sits undefeated on top of the table. Adams also managed to open his goal scoring account with a strike against Port Melbourne in South’s 2-0 round three victory at SS Anderson Reserve.