Author: SMFC Media

Friday, 14 May 2010 10:42 AM

On Saturday’s episode on SMFC TV, we review and show extended match highlights of the clash at the Kingston Heath Soccer Complex between South Melbourne FC and Oakleigh Cannons SC. Furthermore, we hear from Joseph Youssef, Fernando De Moraes, and Head Coach Vaughan Coveny as well in the post-match interviews. In addition, the show will review all the scores from around the Victorian Premier League, and showcase our Junior Development Program..

SMFC TV

Channel 31
Every Saturday 10.00am -10.30am

Friday, 14 May 2010 10:26 AM

On this week’s episode of southRadio, we review the match between South Melbourne FC and Oakleigh Cannons SC at the Kingston Heath Soccer Complex, as well as preview the upcoming contest against Sunshine George Cross. In addition, we look back on the last meeting of the two clubs and that memorable goal by Fernando De Moraes.

Should you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback for southRadio please email the club at multimedia@smfc.com.au

Click here to download episode 12 of southRadio (MP3 -8.3Mb) – Right Click and Save As

Click here to download the show directly from iTunes

Friday, 14 May 2010 9:37 AM

 

By John Kyrou (Photo by Cindy Nitsos)

South Melbourne FC welcomes Sunshine George Cross to its second ‘home away from home’ at John Cain Memorial Park on Sunday, in what is looming as a must-win game for the club. South is in the top four but has suffered two defeats in a row. At the same time, there are several clubs including George Cross that are just behind South on the ladder and are keen to overtake.

South suffered an unfortunate 2-1 defeat at ‘home’ to Oakleigh at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex last Saturday, whilst last Monday George Cross fought back from a one goal deficit to claim a 1-1 draw against Dandenong Thunder at Knights Stadium. That point gave George Cross the same number of points as South in 2010 and as a result Sunshine are sitting in fifth position. This means that South is due to play its fourth match in a row against a top five opponent this coming weekend.

Sunshine as a side will be an extremely physical and tough opponent to break down and as a result South’s players will need to be patient in trying to break down and score past Martin John and his tough defence. A particularly fascinating showdown will be between John and South’s Fernando De Moraes, who caused a moment of controversy on the final day of the VPL season last year when he threw the ball back to John after an injury, before taking the ball off him and scoring the goal that qualified South for finals football.

The matches between the two sides are always well-fought and Sunshine has enjoyed a reasonably good record against South since the two sides began meeting again in the VPL from 2005. Until Fernando’s cheeky winning goal last year, South had not defeated George Cross since the 0-2 victory at Chaplin Reserve in 2007. The match will be the 56th League meeting between the teams, with South winning 25, George Cross 16 and with 15 draws.

Three points are absolutely crucial for South as this is the final League match that the Blues play before departing for Singapore to play Gombak United in the first round of the RHB Singapore Cup on May 26. If other results go the right way, South could end the round in second position, at worst the side could find itself out of the top five. Either way, a positive result is needed to get the League season back on track and to enter the Cup in reasonable form.

The match against Sunshine George Cross kicks off at 3pm on Sunday at John Cain Memorial Park in Northcote.

Please note that due to SMFC’s participation in the RHB Singapore Cup:

• The round 12 match against Altona Magic is postponed from 23 May to 4 July
• The round 13 match against Bentleigh Greens is postponed from 28 May to 11 June

Last time we met

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 1:30 PM

MEDIA INFORMATION                                        
Football Association of Singapore
100 Tyrwhitt Road, #01-02 Jalan Besar Stadium, Singapore 207542=20
Tel: (65) 6293 1477 Fax: (65) 6293 3728
www.fas.org.sg

For immediate release

Tough draw for invited teams in RHB Singapore Cup 2010

Debut teams South Melbourne and Kitchee SC face strong challenge.

SINGAPORE, 1 May 2010: The draw for the 2010 RHB Singapore Cup took place this afternoon at Bukit Panjang Plaza, with the four invited teams drawn in arguably the tougher half.

League champions Singapore Armed Forces FC and current league pace-setters Gombak United and Etoile FC were all drawn in the same half as the invited teams who hail from Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Thailand.

South Melbourne and Kitchee were officially announced as the two new teams invited to take part in this year competition alongside 2009 RHB Singapore Cup finalist Bangkok Glass and Phnom Penh Crown.

South Melbourne faces a tough debut having drawn S.League high flyers Gombak United who are incidentally coached by Australian Darren Stewart.

Said South Melbourne chairman Nick Galatas, “South Melbourne FC is excited to be a part of this year RHB Singapore Cup. It is a fantastic tournament with a growing reputation which includes some of the top clubs in the region. We look forward to our first match against Gombak United.”

Hong Kong side Kitchee SC will face S.League newcomers Beijing Guoan Talent in their maiden appearance in the RHB Singapore Cup.

Said Ken Ng, Chairman of Kitchee SC, “It is an arrangement with foresight on the part of FAS to invite the foreign teams to participate in the Singapore Cup, as the opportunity offers all the teams, Singaporean or foreign alike, some valuable experience to learn from international or regional oppositions.  It also promotes  relationships within the football fraternity of Singapore and the regions where the invited teams come from. We hope that the Singapore fans will enjoy our style of play, which is quite unique in Hong Kong.”

The Warriors face a tough tie against Bangkok Glass while Cup holders Geylang United will begin their defence of the trophy away to Balestier Khalsa. Phnom Penh Crown, who will be making their fourth consecutive appearance in the competition, will take on 2010 League Cup winners Etoile FC.

Commenting on the new additions, Mr Jason Wong, Country Head of RHB Bank Singapore, said, “We believe that this welcomed addition will add much vibrancy and excitement to the local football scene. The opportunity of playing against foreign teams from countries such as Australia, Cambodia, Hong Kong and Thailand will expose our players to strong competition, which is fundamental in driving the development of local football talent. In addition, the introduction of a World Class Youth Development Syllabus and development of a National Training Centre as emphasised in the FAS 2010-2015 Strategic Plan will be key to the nurturing of local talent.”

Mayor Zainudin said, “It is a privilege for the Cup to be associated with the bank that has been noted not just for its support of local football but also its pioneering approach to business service and its active involvement in the community. The RHB Singapore Cup is now one of the region’s premier tournaments and we look forward to continuing our close partnership with RHB Singapore to elevate the
Singapore Cup to far greater heights.”

As title sponsor of the Cup, RHB Bank Singapore extended their sponsorship of the prestigious regional football tournament in 2008 for another three years, bringing its total sponsorship value to $3 million.

RHB Bank also actively engages in football-related community initiatives, such as its sponsorship of the NTU Goal for Fund charity event and formation of the St. Andrew Junior School football club, Saints FC.

This year, RHB will be bringing its community efforts up a notch by organising football clinics, together with the Singapore Sports Council and the FAS, throughout the year for underprivileged children. This first of these special training sessions was conducted for the children of the Association of Persons with Special Needs (APSN) with players from the Young Lions in February this year.

Elaborating on RHB’s community efforts, Mr Wong said, “The sport of football provides an invigorating learning platform to create memorable experiences and at the same time, teach our youth important lessons such as sportsmanship, determination and teamwork. This is a worthy cause that RHB will stay committed to and we hope to continue reaching out to the community through more specially-organised sports
activities.”

The first RHB Singapore Cup 2010 match is scheduled to kick off on 24 May 2010 with the final taking place on Sunday 14 November 2010.

Please find attached fixtures for 2010 RHB Singapore Cup Draw.

-End-

About RHB Banking Group

The RHB Banking Group is the fourth largest fully integrated financial products and services group in Malaysia. It gives focus on four Strategic Business Units comprising Retail Banking, Corporate & Investment Banking, Islamic Banking and International Banking  are collectively grouped under RHB Capital Bhd, which is listed on Bursa
Malaysia.

RHB Bank is the fourth largest bank in Malaysia with total assets of over RM86 billion and shareholders funds of RM4.6 billion (as at September 2007). It is one of 10 anchor banks in Malaysia with over 180 branches throughout the region.

For more information on RHB Banking Group please log on to www.rhb.com.my

About RHB Bank Singapore

In Singapore, RHB Bank was first established in 1961 and is a fulllicensed bank with a network of 7 branches situated strategically in various locations and 2 Bureau De Change at the Singapore Changi Airport.  As a full-licensed bank, we offer a comprehensive range of financial products and services including consumer, commercial and corporate, treasury and investment banking.

For more information on RHB Bank Singapore log on to www.rhbbank.com.sg

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 1:28 PM

South Melbourne FC will be honoured tonight at the 2010 World Football Gala to be held at the exclusive Hurlingham Club in London.

As part of the annual football awards which are conducted by International Football Federation of History and Statistics (IFFHS) on behalf of FIFA, the Club of the Century from each confederation is to be honoured. South Melbourne FC has been awarded the highly prestigious award of Club of the Century for the Oceania Confederation. The other winners are:

• Europe – Real Madrid CF (Spain)
• South America – CA Penarol Montevideo (Uruguay)
• Africa- Asante Kotoko FC Kumasi (Ghana)
• Asia – Al-Hilal FC Riyadh (Saudi Arabia)
• Central and North America – CD Saprissa San Juan de Tibas San Jose (Costa Rica)
• Oceania – South Melbourne FC (Australia)

At the Gala event, each club of the century will be presented with its award, including a golden trophy and a certificate, by a world-famous footballer. The event will also be attended by a number of captains of national teams which have qualified for the World Cup 2010 and legends of world football such Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Jose Mourihno (Inter Milan Head Coach), Vicente Del Bosque (Spain National Head Coach), Iker Cassilas (Real Madrid), Xavi (Barcelona), Josep Guardiola (Barcelona Head Coach), and members of the FIFA Executive Committee.

As part of the World Football Gala, a number of awards are also to be given. A list of these awards are as follows:

– The World‘s best Referee 2009
– The World’s best National Coach 2009
– The World’s best Goalkeeper 2009
– The World‘s best Playmaker 2009
– The World’s Top Goal Scorer 2009
– The World’s best Club Coach 2009
– The World’s best Top Division Goal Scorer 2009
– The World‘s most effective Top Division Goal Scorer 2009
– Club World Ranking 2009
– The strongest National League in the World 2009

South Melbourne FC President, Leo Athanasakis, Major Sponsor George Parthimos from miRoamer, Board Member Tony Margaritis, along with playing legends Paul Trimboli and Jimmy Armstrong have travelled to London to accept the award on behalf of the Club.

During the 20th century, South Melbourne FC were:

• Winners of the 1999 Oceania Confederation Club Championship.
• Finalists at the 2000 World Club Championships in Rio de Janeiro.
• Four times national champions of Australia.
• Eight times state championships of Victoria.
• Winners of the NSL Cup on two occasions.
• Winners of numerous other tournaments and trophies.

Tuesday, 11 May 2010 1:13 PM

South Melbourne FC, in association with Rotana Travel would like to announce a number of exciting travel packages for the Club’s involvement in the 2010 RHB Singapore Cup.

A number of  two, three, and four day packages have been developed to suit all requirements. The travel packages include:

• Return airline tickets with Emirates
• Inclusive of departure taxes
• Accommodation at the 4 star Parkroyal on Kitchener Road Hotel, located near the Jalan Besar Stadium
• Breakfast 
• Transfers to and from Changi Airport
• Entrance to the match South Melbourne FC vs. Gombak United

South Melbourne FC’s participation in the 2010 RHB Singapore Cup marks a return to international football, with its last participation in an international tournament being the 2000 World Club Championship in Brazil where it competed against Manchester United, Vasco De Gama, and Necaxa.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for South fans to see their beloved team representing Australia on the world stage once more.

To enquire about these travel packages, please contact Rotana Travel on 9681 6688. Please ensure you mention the Club’s name to receive the travel packages. 

To download a copy of the flyer and details of the travel packages, please click here.

Monday, 10 May 2010 12:30 PM

 

By John Kyrou (Photo by Cindy Nitsos)

South Melbourne FC suffered a second consecutive defeat with a 2-1 loss against the Oakleigh Cannons at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon. Despite starting strongly and going a goal ahead, South could not hold on and was overrun by the Cannons, who by winning the three points return back to the top of the League table.

Both sides entered the match in the top four but having lost in the previous round and as a result the three points were crucial. South were dealt a double blow with the withdrawals of Gianni De Nittis and Daniel Vasilevski through injury prior to the game, but welcomed Rhodri Payne and Marinos Gasparis back into the side whilst Joseph Youssef returned to the starting eleven to replace De Nittis.

South started the match strongly and created several good chances early to take the lead. A very tight offside call against Fernando De Moraes was quickly forgotten when the Futsalroo opened the scoring in the 14th minute. A ball played through to De Moraes put him one-on-one with Oakleigh goalkeeper Griffin McMaster. De Moraes almost succeeded in rounding him but the goalkeeper did well to push the ball away from the goals. However De Moraes won the ball back and slipped a shot past McMaster and into the net.

South enjoyed a period of dominance but were unable to increase the one goal lead. McMaster denied South a second goal with an outstanding save from a Payne shot that was heading for the bottom corner of the net and that had gone through a sea of legs. At the other end, South goalkeeper Peter Zois upheld his reputation as one of the League’s best goalkeepers with some outstanding saves, including tipping a fierce Jerry Karpeh shot over his near post.

Oakleigh slowly eased their way into the game and despite Zois’ heroics managed to equalise just before halftime. A corner to the near post was flicked to the back post where an unmarked John Fitzgerald headed home to bring the scores to 1-1. The away side then scored the winning goal just after the break, again from a header from a set piece. This time Nick Kalmar was on hand to score.

South enjoyed a healthy amount of possession for the rest of the game but seemed a shadow of the creative and attacking side that it had been in the first half. South’s best chance to level the game came from Payne, who was put through one-on-one with McMaster on the left side of the area. Unfortunately for the home side, Payne’s end product seemed to be a mixture of a half-cross, half-shot that failed to test the keeper and leave the team still trailing 2-1.

Oakleigh had their dangerous moments as well, with the away side intent on scoring a third to ensure the three points. However Zois again stood firm in the goal, making a series of remarkable saves that kept South in the contest. Unfortunately for Zois, failure by his teammates to score at the other end meant a second consecutive defeat for the home team.

Next Sunday, South Melbourne FC hosts Sunshine George Cross at Northcote City’s John Cain Memorial Reserve.

FINAL SCORE: SOUTH MELBOURNE FC 1-2 OAKLEIGH CANNONS (HT: 1-1)

South Melbourne:
Peter Zois, Rhodri Payne, Steve O’Dor, Eddie Cetkin, Joe Keenan, Carl Recchia, Joseph Youssef, Rama Tavsancioglu, Fernando De Moraes, Marinos Gasparis (Sasha Vranesevic 70′), Sebastian Petrovic
(Scorer: Fernando De Moraes 14′)

Oakleigh Cannons:
Griffin McMaster, Jamie Cumming, John Fitzgerald, Stelios Drakos, Bill Damianos, Jerry Karpeh, Cameron Watson, Michael Curcija, Aristidis Drakos, Nick Kalmar (Bonnel Obradovic 72′), Scott Webster (Ljuban Palinic 84′)
(Scorers: John Fitzgerald 40′, Nick Kalmar 54′)

SMFC Man of the Match: Peter Zois
Venue: Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
Date: Saturday 8th May 2010
Crowd: 1,000

Friday, 7 May 2010 1:20 PM

On this week’s episode of southRadio, we review the match between South Melbourne FC and Richmond SC at Kevin Bartlett Reserve, as well as preview the upcoming contest against the Oakleigh Cannons. In addition, we are joined in the studio by Head of Marketing, Corporate Sales and Events, George Triantos who will discuss the South bid to participate in the 2010 Singapore Cup and the World Football Gala to be held in London, where South will be conferred the award of being named Oceania Confederation Club of the Century.

southRadio is proudly brought to you by Homes Now and Monash Hire.

Should you have any ideas, suggestions or feedback for southRadio please email the club at multimedia@smfc.com.au

Click here to download episode 11 of southRadio (MP3 -7.4Mb) – Right Click and Save As

Click here to download the show directly from iTunes

Friday, 7 May 2010 11:32 AM

On Saturday’s episode on SMFC TV, we review and show extended match highlights of the clash at Kevin Bartlett Reserve between South Melbourne FC and Richmond SC. Furthermore, we hear from Sam Torrens, Carl Recchia, and Head Coach Vaughan Coveny as well in the post-match interviews. In addition, the show will review all the scores from around the Victorian Premier League, and showcase our Junior Development Program.

SMFC TV

Channel 31
Every Saturday 10.00am -10.30am

Friday, 7 May 2010 9:34 AM

By John Kyrou – Photo by George Kouroumalis

South Melbourne FC hosts its first ‘home game away from home’ when it welcomes League leaders Oakleigh to the Kingston Heath Soccer Complex on Saturday afternoon. The match is must-win for South as three points will put the Blues back into the top three and even possibly the top of the League provided other results fall kindly.

Both sides go into the match having lost last Friday night. South registered its first on-field loss of the season in the 3-0 defeat to Richmond at Kevin Bartlett Reserve, whilst Oakleigh were surprisingly beaten 2-1 by Sunshine George Cross at Jack Edwards Reserve. Despite these setbacks, both sides are still in the top four, with South facing its third consecutive match against an opponent in the top four.

South’s defence will be looking to make amends against the Cannons on Saturday. Oakleigh’s front men in Jerry Karpeh and Michael Curcija will be looking to poach goals so the South defence will need to be right on top of its game for the challenge. Up front, South’s forwards missed a series of gilt-edged chances against Richmond and coach Vaughan Coveny will be hoping that the forwards can rediscover their devastating form against Hume two weeks ago and hit the back of the net on Saturday.

If selected, midfielder Sebastian Petrovic will notch up his 50th League game for South Melbourne FC. ‘Seba’ first played for South in the old National Soccer League and since then has had two separate stints at the club, the first being in 2005 and the second being from 2008 onwards. Petrovic’s 2009 season was an excellent one and as a result he was rightly awarded the Theo Marmaras Medal for Most Valuable Player, as well as being crowned the Clarendon Corner’s Most Valuable Player.

The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday at Kingston Heath Soccer Complex. South Melbourne FC players will wear black armbands and a minute’s silence will be held prior to the match out of respect for former player Antonis Karagiannis, a foundation player in 1960 who sadly passed away last weekend.

Last time they met