Author: SMFC Media

Thursday, 28 February 2008 2:29 PM

By George Kouroumalis

South Melbourne must put aside the last two weeks when it takes on Western Suburbs, in what is believed to be a highly contested derby match on Sunday at Bob Jane Stadium.

The home side has had a tough start to the season, after being defeated narrowly on two occasions by Heidelberg and Coburg, both by a 2-1 score line, leaving the club from lakeside without a competition point to date.

This game however provides South with an opportunity to get back on track and at the same time push its way up the table – whilst it currently languishes in the lower regions of the ladder, with the club being 2 points off 6th placed Oakleigh.

Coach John Anastasiadis will be tempted to once again adjust the side slightly in an attempt to find the right balance that could see his side snatch the points.

Nathan Caldwell who received some concussion and Ricky Diaco who has a slight groin strain may make way for Hamlet Armenian and Gianni De Nittis up front, a position that the latter two played well in when given a run on Sunday.

The key area which Anastasiadis will be worried about is the centre of the park and who will play in the creative midfield and defensive midfield positions.
Last week the coach opted for the use of Bill Natsioulas and Sam Poutakidis in these roles and for the most part it worked quite well, with both players having reasonable games against Coburg.

However knocking on the door will be Fernando, who after coming on last week showed that he was eager to retain that first eleven position by scoring the only goal for South.

Other options that could play in the middle of the park are youngsters Antonio La Verde and Jose Vasquez, both of whom are regarded as quite promising young footballers and are predicted to have big futures with the club.

Defensive duties however will be expected to be handed to the same quartet as the first fortnight of the season, with captain Dean Anastasiadis keen to keep a clean sheet in the South Melbourne goal, something that has not been achieved so far in season 2008.

A tight defensive line and a concerted effort to negate the Western Suburbs attacking players, will go a long way in ensuring that the 3 points are snapped up by the Lakeside team.

Western Suburbs however cannot be underestimated and will provide the club with tough opposition, with the Kon Pappas lead side boasting an impressive win last week against the Fawkner Blues to kick start their campaign for 2008.

South fans will be familiar with a few names in the squad, namely former South Melbourne central defender Arthur Tsonis, who will return to Bob Jane Stadium for the first time after being released over the summer.
Tsonis played an integral part in the South squad over the last 3 seasons, playing in 48 games and scoring on four occasions.

It is expected that he will play in the central defensive position with former FFV Gold Medal winner Terry Antoniadis, in what is seen to be a formidable defensive duo.
It will be up to these two individuals to control the South Melbourne attacking third, as well as to give their side some genuine on field leadership in a match that will be played in front of a passionate South Melbourne home crowd.

Another former South player that will take to the park is Vas Kalogeracos, who has joined the Western Suburbs based club this season after crossing over from Western Australia.

Kalogeracos played 25 games with South back in the 2000/01 NSL season and will provide the South defensive with a substantial headache as he will look to put a goal or two past his old club.

The club urges all members and supporters to get to Bob Jane Stadium and assist the club in bringing home its first win for the season.

We also urge everyone who has not purchased a 2008 Membership as yet to get on board and show their support for SMFC.

Monday, 25 February 2008 9:53 AM

By George Kouroumalis

South Melbourne have slumped to the bottom of the table following a second consecutive loss, this time at home to the newly promoted Coburg United, who have at the same time recorded their second win of the season.

A lovely sunny day in Melbourne and a strong crowd of over 2000 patrons welcomed the combatants onto the pitch, with both sets of fans at the ground confident that their side could produce the football required to take the 3 points.

Unfortunately for the expectant crowd, the opening twenty minute period didn’t live up to anyone’s expectation, with both sides quite hesitant in venturing too far forward, content with ensuring that they did not concede any early goal.

The first chance of the contest came in the 21st minute, when Yusuf was given the ball on the left hand side of the park and after a short run, he opted to then hit a speculative long range effort at goal. The ball however trickled into the arms of Adam Hrehoresin in the Coburg goal.

South continued to venture forward and nearly was rewarded in the 38th minute, when Ricky Diaco was gifted with a bouncing ball just outside the area, after a Hrehoresin punch failed to clear the area.
From 20 yards, Diaco slammed the ball well over the bar and away from goal.

The final chance of the half once again fell to South Melbourne in the 43rd minute.

On this occasion, Diaco collected a ball from a Sam Poutakidis pass just outside the area, before turning sharply and hitting a powerful drive onto the target. Coburg keeper Hrehoresin made no mistake of the situation, solidly getting behind and catching the ball in his arms.

The second half began in quite a contrasting style, with Coburg looking intent to push numbers forward and to create some decent opportunities to win the game, something that they really failed to do in the first half.

The first chance for Coburg came in the 49th minute, when some lovely interplay between experienced midfielders Fidel Richards and Anthony Magnacca split the South defence apart. A ball was then played into the tall Alexander Josifovski, who then hit a wild shot well over the bar.

Coburg though did not have to wait much longer and were on the score sheet only moments later.
A horrific mix-up in the back between Ramazan Tavsancioglu and Dean Anastasiadis just outside the area allowed for former South Melbourne player Andy Vlahos to steal possession and slam the ball into the open net.

The away side, who were now full of confidence, then doubled their advantage in the 61st minute when a swinging free kick to the back post was poorly judged by the South Melbourne defense, with Sime Kovacevic to rising above everyone to slam his header into the back of the net.

With the game seemingly beyond them, South threw everyone forward in an attempt to try and salvage something from the game.

A great help to the home side was the sending off of Serdar Pir, who was dismissed by the referee after heated incident behind the ball that saw Nathan Caldwell on the ground.
The referee and assistant, after some consultation, had no choice but to send off the former Preston premiership defender.

Gianni De Nittis, who was brought on for his 50th career game for the club, was one of these players who then threw everything forward, with the youngster outfoxing Peter Tichy on the left hand side of the area, before sliding a ball inches past the outstretched Hamlet Armenian and Bill Natsioulas who were both in and around the penalty spot.

South could sense that something was coming, and exposed a 10 man Coburg side in the 83rd minute after a well weighted ball by Poutakidis found Armenian in space just inside the area.

After a touch, a stinging drive was launched and saved by Hrehoresin, who parried the ball into the path of Fernando. The Brazilian maestro then composed himself and slammed the ball into the back of the net, after darting around a few players in the process.

South threw everything into the last 5 minutes trying to get that equalising goal, however some solid Coburg defending and exceptional keeping by Hrehoresin, coupled by some very poor choices made by the South side, ensured that the away side would walk away from Bob Jane Stadium with maximum points.

SMFC now face Western Suburbs in an important derby match next Sunday at Bob Jane Stadium.

Friday, 22 February 2008 9:47 AM

South Melbourne would like to congratulate Gianni De Nittis, who is set to take to the field for South for the 50th time on Sunday against Coburg at Bob Jane Stadium.

De Nittis made his debut for the club back in 2005, with the youngster playing 8 games in a season that would prepare him for the championship season that followed.

In 2006, De Nittis made his mark on the VPL, playing 21 senior games for South and scoring on 8 occasions, including vital finals goals against Altona Magic in the semi final and Grand Final.

We wish Gianni all the best for this weekend and for the remainder of the season and once again urge all fans to get along to the game and support both Gianni and the team on Sunday at Bob Jane Stadium.

Gianni De Nittis Statistics:

DOB: 19th June 1986
Position: Forward / Midfield
Seasons at Club: 4 (2005 to 2008)
Games Played: 49 (50 on Sunday)
Goals: 10

Wednesday, 20 February 2008 8:28 PM

By George Kouroumalis

South Melbourne has started the 2008 season in an unlucky fashion, narrowly losing to arch rival Heidelberg United in a spirited derby match at Olympic Village on Sunday.

South started the game with a new look defensive duo, with Shane Nunes and Steven O’dor asked to perform central defensive duties, an area which last year posed a large problem for the side from lakeside.
Joining the two in defence was Adam Van Dommele and Ramazan, who patrolled the left and right hand side of defence respectively.

In the middle Sam Poutakidis was given the role as the holding midfielder, with Fernando, Goran Zoric and Gianni De Nittis expected to also provide some bite in the middle third and get forward as much as possible to assist the strikers.

Up front South relied on Nathan Caldwell and Ricky Diaco, who were looking to impress after both coming off a quite good 2007 season in front of goals.

The game started off in quite a timid manner, with both sides reluctant to venture too far forward in the early stages, rather being more than happy to knock the ball around without any forward movement.

The first genuine chance of the contest came in the 15th minute, when a well constructed move saw the ball find its way to the feet of Vassiliadis just outside the area.
After taking a touch, Vassiliadis sliced the ball wide and over the intended target.

South then pressed forward in the 20th minute, when a sublime through ball by Nathan Caldwell released youngster and South new-boy Goran Zoric into acres of space.
Zoric, after running into the area, then hit a low drive onto the target, only for new Heidelberg keeper Mark Sutalo to save the shot.
From the rebound, Zoric was quite to pounce and buried home the gift handed to him.

With South in command following the goal, they could immediately sense that perhaps a second goal was immanent.
An attacking foray forward in the 22nd minute, saw a confident Zoric breeze past Liparoti and shoot at goal almost immediately.
Unfortunately for the fast winger, the ball flew past the outside of the post and away for a goal kick.

With the Warriors aware of South’s capabilities in the forward half, the home side decided to push forward themselves and came close in the 31st minute, when a Vassiliadis cross was headed inches over the bar by Mark Tsiorlas.

The Warriors though were on equal terms four minutes later, when a lovely ball found Graham Hockless in space, with the stagnant South defence shouting for an offside call to be made.
With no defender around him, Hockless composed himself and drilled the ball past Dean Anastasiadis to send the small home contingent into raptures.

Heidelberg were starting to dominate the midfield area and Vassiliadis once again proved dangerous in the 43rd minute, after a superb run by Liparoti culminated in the former South Melbourne defender playing the ball to that man Vassiliadis outside the area.
From an acute angle, the former Whittlesea midfielder hit the drive into the arms of the waiting Anastasiadis.

The final chance of the opening half saw a free kick given to South Melbourne outside the area after what seemed to be a professional foul as the last defender on Fernando was adjudged to only be a foul with a yellow card also be brandished, and not the red that most at the ground expected.
Ricky Diaco stepped up and hit a curling and well struck free kick onto the target, only for Sutalo to make a great save to his right hand side, forcing the ball for a corner.

With both sides keen to get a result, the second half started off with yet another chance falling to Vassiliadis, who hit his free kick from 18 yards directly into the arms of Anastasiadis, who once again thwarted the Heidelberg veteran.

The 58th minute then saw South miss the chance of the game.

In what left the strong traveling faithful in disbelief, a superb bit of wing play by Zoric, saw the youngster skip past a host of defenders and provide an inch perfect pass directly onto the head of Nathan Caldwell.
With only Sutalo to beat, Caldwell barely made contact on the header, with the ball rolling out for a harmless goal kick.

With the warm conditions seemingly slowing the tempo of the match right down, the next major opportunity of the game fell in the 80th minute, when Yusuf Yusuf played young Zoric into space once again.
Unfortunately for the diminutive midfielder, his final shot then let him down, blasting the opportunity inches wide from only 5 yards away.

With Heidelberg sensing that the opportunity to take the points was still well and truly available to them, a strong move forward in the 84th minute almost snapped gifted the points to the home side.

On this occasion, the man-of-the-match Eric Vasiliadis found himself in space on the right hand side, before darting past Van Dommele and hitting a wicked shot onto the target.
The ball, which was saved spectacularly by Anastasiadis in goal, then fell directly into the path of the waiting Tsiorlas on the penalty spot.
In what was a great bit of goalkeeping, Anastasiadis regained his position and saved the point blank chance by Tsiorlas to keep his side in the contest.

The game however was decided in the 89th minute after a mix-up in the South defence allowed for Daniel Jones to claim possession just outside the area.
With all the defenders out of position due to the mix-up, Jones slotted the ball past Anastasiadis and into the open net, to giving his side a sensational derby victory.

A disappointed South side must now re-group as it faces Coburg United in an eagerly anticipated clash on Sunday.

All fans are encouraged to get along and support the side, as well as to purchase and collect a membership for the 2008 season.

Tuesday, 12 February 2008 11:55 AM

A jovial and excited crowd flocked into Bob Jane Stadium on Sunday for the SMFC Family Day for season 2008.

With the new big name signings in attendance, fans both young and old were given the chance to meet with their heroes for a chat, kick around and a good old fashioned autograph on their favourite piece of memorabilia.

Proving popular with the kids were reigning MVP Ricky Diaco and the man commonly known as “Rama”, who were completely surrounded by the fans at every opportunity.

Apart from meeting the fans, the kids who attended the day were kept occupied by various football related activities on the park, some of which enabled them to play against some of the SMFC stars themselves.
The children (and some adults alike) were also kept quite occupied by the numerous non-football related activities at the club, including various rides, face painting and the opportunity to get a close-up look at a Melbourne Fire Brigade fire truck.

South Melbourne FC could not think of a better way to bring in the 2008 Foxtel Cup season and urge all supporters to purchase a membership for the upcoming season, with every cent spent helping the club immensely.

Wednesday, 6 February 2008 3:33 PM

South Melbourne will have three participants in the Hellenic Cup “Grand Finals” on the weekend.

With the senior team bowing out 0-1 against Bentleigh last week, South will have its senior stocks represented by the womens team, who will take on old foe Heidelberg United.

South and Heidelberg were by far the two strongest sides during the preliminary round, finishing in the top two positions.

The only loss that South did have was to the hands of the Warriors one week ago in what was shown to be a one sided game.

However the girls are keen to make up for the loss and are committed to surprising the tournament favourite.

South will also have the Under 13 and Under 14 Junior sides playing off in Grand Finals on the same day. Both junior sides will play against the Oakleigh Cannons in yet another derby clash.

The South Melbourne Football Club would like to congratulate all teams for making their respective finals and urges the entire South Melbourne faithful to come along and support the teams as they pursue Cup glory.

Match details are as follows:

Date : Saturday 9 February 2008
Venue : Olympic Village, Heidelberg

10.00am Juniors Under 13
South Melbourne Vs Oakleigh Cannons

11.45 am Juniors Under 14
South Melbourne Vs Oakleigh Cannons

5.00pm Ladies
Heidelberg United Vs. South Melbourne

Wednesday, 30 January 2008 10:33 AM

By George Kouroumalis

South Melbourne has a booked a Thursday night quarter final clash with Bentleigh Greens after easily progressing through the group stages of the pre-season Hellenic Cup tournament.

After defeating Port Melbourne last week, South had to contend with the two Springvale teams on the weekend, having to play games both on Saturday and Sunday.

The first game was the more crucial of the two, with a win assuring that South would progress after other results had fallen the clubs way.

In what seemed to be a lop-sided contest on paper, South Springvale came out quite determined and tested South in parts of the game.

However in the end, the experience and quality of the South side prevailed with experienced striker Nathan Caldwell scoring a double to ensure that the boys from lakeside would take the 3 points.

Impressing in the hitout was Sam Poutakidis in a holding midfield role, as well as new recruits Hamlet Armenian and Goran Zoric who gave the club some bite in the forward half with their pace and attacking attitude.

The second game of the weekend saw a primarily u/21 South side taken on amateur outfit South Springvale Serres.

In a game which essentially was a dead rubber due to already qualifying for the next stage, South opted to only play three senior players, with Bill Natsioulas, Miladen Tosic and new recruit Antonio La Verde required to suit up for the boys in blue.

With Springvale playing 10 behind the ball at all times, the game was destined to be a one sided, frustrating match, with South acquiring the bulk of possession in their attacking half.

In the end South ran out 2-0 winners in what turned out to be a spicy game, with the Springvale side giving everything to try and stop SMFC from overpowering them.

With South maintaining a perfect record throughout the tournament, they now must face Bentleigh Greens in the quarter finals on Thursday at the Grange Reserve in Clayton, with kickoff being at 7.45pm.

All fans are encouraged to come along and support the boys as they continue preparing for their opening round match of the Foxtel Cup against Heidelberg United.

Tuesday, 29 January 2008 6:13 PM

South Melbourne is thrilled to announce the signing of experienced defender Steven O’Dor for the 2008 Foxtel Cup season.

In what is exciting news for the SMFC, Steven returns to Melbourne following a self-imposed decision to attempt to combine his University studies with playing football in his home town.

Steven is a highly credentialed footballer, representing his country on numerous occasions with the Qantas Under 23 squad and the Qantas Young Socceroos, as well as spending time throughout his junior career with the Australian Institute of Sport.

A former member of the SMFC senior squad that captured the 2006 Victorian Premier League crown, O’Dor will bring a hard working, durable and committed attitude to the side. He is considered by many football experts in Victoria as one of the best defenders that this state can offer.

We wish Steven all the best for the upcoming year and cannot wait to see him representing the famous Lakeside club again in 2008.

Monday, 28 January 2008 5:06 PM

South Melbourne FC is pleased to announce that the Qantas Socceroos will be using Bob Jane Stadium as their training base in the lead-up to February’s World Cup 2010 qualifier against Qatar.

Bob Jane Stadium has undergone extensive ground works over the past year and can now boast to be amongst the best playing surfaces in Victoria.

South Melbourne club Secretary and Venue director George Koukoulas, was upbeat about the Socceroos presence and continued venue use:

“It will be fantastic to have the Socceroos at BJS.

The club will be doing everything it can to assist Pim Verbeek and our boys to properly prepare them for Qatar and any future Socceroo games.

SMFC members and sponsors should take great pride knowing that their contribution and support aids in ensuring that a facility like BJS is properly utilized, not only for local football requirements but also national teams and other sporting codes”

South Melbourne has played a significant role in the development of many Socceroos over the past 50 years.

The club is excited that it can further continue to play a role in assisting the national team, both on and off the field.

At the present time, the FFA have indicated that the sessions will be conducted behind closed doors, however it is recommended to check www.smfc.com.au and the FFA website for any changes, should they occur.

Thursday, 24 January 2008 11:13 AM

South Melbourne would like to congratulate Fernando De Moraes for being selected for the Australian Futsal side, the “Futsalroos”.

He will compete as part of the Australian National Team in the KL World 5’s tournament next week in Malaysia and face countries such as Argentina, England, Malaysia and Indonesia in the opening stages of the tournament.

Fernando has become a fan favourite at Bob Jane Stadium since joining the club in 2005, winning the Best and Fairest for the club in a stellar 2006 season, as well as claiming a best on ground performance in the 2006 Grand Final win against Altona.

We wish Fernando all the best for the upcoming tournament and hope he does his club and country proud on the world stage knowing that the entire South Melbourne family is supporting him.