Category: News

Wednesday, 27 May 2009 11:56 AM

In what is another exciting development for South Melbourne FC and its stakeholders, the club will host Foxtel’s Fox 8 Production of Football Superstar at Bob Jane Stadium.

The reality based series will focus on a series of young footballers in their conquest to snare themselves an A-League contract. Coming in the way of each individual are a panel of 3 experts and a committed group of young men all aiming to take home the prize.

Each week, a player will be eliminated from the show in a special eviction at Bob Jane Stadium. Each eviction will be beamed across the country on Fox 8 as part of a normal episode and will showcase South Melbourne FC’s famous home ground of Bob Jane Stadium, including all SMFC Corporate Partners and the club itself.

On top of this, Episode 5 of the series will be focussed on South Melbourne FC, including a friendly between the Football Superstar contestants and the SMFC U/21 squad to also be held at Bob Jane Stadium. Incorporated also in this episode will be a brief historical overview of the club’s 50 years for all Foxtel, Austar and Optus subscribers to view and appreciate.

The first episode of Football Superstar will screen tonight at 7.30pm on Fox 8.

Monday, 25 May 2009 12:14 PM

South Melbourne FC has appeared in a Sydney Morning Herald article today that outlines a proposed plan of a second tier competition in Australia.

The article explains that the FFA are potentially going to bring together an 8 man task force to look at the viability of implementing such a competition.

To view the full article, including the SMFC stance on the issue, please visit:
http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/a-league/nsl-giants-back-second-tier/2009/05/24/1243103433264.html

Monday, 25 May 2009 10:07 AM

By John Kyrou

Click here to view the smfcTV highlights of the game

South Melbourne FC stretched its unbeaten run to ten matches after a spirited and fighting comeback saw the side claim a hard fought 2-2 draw against the high-flying Dandenong Thunder at George Andrews Reserve on Saturday evening.

With Heidelberg, Altona, Green Gully and Hume all closing in on South’s hold of second position on the league table, the side travelled to Dandenong intent on securing the three points needed to allow breathing space from the chasing pack. The win would also close Dandenong’s lead over South at the top to five points.

Dandenong went into the match full of confidence after disposing of third-placed Heidelberg United 3-0 at George Andrews Reserve the previous Saturday. The result meant that the Thunder had completed the first round of the 2009 VPL season undefeated, an enormous achievement for the newly-promoted club. Under the guidance of former South coach Stuart Munro, the Thunder were determined not to let second-placed South stop its momentum towards a possible Minor Premiership.

With both sides known for attacking football and high scoring, the scene was set for a classic end-to-end attacking match. However it was all Dandenong in the opening half, with the home side dominating from the kick-off. The South defence did just enough to hold out Dandenong’s constant attacking, but even the most one-eyed of South supporters would have known that the away side would struggle to hold out all game.

It took half an hour but Dandenong finally got the goal that it deserved. A set piece from a free kick saw Veton Korcarevski sneak in unmarked at the far post to comfortably head the ball past a helpless Tommi Tomich. The Thunder were completely in control and should have been at least two goals ahead at halftime had it not been for poor shooting and some desperate South defending. However it did not take long for the home side to double their lead after the break, when a deflection off Colin Quirk from an attempted South clearance saw the ball roll into the net, sending the home supporters wild. The Thunder had a deserved 2-0 lead and it seemed inevitable that the Dandenong unbeaten streak would continue.

Until that stage South had only shown glimpses of a side leading the league in goals scored, with Fernando De Moraes coming closest to scoring after putting a free kick just wide of the goal in the first half. Dandenong’s Stuart Webster had been having a relatively quiet night in goal; however he made a monumental error in picking up a back-pass from one of his defenders to gift South an indirect free kick. Despite having a wall of Thunder players on the goal line in front of him, De Moraes managed to squeeze a shot into the far corner of the goal to hand the away side a lifeline with 13 minutes left. All of a sudden the confidence had risen and a draw seemed possible.

Only minutes later South completed its remarkable comeback. A ball played through to Goran Zoric found the speedster through on goal with only Webster to beat. Webster saved the initial shot but the ball bounced off Zoric’s chest and rolled into the back of the net despite desperate attempted clearances from two Dandenong defenders. The goal sent the away fans behind that goal into a state of delirium, as the team had out of nowhere scored two goals to draw the contest level.

Suddenly South was in complete control of the match, with the Dandenong players and spectators clearly stunned at what had just occurred. Hard-working Gianni De Nittis nearly won the match for South when his turn and shot forced Webster to make an outstanding save at his near post to keep his side level. When the fulltime whistle sounded, the away side was still pressing forward, seeking a winning goal.

Dandenong enjoys its third home match in a row when it entertains the Oakleigh Cannons at George Andrews Reserve next Saturday evening. Kick-off is at 7pm. South Melbourne FC will have its third away fixture in succession when it faces old rival Heidelberg next Sunday at the Olympic Village. A win will extend South’s hold of second spot to five points over the third-placed Bergers. Kick-off is at 4pm.

Click here to view the smfcTV highlights of the game

Monday, 25 May 2009 10:00 AM

By Paul Mavroudis

SMWFC notched up its fourth consecutive win as well as extending its unbeaten run to five games, when it defeated the Geelong Region FA side 5-0 at Bob Jane Stadium yesterday.

South were favourites for this contest, but despite spending long periods of the first half camped in the opposition’s half, some disjointed build up play saw South only break the deadlock quite late in the opening period. |

The second half saw an improved performance, with the home side putting the visitors to the sword, with neater passing maneuvers and better shooting, including one long range goal which left the Geelong keeper stranded.

The women’s Reserves side also picked up a win, their second in a row, with an 8-0 demolition of GRFA. Both the Seniors and Reserves are having their best top flight seasons in recent memory, with the Seniors sitting in second spot, and the Reserves in first place.

SMWFC takes on Sandringham this week, with both the Seniors and Reserves looking to consolidate their positions at the halfway point of the season.

Friday, 22 May 2009 11:46 AM

In what is being dubbed “the match of the season” to date, South Melbourne FC will travel to Dandenong to play the in form Thunder in a top of the table clash.

In in a stunning start to the season, Dandenong Thunder are yet to lose a game in 2009. The home side sit in first position on the table, 8 points clear of the second placed South Melbourne FC.

South, in it’s own right, have continued to play attractive football since losing the two opening games of the season, being unbeaten in it’s last nine matches. The Lakesiders will be intent on reducing the gap between themselves and Dandenong with a win on Saturday night.

The clash will also put together the best strike force in the competition against the best defence. The Blues head into the clash having scored 22 goals in 10 competition games, with Vaughan Coveny, Goran Zoric and Gianni De Nittis all firing in a three pronged attack, whilst midfielders Fernando and Joseph Youssef also contributing heavily on the scoresheet so far this season.

Dandenong Thunder, despite being the second highest goal scoring team in the competition, have heavily relied on a strong and experienced defensive unit to achieve the desired results. This has been lead by Stuart Webster in goals and former South players Levent Osman and Marcus Stergiopoulos in the heart of the defense.

In the previous meeting between the sides in Round 1, it was a Rama Tavsancioglu own goal that was the difference between the two sides.
 
With a huge crowd expected, all South fans are urged to get along to George Andrews Reserve in Dandenong on Saturday evening to get behind the boys as they strive to defeat the Thunder on their home turf. Kick-off for the big match is at 7pm.

South Melbourne FC vs Dandenong Thunder

When:  Sunday, May 11th
Where: George Andrews Reserve, Trewin Stree Dandenong South, 3175
Melway Ref: 90 D11
Kick-off: 7.00pm (Under 21s at 5pm)

Head to head:
Played : 1
South Melbourne FC : 0
Dandenong : 1
Draw : 0

Last Meeting
When: Sunday March 1st
Where: Bob Jane Stadium
Score: Dandenong 1 defeated South Melbourne FC 0

Form in 2009 (last 3 games)
South Melbourne FC: Draw, Win, Draw
Dandenong Thunder: Win, Draw, Win

Monday, 18 May 2009 3:19 PM

By John Kyrou (Photo by Paul Touliatos)

South Melbourne FC stretched its unbeaten run to nine matches following the 1-1 draw away to Sunshine George Cross on Sunday afternoon. The result also meant that the Blues hold outright second position on the league table.

The trip to Chaplin Reserve was never going to be an easy one, as South had only recorded one victory at the venue since returning to the Victorian Premier League in 2005. In addition, Sunshine went into the match having only lost once at home, with that loss being against the undefeated league leaders Dandenong.

The poor condition of the field was not beneficial to South’s usual style of play and as a result the team had to resort to playing the long ball constantly. This made the afternoon difficult for the forwards in Gianni de Nittis and Goran Zoric, who had to make aerial challenges against the huge George Cross centre-backs.

Sunshine opened the scoring midway through the first half, when a South attacking move was broken down. The ball streamed up the other end, where Johnny Sapazovski got onto the end of a cut-back and coolly netted past Tommi Tomich. The goal was a just reward for Sapazovski, who just a minute earlier hit a volley from outside the area that smashed the crossbar and stayed out.

The goal woke South up instantly. The away supporters lifted in chanting, urging the team to get back into the match and the players responded with a goal straight away. De Nittis was put through on goal and he made no mistake in levelling up the contest, despite the fierce protests from the Sunshine players and supporters that De Nittis was offside when the ball was played through to him.

Shortly after, it was the turn of the South players to complain, after Zoric looked to have been fouled in the area but the penalty claim was waved away by the referee. Zoric was then put through on goal but had his final shot cleared off the line after he had rounded Martin John in the Sunshine goal.

In the second half, South won a free kick just outside the area. De Nittis stepped up and hit a wonderful curling shot that produced an outstanding fingertip save from John. Despite enjoying large amounts of possession, South were restricted in creating genuine scoring chances thanks to resolute defending by Sunshine.

The Georgies nearly stole all three points themselves towards the end of the match. Tomich was forced into making a good save at his near post and then another shot that beat him was cleared off the line by Rhodri Payne. Sunshine did eventually find the back of the net a second time; however the goal was disallowed by the linesman for offside. The final whistle was met with disappointment for some of the away fans; however the result was overall pleasing considering the absences of Vaughan Coveny and Joseph Youssef, plus because of the condition of the pitch.

South’s next match is undoubtedly the match of round 12, as the Blues travel to George Andrews Reserve to take on the undefeated league leaders Dandenong Thunder. South will be looking for revenge after the newly-promoted Thunder shocked all with a 0-1 win at Bob Jane Stadium in the opening round of the season. The Georgies will be looking to continue their good home form as they entertain rivals Green Gully at Chaplin Reserve next Sunday in the Maltese derby.

Friday, 15 May 2009 9:19 AM

South Melbourne FC would like to congratulate George Bekos and his team at Monash Hire Group Pty Ltd on winning the highly regarded 2009 Rental Company of the Year in Australia.

Monash Hire  Group continue to be a great sponsor and supporter of SMFC and we are pleased to see them take out such a prestigious award.

Currently Monash Hire Group has over 100 employees and boasts branches in Mt Waverley, Hastings, Coburg, Footscray in Victoria, Mackay and Hemmant in Queensland and Auckland New Zealand, with Sydney and Perth to follow.

To view more information about the company, visit www.monashhire.com.au

Thursday, 14 May 2009 2:18 PM

By George Kouroumalis

In an exciting development for the club, South Melbourne FC has been involved in the making of a documentary mini-series that outlines the Greek Community’s involvement in Sport and Sporting clubs around Australia, and across the globe.

The documentary, which is filmed and produced by the Hellenic National Broadcasting Service ERT , will be a worldwide 26 episode documentary series that will cover all sporting organisations and individuals that have some form of Hellenic background and or influence.

South Melbourne FC was chosen by the ERT directors to be the featured organisation in Victoria, with an entire feature episode dedicated to the club.

Within the episode, ERT representatives interviewed with some SMFC legends including the great Jimmy Armstrong, Takis Mantarakis, Ulysses Kokkinos, Andreas Roussis, Jim Pyrgolios and Manny Poulakakis, each of whom assisted in telling the story about the history of this great club.

As well as recording interviews with past legends, the production crew also filmed the Altona Magic match on Sunday, as well as recording interviews with SMFC coaching staff, players and club officials.

The episode dedicated to South Melbourne FC is due to be screened worldwide via ERT World in September this year.

Image: ERT Reporter Elena Bouzala pictured with SMFC Sales & Events Director George Triantos

Thursday, 14 May 2009 10:10 AM

By John Kyrou | Photo by Craig Varty

South Melbourne FC will be looking to firmly hold onto second spot on the league ladder when it travels to Chaplin Reserve on Sunday to take on Sunshine George Cross. An away win will almost certainly see South complete the first half of the season in second position on the table.

Since beginning 2009 with two straight losses at home, the Blues have been undefeated in eight matches. South will enter Sunday’s match in good form, following a 2-0 home win against Altona last Sunday, its third clean sheet of the season. The victory allowed South to cling onto second spot thanks to a slightly better goal difference over third-placed Heidelberg.

Sunshine will enter Sunday’s match on a four match unbeaten run. Like South, George Cross also began the season slowly but in recent weeks has consolidated its position in the league. Sunshine is only one point from 5th position despite presently sitting in eighth spot and will no doubt be highly motivated for a positive result against South to further push up the table.

The Sunshine players for the South defence to watch out for are Johnny Sapazovski and George Papadopoulos. The pair has only scored four goals in total this season; however those goals have directly influenced George Cross’ unbeaten form in the last month. South’s defence has recorded two clean sheets in a row however has proven to be shaky. If the defence is able to contain Papadopoulos and Sapazovski’s influence on the match, the away side should be able to force a result.

Sunday’s contest will be the 54th league meeting between the two sides. Battles have been taking place in both the VPL and the old National Soccer League since 1961. In the first ever league meeting between the sides, South defeated George Cross 1-0 in front of around 8,500 spectators at Olympic Park. Prior to joining the NSL in 1977, South enjoyed 13 wins, George Cross won 8 times and the sides drew 11 times.

The battles resumed when Sunshine joined the NSL in 1984. South enjoyed 9 wins, George Cross 6 and only one draw was registered. One of South’s greatest wins was in the 1990/91 season when the home side came back from a 1-3 deficit to beat George Cross 4-3 at Middle Park. It has been all square since South’s return to the VPL in 2005, with 2 wins apiece and 2 draws between the two sides.

Sunday’s match kicks off at 3pm at Chaplin Reserve.

Sunshine George Cross v South Melbourne FC – An Overview

First VPL match:
Round 5, 1961
South Melbourne 1-0 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goal: Savvas Salapasidis)
Venue: Olympic Park

First NSL match:
Round 8, 1984
South Melbourne 0-1 Sunshine George Cross
Venue: Middle Park

Last NSL match:
Round 20, 1990/91
Sunshine George Cross 0-1 South Melbourne
(SMFC Goal: Con Boutsianis)
Venue: Skinner Reserve

Last VPL match:
Round 24, 2007
South Melbourne 0-2 Sunshine George Cross
Venue: Bob Jane Stadium

Total Games (League): 54
South Melbourne Wins: 24
Sunshine GC Wins: 16
Draws: 14

Highest Aggregate Score:
Round 17, 1989 NSL
Sunshine George Cross 2-5 South Melbourne
(SMFC Goals: Steve Tasios x2, Harry Micheil, Ange Postecoglou, Kimon Taliadoros)
Venue: Chaplin Reserve

Round 7, 1990/91 NSL
South Melbourne 4-3 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goals: Peter Tsolakis, Mike Petersen, Paul Trimboli, Kimon Taliadoros)
Venue: Middle Park

SMFC Biggest Win:
Round 3, 1974 VPL
South Melbourne 5-1 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goals: Jim Armstrong x2, Andy Savage, Ron Smith, Nick Nechvoglod)
Venue: Middle Park

SGC Biggest Win:
Round 6, 1988 NSL
South Melbourne 1-4 Sunshine George Cross
(SMFC Goal: Steve Tasios)
Venue: Middle Park

Last 5 Meetings:

Round 24, 2007
South Melbourne 0-2 George Cross   (Bob Jane Stadium)

Round 15, 2007
George Cross 0-2 South Melbourne   (Chaplin Reserve)

Round 20, 2006
South Melbourne 1-1 George Cross   (Bob Jane Stadium)

Round 7, 2006
George Cross 1-0 South Melbourne   (Chaplin Reserve)

Round 21, 2005
George Cross 0-0 South Melbourne   (Chaplin Reserve)

Monday, 11 May 2009 9:28 AM

South Melbourne has extended its unbeaten run to 8 games after defeating reigning champions Altona Magic 2-0 at Bob Jane Stadium on Sunday.

Both teams came into the contest on 17 competition points, with the knowledge that a win would see them sit comfortably in equal second on the table by the end of the round.

South came into the game without veteran Vaughan Coveny who missed the critical match, whilst Altona were missing the experienced Steven Laurie.

The game started off in a fairly timid manner, with the first chance on goal coming in the 8th minute when a Steven O’Dor header was directed into the arms of custodian Bojo Jevedjevic.

The home side continued to pepper the Altona goal face and once again had an opportunity to take the lead in the 12th minute, when some lovely interplay at the corner of the area culminated in Fernando hitting a powerful shot inches wide of the target.

South were dominating proceedings and almost had the opener again through a long range attempt by Fernando. In an unlucky piece of play, he carved his way into an opening just outside the area before hitting another hard shot onto the target with goalkeeper Jevdjevic once again making the critical catch.

The Blues did hit the lead in the 31st minute when a lovely sweeping move forward found the feet of 4 South players, before Goran Zoric cut back the ball into the path of Gianni De Nittis. With the goal beckoning, De Nittis slammed the ball past the keeper to give his side a well deserved 1-0 advantage.

Altona’s first opportunity for the opening half came in the 46th minute when a speculative long range attempt by Carl Recchia was fumbled by Tommi Tomich. The resultant rebound then found its way to the heavily marked Michael Curcija who opted to lay the ball back into the path of Recchia. With Tomich hurrying back into position, Recchia hit a disappointing drive wide of the target.

The second half continued in the same manner as the first with South Melbourne dominating the early stages.

The Blues only had to wait until the 55th minute to score its second goal, after De Nittis was fouled just outside the area. With the crowd urging the home team on, Fernando stepped up and hit a wonderful free kick to the back post, where it was met by the hard working Shane Nunes who managed to steer the ball into the back of the net.

South continued to bombard the Altona penalty area for the remaining half an hour without any real reward, with Goran Zoric and Fernando missing a plethora of half chances throughout the half.

The closest chance came in the 89th minute when the diminutive attacking player turned the Altona defence inside and out before hitting a cracking shot just wide of the target.

With the three points, South jump back into second place with a tricky away fixture next Sunday against Sunshine, whilst Altona must pick up the pieces as it hosts the Melbourne Knights in what is looming as a must win game.