Clubs in full pre-season training

Photos (Top to Bottom): Scott Gallagher (right) with his University team...he has resigned as State under-13 coach; George Krambousanos supervises Eagles training; Eagles' senior squad playing a game at training; Nathan Pitchford is back in action; Nathan Pitchford puts Craig Minty through his paces; Kevin Clamp and George Krambousanos with the Eagles senior squad

David Smith, Football Manager of Northern New South Wales, was back in Hobart for a couple of days this week.

Smith, the former CEO of Football Federation Tasmania, took the opportunity to catch up with some local coaches and swap notes.

Meanwhile, all local Premier League clubs are now well back into pre-season training as the start of the Summer Cup competition is less than a month away.

At New Town Eagles’ training, goalkeeper Nathan Pitchford seems fit after missing all of last season with a knee injury.

Eagles will play South Hobart on 31 January in a pre-season friendly.

South Hobart will meet Hobart United tomorrow afternoon in a friendly hit-out.

Yong Kee Him, the former Korean K-League player who has been training with South Hobart, appears to have secured a four-month contract with an Indonesian club.

Scott Gallagher has resigned as the Tasmanian under-13 boys’ coach and his duties will be taken over by Steve Payne and Kurt Reynolds.

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Several Premier League coaches have volunteered their tips for the top four sides in the league this coming season.

They emphasise that these tips are made well before the Summer Cup competition starts and are loosely based on last year’s performances and so should not be taken too seriously.

Ken Morton, coach of South Hobart, picks his own side and Tilford Zebras, Glenorchy Knights and Clarence United to feature in the top four places this season.

George Krambousanos, coach of New Town Eagles, tips South Hobart, Clarence United, Glenorchy Knights and his own side to fight out top-four places.

Olympia’s Chris Hey thinks Clarence United, South Hobart, Glenorchy Knights and Tilford Zebras to be up there challenging for the title.

Andrew Brown, coach of Clarence United, picks South Hobart, Glenorchy Knights, Tilford Zebras and Olympia to be in the top-four mix at the end of the season.

Brown said his club had lost several very promising youngsters to other clubs, including Ben Phillips to Olympia and Jacob Huigsloot to Glenorchy Knights.

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On a personal note, Felix Pless, my uncle, who was 78 and a former coach and referee, passed away yesterday.

Felix was a youth coach at Metro and was senior coach of Rapid in the top flight in the early 1970s.

Stephen Pitchford, who was coached by Felix as a junior, fondly remembers Felix handing out chocolate frogs after sessions. He did, after all, work at Cadbury.