Photos (Top to Bottom): Dominic Longo of Marconi at North Chigwell; Domenic Long at metro's coaching clinic at North Chigwell; The South Melbourne Hellas side at KGV Park; Vaughan Coveny, the South Melbourne striker and New Zealand international; Vaughan Coveny puts some youngsters through their paces at North Chigwell; Youngsters enjoy the tuition from Vaughan Coveny [PlessPix]
Metro are a club that have done more than their fair share of work in promoting juniors over the years.
For some reason, this has rarely been reflected in the club’s senior performances at the top level since the 1970s.
In the 1940s and 1950s, Metro were a force in southern soccer.
The club even had an Australian international goalkeeper in the late Harry Wise.
Metro have a huge catchment area for juniors, stretching north to Bridgewater and beyond, and to New Norfolk in the west.
The club have had some very good sides since their founding in 1942, but once the migrant clubs came to the fore in the 1960s, Metro moved into the shadows.
The club have always been a good second-tier outfit, but whenever they have been in the top flight, success has eluded them.
There have been the occasional upset wins over bigger rivals in the top flight, and there have been some trophy wins at second-tier level, but overall, Metro have usually just fallen short of the mark.
Former president and club stalwart Jim Mackinnon has tried to bring greatness to the club over the years with junior initiatives and by bringing imports from Scotland.
Some of the junior initiatives have been very successful, with interstate junior teams visiting North Chigwell for matches and Metro sending teams to Victoria.
Metro youngsters have also participated in Victorian tours overseas to places such as Singapore.
Coaching clinics have been conducted at North Chigwell by such luminaries as Dominic Longo, David Clarkson and Kiwi international Vaughan Coveny.
Metro even brought over South Melbourne Hellas one year for a match against a southern Tasmanian side at KGV Park.
The club has had many excellent players who went on to better things with more fashionable big-name clubs.
Metro remain a sleeping giant and their many supporters hope that success in the top flight will come one day.
What the neutrals must remember is that the club is doing its bit for the game in Tasmania, without necessarily receiving the same fanfare as some of the bigger names.
Short memories and a lack of appreciation of history can be a curse.
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While on the topic of the development of the game in southern Tasmania, I would like to quote some statistics.
From 2006-2009, the number of male and female players between the ages of 20 and 24 has decreased by 2.7 per cent.
For the age group 35 to 45 years in this same period, there has been an increase in numbers of 10.6 per cent.
For players in the 26 to 30 years age group, the decline in numbers has been 12 per cent (321 down to 288).
For the age group 26 to 35, there has been a 12 per cent decrease (560 to 494).
The player registration fees in this period have increased by 35.6 per cent.
In addition, there are team nomination fees, payments to referees and ground fees that clubs have to meet, so life must be tough for club administrators.
Let’s look at what an average club may be up for in the Premier League if they are to field senior, reserve and under-19 sides, and employ a coach for each.
If the three coaches were to be paid $6,000 altogether, which is a reasonable amount, the total cost for the club when one factors in player registration fees and team nomination fees comes to $16,065.
That is $357 per player based on a squad of 45 players.
This does not include referees’ fees, ground hire and equipment costs.
Between 2006 and 2010, the cost of team nominations (Premier League, Premier League Reserves and Under-19s) has increased by 31.4 per cent (from $3626 to $4765).
Make what you will of the above statistics and decide for yourself about the health of the game.
9 comments:
metro's problem has always been off field in the last 10 years with people making there own decisions without talking to the committe and thinking they are bigger than the club and its not just the 1 person who everyone says is the problem that was given the boot last year, they have had some great players over the last 10 years especially early 2000s,they havent had many players come through the junior and youth ranks but there are a couple who have that are still playing now in paul cairns,troy kaden,adam mcewen,jarrod saunders and also chris wass played for metro early days as did mathew sanders and thats just a few who are still playing now, its just they can not hang onto them long enough to see the rewards and thats something they have to change in the culture of the club
We have a lot of work ahead of us to bring the game to a level which it richly deserves.
Time to re-focus on the young and youth development. Link schools, junior associations through to amateur clubs and also to the state squads.
Time to look at intrastate and interstate games in Tassie with squads complying with ages limits; Focus on players of the future.
Lets be honest, tingling with the structure of the southern men premier, div1 leagues is never going to be the solution.
Even the state of the KGV5 from a supporters view is less than desirable.
I could go on and on, but hopefully there is an air of positive change about to happen.
walter, any chance of any up to date photos of the coaching staff. that photo was taken many a year ago of dominic longo, as i was there. longo by the way was brilliant
I think your article supports my view that FFT and Referees are pricing themselves out of the game .
and reaping rewards conrad??? mat sanders hit about 50 goals for metro in a couple of years in the seniors and demanded to ian parker the coach at the time that he wanted him to get players in to compete with other teams. sanders also won the spl top goal scorer from a fast finishing huigsloot. if metro provided better facilities, instead of using them for cannon fodder they might..... well they prob wouldn't be there now but you get my drift. those young guys you named just shows how despicable every other player in those senior squads were
good to see one of the only shots we have of dominic longo as the teacher, is so easily spoilt by who seems to be one of those annoying dermoudy twins. danny prestige would have to be metros greatest finisher behind the rocket sanders and his boy, aswell as the anteater
Rhodes would not want smith as he knows that he would probably take his coaching job. Metro are not stupid and know that if Smith was to sign they would gain a lot more signings with him such as the Daniel White's and Jackson Marsh's of the world along with a plethora of Futsal kids.
Lets not forget the Brazilian's he would bring and his newly appointed role at Northern Suburbs and access that would gain for a club like Metro.
Other than all of that he is not too bad a player. Played a game for Launceston City and apparently got a lot of the ball if my sources are correct?
Walters comment on the rising costs and some player drain made rummage through old files in my basement .
The same point was raised some years ago by Chris Hudson .
His solution for those who just wanted to play football was to form the Southern Tasmanian Amateur League .
Basic rules , pay on the day run from a kitchken table .
Probably not possible in todays environment but an Amateur League properly set up would deliver the goods at a lower cost than at present .
No I am not going to put my hand up . I am to old.
I beleive the Longley Aussie Rules ground is not used in the winter.
Sorry for Longley substitute Sandfly
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