Photo: Trevor Morgan (right) with Football Tasmania's technical director, Michael Edwards, at last Saturday's Olympia versus Devonport NPL game at Warrior Park [PlessPix]
Trevor Morgan, the head coach of the
Joeys, Australia’s Under-17 national team, was in Hobart last weekend scouting
for talent.
A trial game was organised on Sunday at
KGV Park between two teams of players from all around Tasmania and the game was
videoed as Morgan watched from the grandstand.
Photo: Trevor Morgan sits just behind Glen McNeill, who is videoing the trial game at KGV Park on Sunday [PlessPix]
“I’m looking for kids to represent their
country,” Morgan said.
“This age group, the 2004-born age group
players, did fantastically well at the national youth championships last year so
I’m looking to see them live before we invite some of the boys in to camp.
“At the moment, we need to go where the
kids are, to see them first, and then to speak with their coaches.
“In the last couple of weeks, I’ve been in
Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and now Hobart, and tomorrow [Monday] I’ll be
in Melbourne.
“I’m just trying to see the best kids
live and talk to their coaches about how they’re going.”
Photo: The goalkeeper for the Red & White side, who had an excellent game, blocks a shot [PlessPix]
The two sides that played at KGV only
had ten players each, which was disappointing.
I would have thought local youngsters
would have been breaking their necks to play in front of the national coach in
the hope of being selected to attend a training camp for the Joeys.
Apparently, some clubs received rather
short notice of the trials and couldn’t notify players in time, while other
clubs needed their players for games.
You’d think they’d be keen to have their
better players vying for national selection, especially when the national coach
comes here to have a look and the boys don’t need to travel interstate.
Photo: Action from the trial game. Black & Yellow beat Red & White 3-1. [PlessPix]
“This age group will start their first
round of trying to qualify for the Asian Cup in September this year,” Morgan
said.
“Prior to that, we have a tournament in
Thailand that we’ll be entered into by Asian football.
‘That will be more of a friendly
tournament, so it’ll be good experiences for the boys playing a number of
international matches before they have to go and play in a qualifier.
“That will start in late July, so the
very best players from around the country, the ones who are most ready right
now, will be in Sydney on the 21 of July.
“They’ll be coming in to camp and, three
or four days later, they’ll be flying to Thailand.”
Photo: Trevor Morgan has visited Tasmania a couple of times previously [PlessPix]
Morgan said it was important to see
players in the flesh and in their home environment and to talk to their
coaches.
“Firstly, we look at where they’re at,
and who are the better players and where they’re at, and secondly, then you’ve
got to compare them to the best in their position around the country,” Morgan
said.
“The video helps us with that, seeing
then live helps us with that, and then, obviously, we have to make some tough decisions
about whether this player is ahead of that one.
“It’ll be difficult.”
Photo: More action from Sunday's trial game [PlessPix]
Morgan said while in Melbourne he’ll be
having a look at another promising young Tasmanian player, Declan Zasadny.
“Declan Zidanski is at a sports high
school in Melbourne and I’ll see him next week,” Morgan said.
Zasadny is from Launceston, but is
attending Maribyrnong College in Melbourne.
Michael Edwards, Techical Director of
Football Tasmania, said Zasadny plays centre-forward.
“He scored multiple goals in the first
three games at the National Youth Championships last October before breaking
his leg on day three,” Edwards said.
Photo: It will be interesting to see if any Tasmanian boys are selected to attend the Joeys camp [PlessPix]
10 comments:
Only 10 a-side. Embarrassing for Tas.
Morgan must be wondering what sort of joke this is.
wow only place in the world this would happen.wonder they didn't drag few off the road side to make it ten a side
Its shocking that these kids played Friday night & Saturday for their clubs before playing one of the most important games of their lives on Sunday - what chance do these kids have.
How poor is it the late notice for clubs. If thats the states TD fault its pure negligence. If its FA at fault it says more about how serious they are about the nations youth rep sides. Disappointing really for everyone.
As a parent of a player who went through the NTC/NDC programs this does not surprise me in the least.
The quality of coaching (when there was a fulltime Program) was first class, kudos to Anthony Alexander and Kenny Weston in particular, but the level of support from FFT hierarchy was particularly disappointing.
Not even for the most promising of players was any attempt made to bring them to the attention of A-League club academies or to organise any trials for them. Do they think parents or young players have these contacts on speed dial? FFT obviously did not have any ambition to see the young players entrusted to them given any opportunities beyond their own programs. And once they left the program, it was as if their potential suddenly disappeared and they were discarded for the next batch of hopefuls.
It is encouraging to see some local clubs forge their own relationships with A-league clubs to provide their young players with a visible pathway to football beyond Tasmania, and I hope that they will be big hearted enough to offer quality young players at other clubs the opportunity to pursue their dreams and ambitions, because FFT certainly won’t be helping them.
Overall very poor exposure of this game by FFT, not notifying the community that the game was on. Poor standard by clubs not to send their players there. Again overall very typical of the system ran in Tas. No chance for our locals.
As a td of a championship club
I can say we were not even notified of this game or opportunity
But I’m also not surprised!!
FFT needs to be dissolved in its entirety. Whoever is running it is way out of their depth and each year it just gets worse. It's currently run like a Sunday market stall and it's an embarrassment to Tasmanian soccer.
Trevor Morgan didn't just turn up last weekend. His arrival would have been planned and contact made with FFT in advance. How did this last minute scratch match come to be then?
What he must've thought when he was perched up in the grandstand in KGV is anyone's guess.
This is an absolute embarrassment for our local game and such a wasted opportunity for so many young players who would've been keen to impress.
Yes how embarrassing that FFT can only organise a 10 v 10 game in front of the national coach, noting that at least 2 of the players were 2003 born and therefore ineligible!
That said, at least he came to Hobart to watch our wonderfully talented and hard working boys. Thank you Trevor !
I don’t like to criticise but let’s call this constructive feedback for FFT. If Tasmanian soccer is to improve then surely our talented players need a real pathway beyond representing the U14 nationals and need opportunities to compete and train against mainland players.
As a starting point how about some decent local rosters. Our team competed against a Tier 2 team the day before this game, winning 11-0 in full view of Trevor. Why do we play Tier 2 teams and why would the national coach be invited to see that game ? Seriously ? Tier 1 competition should be reserved for competitive participants. Further, due to competing Cup competitions, our Tier 1 team has played just 1 game in the U18 competition due to a forfeit and a bye. It’s almost June !
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