Photo: Eagles' Alex Luttrell (centre) gets to the ball ahead of Kingborough's Nicholas Thomas (left) [PlessPix]
The Championship section of the Summer Cup kicked
off today with two games at KGV Park.
New Town White Eagles drew 0-0 with Kingborough
Lions United in the opening fixture, while South Hobart beat Metro 4-1 in the
second game.
These are, I’m afraid, nothing but glorified
friendlies because no points are awarded, so why would anyone bother to come
and watch?
This is a farcical situation. Surely the two groups should be playing for
points and a place in a grand final.
The quicker Football Tasmania reverts to the way
the Summer Cup was run in the old days the better.
Photo: Kingborough's Daniel Silva (right) prepared to control the ball while under pressure from an Eagles defender [PlessPix]
There should be a top-flight competition of four
groups of four teams. Each group should
have an NPL team in it (one group would have two NPL sides in it) and three
Championship sides.
The group with the two NPL sides would have two
Championship sides, of course.
That means there would be 11 non-NPL sides in the
tournament. There are 9 non-NPL Championship
sides in the Championship league competition this season, so two more teams
would have to be found for this Summer Cup format.
This should not be too difficult. Two teams from the lower leagues could surely
be found, or one of the clubs competing could field two sides (their reserves).
Some may consider this arrangement too complex,
but I’m sure players like to play competitive games and it would give teams a
sense of purpose and something to strive for.
The four groups of four would then play a
round-robin format in each group. One
could then have the top two in each group play in quarterfinals, or one could
have the top team in each group play semi-finals, culminating in a worthwhile
and meaningful final.
That’s how the Summer Cup used to be run -
along the lines of the World Cup when that tournament was restricted to
16 teams.
Photo: Eagles' Jack Rojahn about to take a tumble under pressure from Kingborough's Nicholas Thomas [PlessPix]
The advantage of such a system is that the groups
are seeded by having only one NPL team in the group (there would be two in one
of the groups, of course) and each participating team would be up against a
presumably strong club and two other reasonable opponents.
This is the perfect scenario for a coach preparing
his team for the coming league season.
As a coach, you want to pit your players against tough opponents, weaker
opponents, and others that may be at your level.
This format provides a very good pre-season
preparation for teams and provides an incentive in the form of a respectable
and meaningful trophy.
Surely this would not be too difficult to organise
and would appeal much more to the football public than what is being offered at
the moment. Meaningless friendlies for
no points benefits no-one.
Photo: Eagles' Alex Luttrell prepares for a challenge from Kingborough's Isael de Carvalho [PlessPix]
Now, back to today’s games.
Eagles and Lions were pretty evenly matched and
either side could have won. Both sides
hit the woodwork.
Eagles suffered a blow after just a quarter of an
hour when right-back Luke Phillips had to go off with a hamstring injury.
Mitchell Free was aggressive in attack for Eagles,
while Grant Nutting did well in midfield when he came on as a substitute.
Jamie Cook was reliable in goal, while Adam
Shackcloth provided experience in attack and Oliver Johnstone was dangerous on
the flanks.
Andy Clark marshalled the Eagles defence well, but
they will miss Sam Leszczynski, who has moved to NPL side Glenorchy Knights.
Photo: Eagles' Toby Butler and team-mate Oliver Johnstone stop a Kingborough attack [PlessPix]
Kingborough paraded two new South Americans in Isael
de Carvalho and Ezequiel Di Sciullo, while Tate Kingston did well in goal. Jacob Kipnis, who is also an import, showed
ability.
Wesley King and Finn Lunden combined to smack a dangerous
effort against the Eagles post.
In the end, however, the game was goalless and
there was no need for a penalty shoot-out as the teams were not playing for points.
Photo: South Hobart's Bradley Lakoseljac (right) gets past Metro's David Butler [PlessPix]
South Hobart fielded several of their NPL players
against Metro despite having played in Launceston yesterday against Launceston
United.
With no points at stake and no restrictions about
who can play in which Summer Cup section, it’s simply open slather for teams.
South Hobarts Championship side beat Launceston
United’s Northern Championship side 4-2.
South Hobart’s Under-16s downed Launceston
United’s Championship 1 side 12-2, while in the third game yesterday, a South
Hobart team comprising under-12s and under-14s fell 7-2 to Launceston United’s
Under-18 team.
Photo: Keenan Douce, a picture of sartorial elegance, watches Kingborough in action. Douce is a member of the Lions' NPL team. [PlessPix]
The South Hobart Championship side today led Metro
3-0 at the interval through goals by Kobe Kemp, Samson Juju and Mason Atfield.
Kemp opened the scoring in the 12th
minute with a low shot that flew in off the base of the left-hand upright,
while Juju netted with a clinical finish inside the far right-hand corner of
the net.
Atfield stroked the third into an empty net after
Juju’s pass left him alone and with the keeper out of position.
Photo: Metro's Wade Hawkins about to be tackled by a South Hobart opponent [PlessPix]
Metro almost scored when Shane Kent’s skilfully
sliced shot bent in the air and beat goalkeeper Mark Moncur before crashing
against the crossbar.
Robin Kurdistan netted South Hobart’s fourth early
in the second half.
Metro, under new coach Mark Broadbent, were
rewarded for their efforts when Mason Baker scored a superb goal. He shot from wide on the left and the ball
sailed over Moncur and lodged in the top right-hand corner of the net.
It was only a consolation goal, however, and South
Hobart ran out deserved and comfortable winners.
Photo: Metro's Mason Baker (No. 20) celebrates his goal [PlessPix]
The Championship section of the pseudo Summer Cup
show continues at KGV Park tomorrow at the ridiculous times for a public
holiday Monday of 6pm and 8.15pm.
Taroona and South East United get the ball rolling
at 6pm and Olympia Warriors take on Beachside at 8.15pm.
Photo: Metro's Shane Kent (left) hit a tremendous shot against the South Hobart crossbar [PlessPix]
Photo: Metro's Shane Kent is beaten to a header by a South Hobart opponent [PlessPix]
22 comments:
The Kingborough imports were very average. if you look at Eagles teamsheet is was mainly reserves players playing today!.
The Summer Cup is crap and I don't know clubs allow Football Tasmania to run such a Mickey mouse competition.
I put my money on Vicki Morton to run a better competition. what a disgrace. We all know that football Tasmania will not take any responsibility.
If you applied this type of approach in your professional job I think that it would not be acceptable. Time for them to lift their game big time and time for clubs to make a stand. Time for the professionals to stand up and not stand over the people who are volunteers who run theirs club for the enjoyment
This is a joke. Watched the Kingborough Eagles game. Very poor quality even taking into account time of season. Andy Clark outstanding player on the ground.
There has always been some for of summer cup...why is this one suddenly such a disaster?
I find it disgusting to be calling the games meaningless.
I'm sure most of us players don't think so.
Who cares if there are points or not we're playing the game we love to play.
I take it that FT will be having words with South playing U/12s against U/18s or do clubs now have total control of their players and where they play?.
9;16am
I take it your happy to play a meaningless practice game on Monday night at 8.;15. Im not as I start work at 6;00am which means I would be up at 4;30am . You wont see any FT staff around at that time. Anything before 9;00 and after 5;00pm they are no existent. Ft staff should be working weekends as that's when most of the games are played.
Walter is spot on.
You have a choice like everyone.
Simple choose to play or not.
It's not that hard to do.
No one is forcing you to play.
good grief,it was only a game that both clubs arranged and had nothing to do with ft and there were no reports of an endless stream of ambulances carting the kiddies off to hospital.
Not quite U/12s against u/18s. More like u/14s-u/16s.
Walter I agree with your comments
As always spot on Walter !
Dear Anonymous at 9:16am
FT staff should work weekends...and do what exactly? They don't run grounds and games, thank God, we clubs do; and we are better at it. So are you actually saying that we should be paying the entire FT staff to be spectators and then giving them two days off during the week to compensate, so the office is only open three days a week. Seriously?
Thank God for you Walter to many in the Media lack THEY STOMACH TO TACKLE ISSUE'S!
AGRTICLE SPOT ON AS ALWAYS !
AS A EAGLE SUPPORTER IT IS REALLY POOR NO POINTS!
NO FINAL !
NO SUPPORT!
Charles, have you ever tried to contact the people at grove Rd on a weekend when serious issues arise?.
From my experience you will be lucky if they even get back to you later in the week.
They actually need to been seen at games as it show that they are dedicated to their job and getting to see what goes on first hand.
I heard a rumour that Football Tasmania have a please explain from one of the games on Sunday with a nice photo.
does anyone know what this is about.
Completely agree Walter. What is going on at FFT? Who is making these stupid decisions?
Why the split rounds for the NPL summer comp? Why no points for Southern Champ summer comp?
Are the clubs involved with any of the decision making?! Are FFT purposely trying to make our competitions worse?
Dear Anonymous at 2:48pm
I am in furious agreement with you. What I was surprised at was the person who said that FT Staff should be paid to work on weekends...really? Paid!?! You can't think that's right…and yes, they should be at games.
FFT are a Rabble!!
Someone mention about Vicki Morton in a previous post that she could run a better competition. One major issue between the Juniors at Central Region and the youth that FT run is the correspondence that Central Region give out for their rosters. The information that is given out is second to none!
As a parent who has children playing in both Junior and Youth football FT have a lot to be desired as far as giving out information.
Central Region reorganise games that are postponed cancelled etc but FT make clubs do it themselves when FT actually get paid to do this.
I am gobbed smacked that FT can not provide the same service as a junior association as you would think it would be an easy transition for parents who's children are playing Youth for the first time.
They don't do much in the Summer time so they can have plenty of time off. Computer generated rosters so not to much hard work.
Question - We ask ourselves why is football in Tasmania going backwards?
Answer - FFT
Feb 11, 2;56pm
Studs to the testicles which is a Red card offence. The ref didn't think it was a foul.
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