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Glenorchy Knights took a huge step towards retaining their NPL Tasmania title by beating Devonport Strikers 1-0 away at Valley Road last Saturday.
I know it was only Round 2, but Devonport is a major contender for the 2022 title and a dangerous rival for the Knights.
To beat Devonport at their home shows the Knights mean business and puts them on top of the standings after Round 2.
Devonport have the chance to atone to some degree when they meet Olympia Warriors at Empire Couriers Park on Saturday, but I think they will have to beat the Knights at some point this season to be in the running for the title.
Olympia are in big trouble. They lost 3-0 at home to Clarence Zebras and are yet to score a goal. They have conceded 8 goals.
Clarence Zebras have a win and a loss to their name and are heading for a mid-table position by the look of things.
Kingborough Lions United made up for their opening round defeat to Devonport by overcoming Riverside Olympic 4-0 away in Launceston.
Riverside will do well to avoid a second successive wooden spoon and so the Lions’ win was not unexpected but does not appear significant in the greater scheme of things.
South Hobart were idle as their scheduled game at home against Launceston City was postponed because of Covid issues in the northerners’ camp.
Next Saturday’s clash between Glenorchy Knights and South Hobart at KGV Park will be Knights’ second big challenge in as many weeks and, if they win, they will be in a strong position to retain their title.
NPL Tasmania Standings (As at 26 March 2022)
|
TEAM |
P |
W |
D |
L |
F |
A |
Pts |
|
Glenorchy Knights |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
0 |
6 |
|
South Hobart |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
3 |
|
Devonport Strikers |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
3 |
|
Clarence Zebras |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
4 |
3 |
|
Launceston City |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
|
Kingborough Lions |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
|
Olympia Warriors |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
8 |
0 |
|
Riverside Olympic |
2 |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
*****
Tasmania was portrayed in a very poor light on Saturday in terms of the live-streaming of matches.
Some teenagers at the Olympia Warriors versus Clarence Zebras game decided they’d vent their anger and frustrations audibly on the live-stream.
The language and expletives used were unacceptable and it was broadcast live across Australia.
There was no live commentary for this game, by the way.
I believe the national organisation in charge of the live-stream coverage has removed the game from their schedule and no-one can now watch it because of the few minutes of stupidity from some kids who should have known better.
Some people have said the microphones should be switched off, but that’s not really practical.
Many live-streamed games without commentators are already difficult to watch if you don’t know the players.
To have no crowd noise would be akin to watching a silent movie.
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I must commend former Devonport goalkeeper Nathan Pitchford for his commentary on the Devonport v Knights game.
It must be very demanding and nerve-racking when there is no co-commentator, but Nathan did an excellent job on his own.
Andrew Cooling was in fine form last weekend as a commentator, but Football Tasmania must pull out all stops in an endeavour to have commentators for all games.
Kamil Douglas and Paul Hunt have been excellent in the past and I hope they return to being commentators again soon.
*****
Former New Town Eagles and New Norfolk player David Elliott caught up with me at a game recently and showed me an interesting piece of memorabilia.
It was a small plaque of the England Football Association which was presented to the Tasmanian officials before the game between Tasmania and the English FA XI at North Hobart in 1971.
David also showed me the front page of “Soccer Forum”, a monthly magazine produced by the Tasmanian Soccer Association in the 1970s.
The front page featured a photograph of the English FA XI line-up before the game and the captain, Mike Keen, is shown holding the plaque prior to the presentation.
David, who is a collector of football memorabilia bought the plaque for $5 at the Gormanston Road market about two years ago.
We both wondered how it got there and who it was presented to by the captain of the touring English party.
*****
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Former South Hobart, Clarence Zebras and Kingborough goalkeeper Nick O’Connell was named on the Brisbane Roar bench for tonight’s A-League game against Wellington Phoenix.
O’Connell moved to Brisbane at the beginning of this year.
The Roar lost 3-0 to the Phoenix.
*****
The Socceroos lost 1-0 to Saudi Arabia this morning and finished third in their World Cup qualifying group, behind Japan and Saudi Arabia.
They qualify for the play-offs and will need to beat the United Arab Emirates on 7 June and then a South American country if they are to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
At least Aussie fans have some exciting and nail-biting action in store.
*****
It’s happened again!
Tonight’s Under-18 match between Hobart City Beachside and South Hobart White has to be abandoned at half-time with the score at 2-2 after the floodlights failed.
Can someone please tell me what’s going on?
12 comments:
Hello Walter,
"The language and expletives used were unacceptable and it was broadcast live across Australia."
In order to avoid such an occurrence again the video person simply turns of the microphone at half time. Then resets it on again when the game recommences.
Lights on but no-one home Walter ! I honestly don't know how some of the staff employed by the governing body can show their face in public . Its OK to press the flesh with politicians and VIP's but for f......sake the local community players coaches and clubs deserve a little more respect from those in control of the game. They are happy to have their face on TV when the cameras are there , but when there are tough decisions or important decisions to be made such as sorting out lights, arranging for toilets to be cleaned etc , they are nowhere to be seen.
They are happy to congregate in their allocated areas at grounds , whilst avoiding the general spectators and all other club personnel and volunteers.
This behaviour seems to be calculated and intentional. Too good to mix with the masses ?
Embarrassing .
Very true.
My issue with them is what hope has soccer when they can't even fill up a mop bucket put water and disinfectant in it and mop the toilets.
Step up guys if you can't arrange for things to be done get off your lazy arses and put some elbow effort into it.
Interesting comments from a senior FT employee in the Mercury today in the story about Nathaniel Atkinson. " For all our junior and youth players across the state, it shows what is possible with commitment hard work and determination."
As long as the lights can remain on at the grounds so that the young players can finish off their matches. What a joke !
It has been 25 years since the first Tasmanian made the Socceroo squad. Now there is a second. He makes it sound like anyone with the commitment and determination can do the same. It requires much more than this. I am sure there have been hundreds of young players since 1998 who have been committed and determined but unfortunately these are not the only requirements. The 2 players referred to were exposed to high level , professional training environments whilst in their youth. This has stopped in Australia in the last 10 years or so and has resulted in our National team being a very ordinary one.
Yes commitment , hard work and determination is required but pathways these days are very much blurred with all the politics involved in the sport and poor management from the very top in the country down to the member federations things will not improve any time soon .
Boro are probably going to be mid table and Riverside may finish last but it's not a fait accompli.
As you often say Walter, soccer is the most unpredictable of games.
Maybe Olympia could produce an upset on Saturday.
Anon 3.49 .
Upset ? mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Re the WC
At the time Australia departed the Oceania group all pundits seemed unanimous in that Asia was the way to go.. no other possibilities were even mentioned ..so there we went...leaving the Oceania group even more irrelevant. It seemed to me then and still now that amalgamating the Oceania group with Concacaf made more sense, both being comprised of old colonies and small island states.
Distance ? It's certainly a lot closer for the mainly European based squad .
Is anyone aware wether this option was ever considered?
Thanks for letting me know about the Kingborough game being called off. I would have turned up to the game as I did for the South's game last week. Nothing as yet on the FT web site. Am I surprised - NO !.
Another stream of decent reports - thanks Walter.
Hi Ray. Football Tas actually listed the postponements for this weekend 6 hours ago on their Facebook page. They will update it there if any more to follow
Thanks for the kind words re: commentary Walter. I'll be making sporadic appearances across the year, such as last Sunday's WSL match, but wont be a week-in week-out fixture in the booth this season. Hope to see you at a ground sometime soon.
The plaque form the England FA game in 1971 is a precious find, amazing the find it in the local market. Reminds me of the story of the original Australia Cup being rescued from the dumpster when Hakoah were doing renovations a few years back.
Thanks Anon - I did check the FT website at 11am & the game had been cancelled on their fixture list. It wasn't at 9am.
Some of us 'old farts' don't do social media, including 'facebook', so it would be nice if any sport notifications could be made through ABC or commercial radio. Not too much to ask of FT ?.
FT need to realise quite a few of us shun the poxy social media that is Facebook. The 1st thing that should be updated in the FT website. Its not a hard job.
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