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Olympia Warriors president George Verrios has released a statement concerning the club’s exclusion from the NPL Tasmania competition.
He said there was no avenue for appeal but that the club was intent on working towards being readmitted to the NPL within the next couple of seasons.
He said 26 players had attended the start of pre-season training this week under newly appointed coach, Kurt Reynolds, a former captain of the Young Socceroos.
Verrios said he had hoped that Football Tasmania would have allowed the club to continue in the Women’s Super League as it still had one year of its licence remaining.
The club had lost nine senior players from its WSL roster and that had meant a very difficult season in 2022.
The club was hoping to have certification tests done on its artificial pitch, but with only two companies able to conduct such tests it might take some time.
The artificial pitch was installed in 2010 and it would probably cost in excess of $1m to replace it.
Establishing a full-size grass pitch where the current warm-up area is was another option the club would explore.
Verrios appeared to have accepted Football Tasmania’s decision to demote the club but he said he wished FT had approached Olympia earlier to discuss the areas where the club had not complied with Football Australia criteria for NPL clubs.
He was keen to work with Football Tasmania and the Clarence City Council to rectify things and get the club back into the NPL as soon as possible.
The letter the club has issued to supporters is published here in full.
Dear Olympia Family,
We wanted to write to keep you all informed of the current situation after the disappointing decision made by Football Tasmania last week.
That is, that Olympia FC was advised that it was unsuccessful in the renewal of our Senior Men’s NPL licence and subsequently was also informed that our Senior Women’s WSL licence with one year remaining was revoked. This was devastating and we were bitterly disappointed to have been advised of this decision in the manner it was, just a mere five minutes before the rest of the Tasmanian Football Community.
An appeal was immediately lodged regarding this decision, as we believed that was the due process. We have since met with representatives of Football Tasmania and its Board. It was made clear to us at this meeting, that there was no appeal process, and that the ultimate decision is at the discretion of the Board of Football Tasmania, as they own the licencing/brand. They may own the brand, but the fact is that the Clubs are the product, without all the Clubs, without you, there is no brand.
In times of adversity a family must stand together firm to rise above all obstacles. Together we can achieve success and kick the goals needed to be back where we belong.
We are so proud and grateful for the support from coaches, players, volunteers, and sponsors. We are thankful that together they are standing by and fully committing Olympia FC.
We will continue to work with Clarence City Council and Football Tasmania to ensure that the areas relating to our current facilities at Empire Couriers Park, highlighted by them that was deemed lacking within the current Football Australia criteria are met to ensure that we are returned to the NPL/WSL in the very near future.
Football Tasmanian has assured the Club they will do whatever it takes to ensure Olympia is re-instated to the top tier of Football in the State, with the 2024 given as an indicative time-frame for re-entry. The Olympia FC board is committed to reinstating our places in both the men’s and women’s premier NPL/WSL competitions
Moving forward, Olympia will focus on the continued development of our whole Football family and will field teams in both the Men’s and Women’s Championship competition for the 2023 season.
Olympia will continue to provide to all our Junior/Youth male/female players the best coaching and pathways available to nurture their personnel growth and development in the game.
We as a Club will stand firm, stand together, and be proud.
Go Warriors!
On behalf of the Club and the board,
George Verrios
President
Olympia FC Warriors
64 comments:
Hopefully this is the wake-up call Olympia needs to get back to their best.
Just a slight wake up call I reckon
Wake up call? Seriously? What have the Board been doing? A bit late for the wake up call.
Anon 4.40pm. Spot on.
They have been in free fall for some time now. This year from a club management point of view the worst. On field results were not ideal however performance certainly did improve in particular the latter part of the season. This has been coming for a couple of seasons.
Having said that " WAKE UP !!!!!!" is the message.
The club cant continue to keep doing what they have been doing because the end result will be the same as what has been happening .
Things need to change at the top and some more people with experience elsewhere may be exactly what the club needs , with some knowledge of the game and local NPL/league history.
Unless there is a combination of that then things will not improve for a long long time.
You can't help feel someone at FFT wanted one club on the Eastern Shore and got their way the reason ?
I agree.
FT have one club in each local council in the greater Hobart area covered with Kingborough, Glenorchy, Hobart and Clarence.
Having two teams from Clarence obviously did not suit FT's requirement
At the end of the day, a bit more transparency from FT would have been nice.
If u knew anything you’d realise that there is experience and knowledge running the club.
Anon 7.26 pm.
I do know more than you think.
The club would not be in that position if they knew what they were doing
Pretty hard to regroup when you lose nearly 50% of your players in 2 seasons after George left.
10.34 pm.
You see you focus on one aspect only.
What about the 150 kids in the academy and the womens program
that all disappeared ?
Was George paying all these people ?
I doubt it .
Surely Olympia could get George to slip a couple of green backs under the FT boards table
It's fairly simple. No George, No money, No Olympia
Olympia will always exist.
It is the people that are involved in the club who will make sure that it will always be around, from supporters to players and parents.
Things change and are always the reason why certain things happen.
This includes the NPL, WSL and Academy but it has nothing to do with anyone, just the way things work out sometimes.
Everything has a cycle and things always go up and down, that's just life.
Olympia may always exist.
In the top league???? Time will tell.
I think it pays to remember they were fighting off relegation before the NPL and Mamaccas .
Now he's gone and the $$ with it they are simply heading back where they belong. I don't think the Championship will be that easy for them either.
I guess you reap what you sow.
A comment like that about one of Tasmania’s biggest and most successful clubs shows abit of disrespect, they’ll do just fine in the championship because they have people around the club that are committed to get it back where it use to be. Show a bit more respect for a club that has put in a lot for Tasmanian football.
Say what you want anon 12:20, as much as you and a lot more others would love to see Olympia's demise, I'll be glad to smile and wink at you when Olympia are back up the top where they belong.
Nothing lasts forever.
Yes, it would be convenient to think that way wouldn't it?
So since warrior park doesn’t fifa certification does this mean there will be no games played at warrior park in the near future since we are all equals here or will it be ok for the lower leagues to play on since ft only care about NPL and WSL
How are Taroona in the WSL they didn't t win a game and struggled for a champs team.
Kingbourgh wasn't much better they could only beat the lower teams.
WSL has stuffed the women's game all the decent youth athletes head to AFL where there is a pathway.
FT has stuffed it up .
I disagree with you totally. I don't think its disrespect and I will show them respect when hell freezes over. The litany of transgressions by this club is second to none. 3:22 I don't want to see their demise im just stating a few truths. It will be a lonnnngggg time before you get to do that mate
Why don't you ask FFT Matt !!
The Championship will be an excellent division this year.
There are many players capable of playing NPL but prefer a southern based comp.
I agree with the comments @ 8.37am 18/11 and 6.55am 19/11.
Kids = money. If one club on the Eastern shore is out of the top leagues, their draw card for some of the talent is diminished, although players choose clubs for many reasons other than money. The other club is in a much better marketing position.
It leaves the other club open to recruiting youngsters based on this and talent who wish to play NPL / WSL. If the decision to remove Olympia has been made by anyone at FT who has a vested interest, then it should be open to transparency and review.
Anon 1.14.
Your last comment may have hit the nail on the head. If that is not the case then why the sneaky behaviour with a camera at Olympia's ground taking photos of puddles some time ago ?
I don't think it is unreasonable that the matter is raised with FFT for an explanation .
Being transparent rather than sneaky may not have changed the result but may avoid the lack of trust in the governing body and some individuals.
Spot on ,it is so wrong they should investigate this .
The conspiracy comments are getting hilarious.
Their biggest failings or the perception by the football community of them failing, is down to poor communication. I can’t decide if that is down to a lack of skills in this area, or a lack of care.
The problem is that the conspiracies are facts.
#micdrop
So some clubs haven't announced their WSL coach Clarence ,and South so is a bit of a conspiracy
There is no smoke without fire
Looks like the Zebra women are looking to move on,two of the best of to Olympia before Olympia were kicked out WSL.
They will struggle without these players.
Only if your from Olympia or run a Facebook page. Everyone else is amused as hell
What a disgrace this morning .15 years of posesion based training and games.France took the piss out of aussies .
Anon 10.15pm.
Would you like to rewrite your comment. Not sure what you are saying. "looking to move on,two of the best of to Olympia". That doesnt quite make sense.
We all know who wanted this to take place and the vested interest the have so do the it will all spill out very soon .
Anon 23 Nov 1.18PM.
Doubt it will unless you know something no one else does.
No we don't all know. Your just chasing shadows.
Most of the comments this person makes make no sense.
Lets just simply be honest and look at things over the last few years
can anyone please list how well any olympia team did in any age bracket
Not sure if you know Anon 10:42pm, but results and performance are not one of the criteria for an NPL licence.
2020 Women won the WSL.
2021 Women won both cups.
2023 Women won Champ 1
2020 mens Southern champ finished on top
2019 Southern Champ 2 finished on top
2019 NPL and WSL finished second
That was just to shut you up. Couldn't be bothered looking any further. Don't know what point you are trying to make. There are many more from U13s up 'over the last few years'
2015 - NPL side won the 3 peat
2017 - Won lakoseljac cup
2017 - won u20s statewide cup
2020 - made lakoseljac cup final
2020 - won u20s statewide cup
These are just a few of the achievements over the past years excluding champ and women’s and underage where there were plenty of titles won. So please shut up about Olympia’s performances over the last couple years. If u want to pick and poke at performances do that to riverside.
Geez you lot at Olympia aren't bad. Claiming a title that hasn't been played yet.
Typo for 2022* obviously champion.
Slight typo - 2022. Shoot me, still demolished your stupid previous query.
For starters I didn't make the comments your upset about. Um duh !!! You lot are far to serious.
Anon 2.09pm
Well stop making silly sarcastic comments. Also, maybe check your grammar. Should be "you're" and "too". Um duh!!!!
No I don't think you did actually. Says heaps when you have to list finishing 2nd !!!!
Anon 9.45am. Certainly did. The question was asked "Can anyone please list how well any Olympia team did in any age bracket" and made reference to "over the last few years". They (or you) didn't ask "Can anyone please list what Olympia have WON over the "last few years". Most people would think that finishing 2nd in both the NPL and WSL in the one season (2019) is pretty good. Obviously, not you. How did your NPL and WSL team do that year?
Stop claiming a title you didn't win then. Geez is was a joke because you too got something you typed wrong. Try not being a d#$% .
1 better than you.
Where was your WSL team mate? Or am I blind? Like I said “I think finishing 2nd in both the NPL and WSL in the same year is pretty good”.
What a funny comment. Devonport won the NPL and Zebras won the WSL. If I am not mistaken. Like I said “finishing 2nd in both the NPL and WSL is pretty good”.
It would be interesting to know the age of you people. I would imagine around 5.
Olympia should have been booted out of the WSL is 2017 when the forefited the championship deciding match
Closer to one.
Zebras men ,have they ever won a NPL Title?????
Zebra men haven't but pretty sure they have a better chance then Olympia now !!!
Anon 8:59am - So that's a no then?
Zebras have as much hope as they have had in last 15 years.
So the same as Olympia. Their chances are no better.
Now Olympia is gone from the NPL Everone has more chance than them. It's a ridiculous argument.
Zebras haven’t looked like winning a title and won’t win a title until they can buy one
Anon 8.49pm.
They have tried buying one for years but still cant manage to do so.
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