90 Minutes: Keep veterans off plastic, a returning coach, NPL under the microscope and another South Australian is City-bound
Adelaide United’s coach says veterans should avoid synthetic pitches, a King returns to the fold, NPL under the microscope and one of the best refs in the world assesses by an SA cricket employee.
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Professional Footballers Australia is keeping an eye on Adelaide United Y-League players and opposing sides stocks forced to play on synthetic pitches given union members prefer to grass for a number of reasons.
Plastic pitches also made Adelaide United coach Gertjan Verbeek a little apprehensive.
“For an older player like (Michael) Jakobsen or Vince (Lia) it’s hard to make the change from artificial grass to grass,’’ he said.
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“Young players don’t care and so if I think there’s a player who has to play more minutes he can join the youth team on Sunday and it has nothing to do with artificial grass.”
Adelaide’s youth side played its first home match on the synthetic Jack Smith Park – the home of Birkalla – at Novar Gardens.
The side lost 1-0 to Melbourne Victory on Sunday and will feature on the plastic pitch for at least four times this season which is a concern for PFA.
“Our research shows that regularly changing between surfaces can pose an increased risk of injury,’’ said a PFA spokesman.
“Players both globally and domestically have consistently indicated their strong preference for matches to be played on quality grass pitches; believing that this allows for the best spectacle and reduces the risk of injury.
“The PFA conducts pitch ratings to monitor feedback from players on the quality of pitches in the W-League, A-League and Y-League, which are then provided to Football Federation Australia and the clubs to help inform their decision making regarding venues.”
Former Adelaide City and West Adelaide midfielder Mark Brazzale is about to head back to the future at the Croydon Kings.
Brazzale, 50, “retired” from the Kings senior job in 2018.
He returned the club formerly know as Polonia to its glory years in a seven year stint earning the club three top flight titles.
His first trophy as boss arrived in 2012, 35 years after the club won the first division premiership in 1977.
Now Brazzale is back where he started, coaching teenagers at the club.
He has been appointed as the Kings U-17s coach and former Adelaide City’s NPL assistant coach Geoff Hargreaves will take the club’s U-16s.
Brazzale started his coaching at the Kings in 2009 as the U-17s boss.
The A-League’s most credentialed referee Alireza Faghani has refereed two matches at 2019 AFC Asian Cup 2019, four matches at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, two matches at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and the gold medal match at the 2016 Olympic Games between Germany and Brazil.
He claimed the AFC referee of the year award twice and was the referee for the AFC Asian Cup 2015 Final which the Socceroos won.
Of course he was in charge of that game because he is Iranian and decided to settle in Brisbane this year.
Now for the part that not many people get about this game in this country.
On Sunday during the Adelaide and Melbourne Victory clash Faghani was assessed by Nathan Magill – a former referee that has never refereed an A-League match.
Magill also has a full time role with the SA Cricket Association.
South Australian clubs will hope to have their voices heard on issues including junior costs, youth development and league structure in a national review of state-based top flights.
Football Federation Australia announced on Tuesday it would conduct a study into its National Premier Leagues competitions, which were launched across the country in 2013.
The review will consult the nation’s member federations, including Football SA, and the Association of Australian Football Clubs, which represents 13 SA outfits.
Professional Footballers Australia, FFA’s Women’s Football Council, Football Coaches Australia and the Australian Professional Football Clubs Association will also be canvassed.
The review will question the success of the NPL in improving the standard of competitions immediately below the A-League and providing better pathways for talented players.
Junior registration costs, future women’s leagues and a potential salary cap are among a raft of other matters under the microscope.
Members of the football community can add their thoughts to the discussion in an online survey at ffa.formstack.com/forms/national_premier_leagues_review_survey
FFA will establish a working group to consider all feedback and report back to the FFA board in February.
A growing trend is catching on at Adelaide United and now the club is hoping fans will back the worthwhile cause.
A dozen Reds players and staff members, including coach Gertjan Verbeek and captain Michael Jakobsen, are cultivating moustaches this month as part of Movember.
The initiative aims to raise funds and awareness of men’s health issues, including prostate cancer, testicular cancer and suicide prevention.
Midfielder Vince Lia, defender Jordan Elsey and assistant coach Gerald Sibon are part of a United team collecting donations on the Movember website.
The group, which also features club masseuse Colin Varacalli and media manager Jordan Trombetta, has already raised $1480 and is looking for more support.
To donate and check out the progress of the Reds mos, visit moteam.co/adelaide-united?mc=1
Melbourne City’s thirst for budding South Australian talent is relentless as another player was picked up adding to the five players they had already signed this season.
Former Adelaide United NPL player Gideon Arok has joined the club’s Y-League side.
Happy to have made my debut 🕺ðŸ¿@MelbourneCity pic.twitter.com/ShcN7R2InS
— Gideon Arok (@gideon_arok) November 24, 2019
He made his debut in a 6-6 draw with Perth Glory on Saturday.
Arok attracted attention from South Sudan’s national team during the African Nations Cup at Angle Park in October after City had showed more than a fleeting interest in the defensive midfielder.
Scouts from South Sudan’s national team have cast a keen eye on the weekend’s African Nations Cup tournament at Angle Park, with SA teenager Gideon Arok among the players in their sights.
He will partner other South Australians at City including the son of former Adelaide United and Flamengo legend Cassio, Bernardo Oliveira.
Bernardo’s move east prompted the entire family to move.
Arok and Bernardo join Joe Gauci, Kerrin Stokes, Yaya Dukuly and Rapha (Borges Rodrigues).
Brazilian @AdelaideUnited legend Cassio's son Bernardo has won the Australian under 14 player of the tournament at the nationals at Coffs Harbour playing for SA 👊⚽ï¸
— Val Migliaccio (@Val61) October 4, 2018
SA PLAYERS ABROAD
Brandon Borrello – Freiburg (Bundesliga): Played 58 minutes in a 1-1 away draw with Bayer Leverkusen
Alex Chidiac – Atletico Madrid (women’s Spanish Primera Division): Recovering from an ankle injury
Ben Garuccio – Hearts (Scottish Premier League): Recovering from an ACL injury
Meni Haralampopoulos – Acharnaikos (Greek Gamma Ethniki): Played 45 minutes in a 3-0 loss to Rodos
Awer Mabil – Midtjylland (Danish Super League): Scored in a 2-1 away win over OB
Craig Goodwin – Al-Wehda (Saudi Arabia Pro League): Played 95 minutes in a 1-0 home win over Al Nassr
Andrew Marveggio – Macva Sabac (Serbian Super League): Not in the match day squad in a 0-0 away draw with Indjija.