90 Minutes: SA tribute for Gordon Banks, Cassio on A-League’s radar, coaching guru in Adelaide, Vidmar linked to India
An SA soccer legend has recalled his encounter with the late great Gordon Banks, while an ex-Adelaide United star is on an A-League club’s radar and an Australian coaching guru comes to town, all in our 90 Minutes soccer column.
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England legend Gordon Banks’ death last week brought back some fond memories from when the lauded keeper played against South Australia at Hindmarsh Stadium in May, 1973.
Bestowed with the honour of ‘save of the century’ for his effort at the 1970 FIFA World Cup when he denied Brazil’s Pele, South Australian star John Perin believes he wouldn’t have scored twice against Banks if he was in goal when SA won two spot kicks.
Banks was representing Stoke City alongside his England teammate 1966 World Cup final hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst and another former England international George Eastham.
Perin scored twice in a 2-2 draw with Stoke on a wintry night at Hindmarsh.
“I scored both the penalties but not against Gordon Banks, he played in the first half, he was still recovering from that car accident (in England in October 1972) where he lost an eye,’’ Perin said.
“But I remember the game really well when we got the first penalty Geoff Hurst said to me ‘you’re going to miss this one son’.
“And I said to Geoff, ‘watch the keeper, their reserve keeper dive in the wrong corner’ and he did.
“Bugger me five minutes later we have another penalty and this time Hurst said, ‘if you score this one I’ll break your f*****g legs’ and referee Donald Campbell said ‘you’ll do nothing of the sort Mr Hurst’.
“Then I said, ‘Geoff watch the keeper go in the wrong corner again’ and he did and when I ran past he (Hurst) said ‘well done son’.
“I remember Banks playing for England at the 1966 World Cup, the save of the century with Pele and we were just in awe that he was playing against us in the first half.
“He picked off our shots like he was picking cherries in that first half at Hindmarsh, it’s so sad to see him gone.”
Banks died of kidney cancer aged 81.
He played 250 games for the Potters and was capped 73 times for England.
Interest in Reds great
Melbourne City is keen to land Adelaide United legend Cassio for his coaching ability, but the Flamengo Brazilian legend has rejected the offer — for now.
It’s understood White City’s junior football director and head coach of Academia de Futbol de Cassio was approached by a high-ranking official of the City Football Group to coach one of Melbourne City’s academy junior teams this season.
City has invested $15 million to build the City Football Academy north of Melbourne in 2015 and its now starting to reap some rewards from its development teams.
The club has also invested in two very impressive South Australian young guns.
Rafa dos Santos, son of former Adelaide United striker Cristiano, and Yaya Dukuly are part of City’s academy.
Dukuly made his City NPL debut aged 14 last year and also represented SA in futsal.
Red Devil rolls on
Campbelltown City veteran Iain Fyfe says the influx of star recruits in the National Premier Leagues SA has convinced him to continue playing … for one more year at least.
The Red Devils captain would lead the reigning champion into battle on Friday night in the season-opener against neighbour Adelaide Blue Eagles at Steve Woodcock Sports Centre.
Fyfe, 36, had extended his career on a year-by-year basis since joining Campbelltown in 2014, helping the Newton club claim four major trophies in the past three campaigns.
The centre back said rival clubs signing the likes of ex-Adelaide United guns Marcos Flores and Marcelo Carrsuca, as well as former La Liga star Jon Aurtenetxe, had spurred him on.
“I said one more year last year, but I’m here again,” ex-Reds defender Fyfe laughed.
“I enjoy it and that’s the main thing.
“But for me it’s exciting to see these players (recruits) in the league.
“It’s kind of given me a boost personally.
“I can’t imagine what it’s done to the other players in the league to be able to play against these players and match their talents against these guys who have done it at crazy levels.
“It’s a great opportunity for young players to pit their skills against these guys.”
Fyfe, who also played professionally in Scotland, Korea and Iran, would go head-to-head with ex-Adelaide teammate Carrusca when the Argentine playmaker lined up for West Adelaide.
Carrusca’s countryman Flores would lead Adelaide City’s charge, while ex-Athletic Bilbao and Celta Vigo defender Aurtenetxe had joined Adelaide Comets.
Vidmar’s Indian link
Former Adelaide United football director Aurelio Vidmar’s name has been mentioned as a possible coach for clubs in South-East Asia and now India is also on the radar.
A source closely connected to the Indian football federation claimed the vacant national team job has attracted a plethora of candidates from across the planet but stopped short when asked if Vidmar was one of those coaches lined up for the job.
Vidmar, who this month resigned from the Reds job after just five months, denied any contact from India but insiders insist there is, and, where there’s smoke …
The Indian new coach is destined to be announced in April according to an Indian football federation official.
Former boss Stephen Constantine resigned after India bowed out of the AFC Asian Cup in the UAE after finishing last in Group A.
He won the job ahead of former New Zealand and Wellington Phoenix boss Ricki Herbert four years ago.
Coaching guru hits town
The man responsible for nurturing Australian soccer’s ‘Golden Generation’ was in Adelaide on the weekend to pass on his wisdom to local coaches.
Former Australian Institute of Sport head Ron Smith hit town to run an education morning for junior and senior mentors at National Premier Leagues SA club Para Hills.
Smith, who led the elite Canberra-based program from 1986-96, instructed Knights coaches in the crucial behaviours required to produce great players.
He should know, given six of the young talents he brought through the AIS system went on to help the Socceroos reach the round-of-16 at the Germany 2006 World Cup.
Smith, who later worked as the national team’s technical manager, was key in developing Mark Viduka, Lucas Neil, John Aloisi, Brett Emerton, Craig Moore and Josip Skoko.
He is also the father of newly-appointed Para Hills coach and former NSL goalkeeper Barney Smith.
SA talent heads east
The Victorian NPL has ‘pinched’ a huge stack of South Australians to bolster their NPL competition.
Regarded as the strongest second tier league in the land our sister newspaper the Herald Sun’s Victorian NPL review revealed at least six former SA players that we know of now making Melbourne their home.
Bentleigh Greens have signed Josh Barresi (Green Gully), Matt Crooks (Adelaide United Youth) and Valentino Yuel (Adelaide City).
Dandenong City have jagged ex Red Mark Ochieng (Adelaide Comets).
Green Gully have signed former Adelaide United forward Teeboy Kamara (Melbourne Knights) and Hume City have signed Paul Wilson from Adelaide United’s NPL team.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
What a fantastic story from @cdsfafootball. #NPL #PlayFootball pic.twitter.com/9Wx38DSMEz
— National Premier Leagues (@OfficialNPLAus) February 13, 2019
A-LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOTS
Round 19: Adelaide United 1 (Ryan Kitto 43m) Western Sydney (Oriol Riera 12m, Roly Bonevacia 54m, Abraham Majok 71m) at Coopers Stadium. Crowd: 8880
Votes:
Val Migliaccio: 3. George Blackwood, 2. Ryan Kitto, 1. Ryan Strain
Rob Greenwood: 3. George Blackwood, 2. Ryan Kitto, 1. Scott Galloway
Amelia Mulcahy: 3. George Blackwood, 2. Ryan Kitto, 1. Scott Galloway
Leaders
64. Craig Goodwin
61. Isaias
52. Ben Halloran
21. Scott Galloway
18. Paul Izzo
17. Vince Lia
15. Ryan Strain
14. Michael Jakobsen
12. Mirko Boland
12. Michael Marrone
11. George Blackwood
10. Nikola Mileusnic
8. Taylor Regan
6. Ryan Kitto
5. Ken Ilso
4. Apostolos Stamatelopoulos
2. Jordan Elsey
1. Nathan Konstandopoulos
Goals
Craig Goodwin 9
Nikola Mileusnic 4
Ken Ilso 3
Ben Halloran 2
Isaias 2
George Blackwood 2
Vince Lia 1
Scott Galloway 1
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos 1
Ryan Kitto 1
OG 1
SA PLAYERS ABROAD
Brandon Borrello — Freiburg (Bundesliga): Played his first match since an ACL injury in a 2-0 win for Freiburg II over Primasens.
Alex Chidiac — Atletico Madrid (women’s Spanish Primera Division): Unused substitute in a 2-0 win over Barcelona
Ben Garuccio — Hearts (Scottish Premier League): Came on in the 59th minute and was red carded in stoppage time in a 2-1 loss to Motherwell
Meni Haralampopoulos — Acharnaikos (Greek Gamma Ethniki): Played 45 in a 4-0 win over Asteria Amaliada
Bradden Inman — Rochdale AFC (English League One): Play tomorrow v AFC Wimbledon
Awer Mabil — Midtylland (Danish Super League): Played 85 minutes in a 2-1 home win over AaB.
Andrew Marveggio — Macva Sabac (Serbian Superliga): Not in the match day squad in a 1-0 away loss to Mladost Lucani
Ryan McGowan — Dundee (Scottish Premier League): Played 90 minutes in a 2-1 away win over Livingston
Dylan McGowan — Vendsyssel FF (Danish Superliga): Came on in the 46th minute in a 3-0 away loss to Horsens
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