Margush confirmed as a potential trade to Glory, Reds recruit to miss final, all the winners from the African Nations Cup, Panazzolo’s huge surprise from Socceroos boss
Update: An Adelaide United young gun attracts interest from A-League rival, a big Reds recruit ruled out of the FFA Cup final, the African Nations Cup winners, moves afoot for KI’s first team, and a Paralympian gets a Socceroos surprise, all in 90 Minutes.
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Adelaide United’s Australian under 23’s goalkeeper Daniel Margush is another player who has been shopped by the Reds.
After 90 Minutes revealed promising striker George Blackwood and winger Carlo Armiento were on the list of players Adelaide was happy for other clubs to negotiate for, Perth Glory was suggested for Margush, 21.
A club official confirmed Margush has been offered to Perth for a Glory holding midfielder before the national league’s Australian transfer window closes on October 15.
Margush has played seven A-League matches for Adelaide. He was overlooked for the FFA Cup semi-final win over Central Coast Mariners for Isaac Richards when Paul Izzo was struck down with an illness.
He is currently in an under 23s national camp in Doha.
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Liberia double up at SA African Nations Cup
Liberia did the double in the African Nations Cup at Angle Park over the long weekend, beating South Sudan in the women’s and men’s final.
Liberia’s women’s team claimed a comfortable 3-0 win.
However, the men had it tougher winning 4-3 in extra time.
Former Adelaide United attacker Teeboy Kamara scored twice in the thriller.
South Sudan goalkeeper Benny Karpoleh won the men’s goalkeeper of the tournament.
Liberia’s and Adelaide Olympic’s 2019 star Mamadi Kamara was player of the tournament and South Sudan’s Ayom Ayom Majok won the golden boots with nine goals.
Reds recruit misses final
JAMES Troisi has been flooded with match ticket requests from family and friends since being confirmed as an Adelaide United recruit.
But the SA-born playmaker, who inked a two-year deal with the Reds on Saturday, will not be lining up in front of loved ones in the October 23 FFA Cup final against Melbourne City.
Troisi is ineligible for the Hindmarsh Stadium clash as he was signed by United after the registration cut-off for the decider.
During his first press conference as a Red this week, Adelaide’s irector of football Bruce Djite confirmed the 37-cap Socceroo would not feature in the final,
But Troisi, who was unlikely to start in Friday night’s A-League season-opener against reigning champion Sydney FC, was giving his full backing to his new teammates.
“The boys have done wonders to get into this position,” Troisi, 31, said.
“It’s unfortunate that I can’t be involved.
“But that's a trophy already you can grab, so I’m excited for the club and the boys in general.”
Barca treat for teens
AUMC Inc raised enough money to get former Burundian teenage refugee Vianne Kurikwimana to Spain’s Komm Mit Cup where a nice surprise was also handed to its teenage squad thanks to former Adelaide United assistant Pau Marti.
The squad was given gratis tickets to watch the Barcelona B squad — arguably the most advanced youth club team on the planet — in action in a league clash, AUMC coach Angelo Paul confirmed.
Marti, 36, has been the assistant manager of Barca B since 2018 after he was on the Reds bench for more than 100 matches, enjoying an FFA Cup win in 2014 and the A-League double in 2016.
Marti landed the Barca gig not long after former Adelaide United coach, Barcelona legend Guillermo Amor was appointed, as the club’s director of institutional relations in 2017.
Amor is Adelaide United’s most successful coach after winning the double in 2016.
The AUMC teenagers will watch Barca B at the new 6000-capacity Estadi Johan Cruyff after the club demolished the Miniestadi stadium last week.
Amor played the very first game played in the Miniestadi stadium, coming on as a substitute for Diego Armando Maradona.
“It was a magical day for me,” he told FC Barcelona’s website.
“The Mini will no longer exist but it will be there inside me”.
Son of SANFL gun on way to SA?
WITH about 15 of Adelaide United’s second team players released last week as the A-League club appears to be shrinking numbers in its development program, there is no shortage of young talent flooding SA’s leagues.
NSW and Victoria are also looking towards the state to pick up ex Reds bargains.
The timing of the release of the young guns had perplexed some NPL clubs. Most had already started finalising their 2020 squads before the youngsters were let go en masse.
However, Adelaide-born Jackson Courtney-Perkins who played for South West Queensland Thunder this year could also be on his way to his birth city to play NPL.
Jackson is the older brother of Australian under 17 FIFA World Cup international, SA-born Jordan Courtney-Perkins who is currently in a training camp in Chile.
It’s understood Jackson is talking to Raiders.
The siblings are the sons of former North Adelaide SANFL player Tim Perkins.
Key to young gun’s success
CRISTIANO has revealed the secret behind his son’s rapid rise, which has taken the teenage sensation to the cusp of an A-League debut.
The former Adelaide United striker had watched on proudly as his offspring, Raphael Borges Rodrigues, earned a three-year scholarship with Melbourne City.
Brazilian import Cristiano, who scored 15 goals in 61 games for the Reds from 2008-10, said annual family visits to his homeland had shaped the young wingers development.
“When we go back to Brazil, all that they do is play futsal,” said Cristiano, Football Federation SA’s coach education manager.
“That’s how the Brazilian players are so skilful — tight areas, control, lost of touches, movement.
“That’s something that we probably should have in Australia for young kids because it’s amazing.
“It can be raining, it can be 35 degrees and it doesn’t matter, you can still play.”
Borges Rodrigues, 16, joined City two years ago and had impressed in a series of pre-season friendlies with the Victorian outfit’s first-team squad.
Arnold’s honour for Panazzolo
ANDREW Panazzolo was granted a huge surprise when he was at the Cerebral Palsy championships as one of the coaches of SA in Sydney last week.
The 40-year-old former Pararoo, who represented Australia in soccer at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games and was a Paralympic medal winner in track cycling at the Athens Games in 2004, was awarded a cap for representing Australia in the world game at a function where Socceroos coach Graham Arnold talked last Friday.
We would like to congratulate our CP Assistant Coach Andrew Panazzolo on being awarded a special cap after making his @Pararoos debut twenty years ago! Andrew is currently in NSW with our CP Team at the Nationals. 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/g6Si3MAAe3
— Football Fed SA (@FootballSouthAu) October 5, 2019
“It was a massive shock I had no idea I was going to get called up on stage,” Panazzolo said.
“I was so proud after the SA boys did a lot of good work at the tournament.
“I hope to keep this team together and we’ll do much better at the next tournament.”
Italian ref brings KI soccer dream closer to reality
An Italian Serie B referee has instigated talks of creating Kangaroo Island’s first soccer club.
“At this stage, if we are able to arrange a soccer school team, I can use my certified experiences as Serie B referee and UEFA B trainer licensed to support the initiative,’’ said Dario Melidoni, who is based on the island working for Amadio Wines Kangaroo Island Cellar Door.
The game has been played socially since about 12 people turned up for the opening Tuesday night friendly in June at American River.
Kangaroo Island’s Council and Football Federation SA have been approached to see if 4000 plus residents will finally have a soccer team to call their own.
Magic of the Cup draw
ENGLAND’S FA Cup draw had a flavour of SA, at least in presence, at London’s News Building on Monday.
Adelaide’s Jessica Fantasia was at the fourth round FA Cup preliminary draw where ex BBC commentator John Motson claimed to “be more nervous than when I'm commentating”.
“It was exciting to be there and photographed with the FA Cup,’’ said Fantasia who moved to London and works for The Times as a sales manager.
The FA Cup is 148 years old and the world’s oldest national knockout cup competition.
SA players abroad
Brandon Borrello — Unused substitute in a 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund at home.
Alex Chidiac — Atletico Madrid (Women’s Spanish Primera Division): No weekend games.
Ben Garuccio — Hearts (Scottish Premier League): Recovering from a cruciate ligament injury.
Meni Haralampopoulos — Acharnaikos (Greek Gamma Ethniki): Club had a bye this weekend
Awer Mabil — Midtylland (Danish Super League): Played 90 minutes in a 2-1 away win over Silkeborg
Andrew Marveggio — Macva Sabac (Serbian Superliga): Not in the match day squad in a 1-0 home loss to Radnicki