Ilso’s doping ban reduction; Viddie’s new coaching gig; Bobby Petta’s new career; Mori a Warrior; Armiento pushes his case; Indigenous award for Joey
A former Adelaide United striker may be about to have his doping ban cut, while Aurelio Vidmar is set to return to coaching and a frozen out Red pushes his case for a recall, in this week’s 90 Minutes column.
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Former Adelaide United attacker Ken Ilso may soon have his two-year doping ban drastically reduced.
Ilso was last month banned for two years after testing positive to cocaine.
He was provisionally suspended in March after testing positive to benzoylecgonine, a metabolite of cocaine, in a drug test following an A-League game in January.
Ilso could be playing again as soon as New Year’s Day 2021 claims Professional Footballers Australia (the players’ union) chief executive John Didulica.
Former Adelaide United attacker Ken Ilso during a clash against Coast Mariners at Central Coast Stadium last year. (Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has approved plans to reduce the length of bans for recreational drugs use arguing they often have no performance enhancing effects.
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In its review of the anti-doping code, WADA said concerned stakeholders raised concern over recreational drugs, with cocaine use a particular problem.
“We will continue to monitor what WADA elects to do and assess whether it also authorises ASADA to bring those changes into effect earlier,” Didulica said.
The Dane has been travelling the world since his contract expired with Adelaide United in May.
SOCCEROOS, Adelaide United and Adelaide City legend Aurelio Vidmar is on the cusp of winning his first coaching gig in two years after a brief five month stint as the Reds football director.
Vidmar, 52, is expected to be announced as a new club coach for one of Singapore’s premier league clubs.
“Nearly … few sticking points but should be sorted,’’ Vidmar messaged 90 Minutes.
The former Adelaide United and Socceroos coach has been inducted into the South Australian Sport Hall of Fame.
He was also inducted into Football Federation Australia and SA’s Hall of Fame in 2008.
ANOTHER Socceroos and Adelaide City legend is back on the coaching bench after a 12-month hiatus.
Damian Mori, SA’s most successful state tier coach of the past two decades with Adelaide City is the new boss of White City.
White City chairman Andrew Popovich said former Beograd Woodville (White City and Adelaide City) legend Zoran Matc made the Mori recommendation after Cassio gave notice.
“It’s really one superstar replaces another superstar and with Damian’s status and professionalism there was no other real option after Cassio,’’ Popovich said.
“We wanted to the highest profile name and to bring the club where it’s supposed to be.
“It’s a big club and we want to be back in the NPL, we’ll get more 2000 fans to a derby against West Adelaide next year.
“We wanted to have a good coach and have some good junior players to push through and Damian fits all the credentials.”
Mori, 49, became interested in the gig when Adelaide United and Flamengo legend Cassio made the decision to stand down before pre-season started on Sunday.
Cassio and his family have decided to move to Melbourne after his eldest son – Australian U-17s international – Bernardo Oliveira was offered a three year deal with Melbourne City.
CARLO Armiento could not be doing more to win back his Adelaide United place after seemingly being frozen out of coach Gertjan Verbeek’s plans.
The winger was yet to feature in the Reds’ 10 league and cup matches this campaign, following Dutchman Verbeek’s off-season arrival.
But Armiento sent a timely reminder of his undoubted quality, bagging a hat-trick in United’s season-opening National Youth League win away to Perth Glory on Sunday.
A jinking dribble around two opponents and a powerful angled drive opened the scoring for the visitors, before a deflected effort and a sweet curled finish rounded out the 3-0 triumph.
Armiento, 20, came off the bench five times in A-League encounters last summer, most notably crossing for Nikola Mileusnic’s stoppage-time winner against Brisbane in February.
The former Adelaide City talent has reportedly attracted interest from several interstate rivals, given his lack of game-time for United.
MELBOURNE Victory’s South Australian signing Luis Lawrie-Lattanzio has earned a prestigious indigenous award after featuring for Australia’s U-17s at the recent FIFA U-17 World Cup in Brazil.
Lawrie-Lattanzio became the first South Australian indigenous player to represent the Joeys at a World Cup since Fred Agius at the 2001 tournament in Trinidad and Tobago.
Lawrie-Lattanzio was presented with the City of Port Adelaide Enfield Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) sportsperson of the year last Friday.
Lawrie-Lattanzio is a proud Nunga youth and also a life member of the Enfield Athletics Club and is currently registered with the Port District Aboriginal athletics academy.
He is expected to make his Melbourne Victory debut in a Y-League match against Adelaide United at Novar Gardens on Sunday.
ONE of Adelaide United’s key men is expecting a hot reception for his former coach this weekend.
Ben Halloran would look to continue his impressive form when traditional rival Melbourne Victory came to Hindmarsh Stadium on Saturday night.
In the visitor’s dugout would by German boss Marco Kurz, who winger Halloran worked under at the Reds before his off-season move east.
The six-cap Socceroo said eighth-place Victory’s slow start to the campaign had added extra spice to the much-anticipated encounter.
“It’s going to be an interesting affair, having Marco back in town,” said Halloran, who scored a goal and grabbed an assist in United’s 3-1 triumph over Central Coast Mariners on Saturday.
“There’s a bit of pressure on them at the moment.
“It’s much easier to get up for big games like this and I’m sure Coopers (Stadium) will be close to sold out.
“They (Victory) are still a really good team.
“But it’s really important to have form going into these big games.”
https://t.co/waswgQFsfa
— Bobby Petta (@bobbypetta) November 16, 2019
My Track is sitting currently in 4th place in #traxsource @traxsource #top100 #jackinhouse #chart @JuicedMusic #stluke see if we can get this to the Top spot 💛🎵🎶🙌ðŸ¾
FORMER Adelaide United and Celtic Dutchman Bobby Petta is now a house DJ.
The now 45-year-old is based in Scotland.
“My Track is sitting currently in 4th place in traxsource, see if we can get this top spot,’’ Petta tweeted.
The Advertiser’s No. 1 Celtic fan Michael McGuire says he is impressed by Petta’s new career.
“He'll play one good song followed by seven terrible ones, then get injured,’’ McGuire said.
But, he said, Petta has lifetime credit for his performance the day Celtic beat the old Rangers 6-2.
BREAKING: In a shock move, The FA have confirmed that if #Pools can overcome Exeter City they will travel to Adelaide United in the Third Round of the #FACup.
— Hartlepool United FC (@Official_HUFC) November 19, 2019
ADELAIDE United may be about to host a surprise visitor from England’s fifth-tier at Hindmarsh Stadium, if social media is anything to go by.
National League club Hartlepool United mentioned the Reds in a post on its official Twitter page on Wednesday, when announcing its upcoming FA Cup fixtures.
“BREAKING: In a shock move, the FA have confirmed that if #Pools can overcome Exeter City they will travel to Adelaide United in the third round of the #FACup,” the tweet said.
It is unknown whether the post was a typo by Hartlepool’s social media team or an inside joke we’re not aware of, but it drew an understandably humorous response on Twitter.
The closest Adelaide link to the club, known as the Monkey Hangers, was former Croydon Kings and West Adelaide forward Joel Porter, who played 162 games for Pools from 2003-09.
SA PLAYERS ABROAD
Brandon Borrello — Freiburg (Bundesliga): Unused substitute in Australia’s 1-0 Asian World Cup qualifying win away to Jordan.
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.
Craig Goodwin – Unused substitute in Australia’s 1-0 Asian World Cup qualifying win away to Jordan.
Awer Mabil — Midtylland (Danish Super League): Came on as a 74th minute substitute in Australia’s 1-0 Asian World Cup qualifying win away to Jordan.
Andrew Marveggio – Macva Sabac (Serbian Super League): No game due to international break.
Originally published as Ilso’s doping ban reduction; Viddie’s new coaching gig; Bobby Petta’s new career; Mori a Warrior; Armiento pushes his case; Indigenous award for Joey