Geelong Soccer Club President credits Coach for success

John Didulica
07Mar08

THE most closely contested Century 21 Cup ever reaches its climax this Sunday when favourite Geelong SC takes on rank outsider Hoppers Crossing from at Bell Park Sports Centre.
When the two sides met earlier in the competition, Hoppers served up an lucklustre 1-0 win which was in no way a sign of the dream runs the sides more recently had into the final.
Since that match, the youthful Geelong has emerged as the best team of the tournament scoring three times against both the Breakwater Eagles and the North Geelong Warriors, while matching the undefeated Geelong Rangers in the semi-final.
Hoppers Crossing built on its shock first-up win, remaining unbeaten throughout the Cup with its combination of combativeness and capacity to score the wonder goal.
Geelong president Will Talev said the appointment of new coach Bob Stojcevski had been the major factor in Geelong having its best chance to lift the trophy in six years.
``He ruffled a few feathers when he arrived (and) shook the squad up a bit by making every player fight for his spot in the side,'' Talev said.
``Some of the guys that had been around the club for a while weren't used to that.
``The fact that only one player from last season's squad, captain Steve Nikolovski, is guaranteed a place in the starting 11 is testament to Stojcevski's approach.''
Three of last season's regulars in Nik Bosevski, Andrew Longo and Oktay Yilmaz are likely to compete for the spots left vacant because of suspensions to Zoran Ristevski and Matios Gorosito.
Geelong has a nervous wait on the availability of its two leading goalkeepers.
Regular number one keeper Bobby Gjorsevski and loyal lieutenant Romeo Purlija both have pre-existing, but unrelated personal commitments.
If both miss, Geelong's Cup chances will rest on the fragile shoulders of 16-year-old Alek Kitanovski, with the final doubling as his senior debut.

Geelong SC upsets Geelong Rangers in semi-final penalty thriller

John Didulica
03Mar08

GEELONG SC's off-season progress is nearing completion after an upset victory over Century 21 Cup favourite the Geelong Rangers in their semi-final last night at the Bell Park Sports Centre.
It took a gripping penalty shoot-out, which eventually finished 6-5, to decide the victor after the dour match between two evenly matched teams ended in a 0-0 draw.
The reward for Geelong is a position in the Century 21 Cup final against Hoppers Crossing next Sunday night.

Like last Friday night's nail-biter, the match would be decided as night engulfed the terraces but this time the match could not be decided during the 70 minutes and the failing light would only add to what had already been a dramatic evening, particularly during a combustible second half.
Each side would convert its opening five penalties with aplomb but the poisoned chalice would pass to Rangers' new recruit Jason Malesic, who lifted the winner's trophy last season.
Malesic's shot would be superbly stopped by Geelong's bear-like keeper Bobby Gorcevski, the custodian swatting away the strike to give team-mate Jamie Porter the opportunity to win the tie for his side.

Porter, a new face at Stead Park, immediately ingratiated himself with the home fans, making no mistake and sending his side wild with delight and into its first final in three seasons.
The biggest talking-point of the second half and the match would be the two red cards issued by referee Frank Sarcevic, Geelong's impressive new wing-back Matt Garasito and Scott Davison both seeing red and watching their teams play out the tense finale.
Most of the goal-mouth action was reserved for the shoot-out, with scoring chances at a premium for the match, Troy Hardy coming close late in the match but unable to prevent the tie from slipping into the unpredictability of penalties.
James Blackburn and Stuart Begg would both score for Geelong Rangers, but their contributions would be cancelled out by two of Geelong's stalwarts, Steve Nikolovski and Nik Bosevski converting.

Hardy finished Rangers' complement of five from five before Kwaabe One steeled himself and converted the most tense shot of the lot.
Like many of the world's best players before him, the keeper would get the better of Rangers' sixth shooter - Jason Malesic - and Geelong stood triumphant.

Junior Practice Games

Geelong Soccer Club Junior Practice Games
All Games are at Stead Park, Station St, Norlane
Please note these are subject to changes

Sunday 3rd February 10am
Under 15’s v Ballarat Academy Under 15’s W2-1
Saturday 9th February
1.15pm Under 11/12’s v Maribyrnong United W3-2
3.15pm Under 13’s v Monash City Under 13’s L6-1
Sunday 10th February
10am Under 15's v GRFA Under 14's W7-1
Sunday 17th February
9:30 am - Rooball 1 x Under 9 2 x Under 7
10.30am - U13's v Melbourne Knights U13's L 8-0
11.30am - U15's v North U14's W 5-1
12.30pm - U11's v North U11's W 2-1
Sunday 24th February
12pm Under 13’s v South Melbourne Under 13’s L2-1
1.30pm Under 17's v Ballarat U18's L3-0


Sunday 2nd March FAMILY & REGISTRATION DAY
9.30am Under 11's v Green Gully Under 11's
11am Under 13’s v Berwick City Under 13’s
11am Under 7s Intra Club (2nd Pitch)
12pm Under 15’s v Berwick City Under 15’s
1pm Reserves v Bell Park Reserves
7.20pm Seniors v Geelong Rangers - Century 21 Cup Semi Final

Sunday 9th March CANCELLED
11.00am Under 11’s v Sunbury Under 11’s
12pm Under 12’s v Sunbury Under 12’s
1pm Reserves v Ballarat Reserves

Sunday 16th March
9am Ballarat U16 v Green Gully U16
11am Sydenham Park Res v St Albans Res
1pm Sydenham Park v St Albans

Monday 24th March v Altona East
2pm U13'S v Altona East U13's
3pm U15's v Altona East U15's
4pm Reserves v Altona East Reserves
6pm Seniors v Altona East Seniors

Saturday 29th March
12pm U15's v Green Gully U16A
2pm Reserves v Plenty Valley Lions Reserves
4pm Seniors v Plenty Valley Lions Seniors


Contact Club Secretary James Muir for more details

james.muir@diversitat.org.au or 0408 129 602

Geelong in 21st Century Cup soccer semi-finals

John Didulica
25Feb08


GEELONG stormed into the Century 21 Cup semi-finals with a rousing 3-0 demolition of the North Geelong Warriors at the Bell Park Sports Centre last night.
Superb defending, physical commitment and some sumptuous finishing allowed Geelong to kill off the usual inevitability of a Warriors appearance in the local showpiece in a fortnight's time.
In the later match, host club Bell Park confirmed its Cup resurrection with a 2-1 win over Surf Coast.
Next weekend, Geelong will take its winning form into a semi-final against the undefeated Geelong Rangers, while Bell Park hosts surprise packet Hoppers Crossing for a right to play in the March 9 cup final.
The recriminations for the Warriors, who now miss the semi-finals, will no doubt continue long into the week.
In front of another excellent crowd, a youthful Geelong plunged the first sword into the Warriors' previous invulnerability before five minutes had even ticked over. Jasko Ikanovic dispossessed Adrian Pugaric before shaping a strike from distance past Lyndon Malesic.
Going into the match with only three players from last year's playing roster, Bobby Stojcevski's Geelong line-up showed few signs of unfamiliarity, its collective closing down and mutual support a feature of the opening half.
Warrior midfielder Grgo Saric came the closest to clawing his side back into the match when a long-range strike drifted over Bobby Gjorsevski in the Geelong goal, but only managed to strike the upright and rebound to safety.
Having spent time repelling a brief onslaught of Warriors set-pieces, on the stroke of half-time Geelong manufactured the goal that effectively ended the match as a contest.
Some defensive uncertainty from the Warriors caused the ball to bobble around the penalty area before impressive debutant Gorosito announced his decisive arrival to slam home a fine volley into the roof of the net.
The aid of a second-half wind added little steel to the Warriors' sails, with Geelong's defensive trio rarely putting a foot wrong while midfielders Zoran Ristevski and Kwabee Otuo were equally adept at controlling the match tempo. Geelong completed the rout in the final minutes with a nice brother-to-brother combination; Daniel Longo driving in a well directed and weighted free-kick to the point of the six-yard box which brother Andrew was happy to head home.
The Warriors came close to a late consolation through Chris Satiety, Imago Triplicate and Nathan Hopper but superb goalkeeping from Gjorsevski underlined Geelong's commitment to keeping a clean sheet.

Old and new meet in Century 21 Soccer Cup battle

John Didulica
08Feb08
Courtesy: http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/


THE old and the new do battle on day one of the Century 21 Cup tonight from 6 o'clock at the Bell Park Sports Centre.

Traditional powerhouse, the North Geelong Warriors starts its defence of the trophy against relative newcomer the Breakwater Eagles, who _ as Geelong Regional Football Association champion _ will represent the amateur competition.

In the later match, foundation member Corio welcomes Century 21 Cup debutant Surf Coast Soccer Club to top flight local football.

The Warriors are likely to field a team brimming with youth to take on the Eagles, who will be relying on their ageing, but enduringly prolific, strike force of Mark Linney and Charlie Fitzpatrick.

In a delightful demonstration of the role that the Cup plays in the local fabric, Breakwater will be looking to striker Linney for a winning touch but he is likely to find resistance in the form of the sons of many he started his career playing alongside.

Shaping up as the player to watch during the tournament, Warriors striker Daniel Dragicevic has spent much of the pre-season at the Melbourne Knights, adding considerable muscle.
All eyes will be on the eagerly anticipated debut of the Surf Coast, its appearance an endorsement of the game's growth outside its historic strongholds.


DRAW
Day 1: Group A: Tonight 6pm: North Geelong Warriors v Breakwater Eagles. Addy Prediction: Warriors 2-0.

Group B: Tonight 7.10pm: Corio v Surf Coast. Addy Prediction: 2-2.

Day 2: Group B: Sunday 6pm: Geelong Rangers v Bell Park. Addy Prediction: Rangers 2-1.

Group A: Sunday 7.10pm: Hoppers Crossing v Geelong. Addy Prediction: Geelong 3-0.

Country Championships

Please be advised of the following

1) Country Champs at Echuca Moama U/14, U/15, U/16,and U/18 boys commencing 29/3/08 through to 31/3/08 (inclusive)

2) Country Champs at Shepparton U/12, U/14, U/16 girls and Open Women commencing 7/6/08 through to 9/6/08 (inclusive)

3) Country Champs at Ballarat U/11, U/12, U/13 boys commencing 28/6/08 through to 30/6/08 (inclusive)

U12's Country Championship Training is being held on Mondays & Fridays at 5.45pm, Howard Glover Reserve.

For other age groups see GRFA website http://www.grfa.net/

Information for parents

Information on parents

Small Sided Games information can be downloaded from this links:

http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/development/ssg/
http://www.footballfedvic.com.au/development/ssg/Small%20Sided%20Games%20Formats.pdf

http://www.a-league.com.au/site/_content/document/00000576-source.pdf

The National Football Development Plan can be downloaded from this link http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/site/_content/document/00000540-source.pdf