The Australian Football season is over.....time for a Northern Hemisphere focus ...Come on you Spurs!

Season 2013. Well there it is then. Over. Last Saturday out at Castle Hill,  St Pius X College 1st XI wrapped up the ISA Championship with a 3-1 win against Oakhill College. Already Minor Premiers, SPX finished up with a Grand Final victory being unbeaten in the ISA Competition winning ten games and drawing two. Pleasingly this leaves the side unbeaten in 23 ISA competition games stretching to the first match of 2012 when we went down to St Patrick's.

Well the first thing to say is that 2012 had been a hard act to follow! 

Claudio v St Patricks

Following on from a record breaking side, in a record setting year, is invariably difficult. Our 2013 St Pius X 1^st XI Football team were faced with exactly this challenge and may I say from the outset they made a wonderful attempt at doing just this.

We played ten trials in all before the end of Term one. Beating club sides Northbridge 5-3 and Lindfield 1-0,

St Augustine's 3-1 and downing GPS hotshots Riverview 2-1. Further wins came against Forest Killarney 11-0 and men's All age team Homenetmen, 3-1. Two tough games against Knox Grammar and the SPX Old Boys both ended in a draw.

SPX 1st XI v SPX Old Boys 2013 5-5 Draw!

In our pre-season we took on all comers ranging from local State school Asquith to the expansive fields of The Kings School out at North Parramatta on their historic ‘Wanderers Oval’ which was the acknowledged site of the first ever football match played in Sydney in 1880. We played and won at all these places.

 

Measuring ourselves against GPS and CAS opponents is always a good test.

Our only defeat in Term 1 was a surprise 0-2 reverse to St Aloysius on a quagmire pitch at Tyneside. Here we went behind early then lost someone to a red card, a blow we could not recover from. In truth we learnt more about ourselves in this defeat than in any other game up to that point.

As in previous years we participated in the two day St Andrew’s Cup competition down at Oakhill College emerging from 5 matches as Plate winners with a 1-0 win over Barker College. 

The 16 trial matches played by SPX 1^st XI set us up well for the ISA season. Regular competition wins were recorded against Redlands 3-0; Chevalier 3-0;  St Andrew’s 4-1; Redlands again 5-0, Chevalier again 3-0 only being punctuated by a hard fought draw 1-1 at home to St Patrick’s College. Before the end of Term two we also managed a 5-0 victory against Hills Grammar in the CIS Cup Competition  where we were 2012 holders.

As we came to the half-way point of the year we headed off up to Brisbane to participate in the annual Southern Skies Tournament. Here we

played sides from Sydney Brisbane, Country Queensland and for the first time opponents from French Caledonia. Over the week away

we downed Sydney Grammar 2-0; Shore 2-0; Barker College 1-0; Scots College 2-0; and previous year’s winners St Peter Claver 5-0 with our single loss coming against the French Caledonians by 1-0.

St Pius X and New Caledonia. Queensland Tour

This was a great match allowing our players to experience a style of opponent who was quick, skilled and tricky. As things emerged later, these South Pacific boys won the whole thing with their energetic play that won the hearts of everyone who saw them. Unfortunately for us, progress was not to extend beyond the semi-final stage because although we had comprehensively accounted for them earlier on, we were thwarted by Scots College in the semi-final, the game finishing 0-0. In the ensuing penalty shootout we were beaten missing out on a chance to play a final against the French Caledonians. We finished 3^rd overall beating CAS based Barker 4-2.

In spite of our disappointment at falling over at the penultimate stage we returned to Sydney ready and prepared for the second half of the ISA season.

Once again we produced some fine performances. Wins over Oakhill 3-1; St Andrew’s 10-0 and Oakhill 2-1 were again punctuated by a 2-2 away draw with St Patrick’s College.

In cup football St Pius 1^st XI were again thwarted in a penalty shoot-out when drawing 2-2 with Knox Grammar. Oh what might have been! We led here until virtually the last minute and a good opportunity to retain the CIS Cup was gone.

As is the way in football we were soon made to refocus because we were also in the semi-finals of the ISA Competition. Oxford Falls the venue and a comprehensive 3-0 victory over St Andrew’s saw us reach the ISA final for third year in a row.

As are the vagaries of Finals football as ISA Minor Premiers we were actually required to play our ISA Final against Oakhill out at their facility! This had indeed been the situation in 2012 when we won the Premiership the previous season.

ISA Final action 2013

 

                                  All over

ISA victory against Oakhill
On a warm afternoon the Grand Final was played at the unusual time of 3.00 O’clock in the afternoon. Several hundred supporters were on hand to witness a tense affair.  After twenty minutes of tight chanceless football striker Claudio Rosano announced his entry into the match with a cracking strike from his first touch of the ball! Just when St Pius X looked likely to add to this score Oakhill pounced on a hesitant defence to equalise just before the half time break.

Captain Nick Morabito with ISA Shield

In a stop start second half tension seemed to be influencing the flow of the game until Rosano snuck in with a deft touch to put St Pius X back in front, 2-1. Oakhill were now down a man and were wilting on the big pitch. Vice-captain Luke Capra soon put the game beyond doubt with an unstoppable drive from 20 yards, 3-1. Now at last St Pius X were beginning to play their confident possession based game and could have extended their lead but for some brave keeping from the Oakhill custodian.

St Pius X College Unbeaten ISA Champions 2013

 

Relief was the most tangible emotion for everyone at the end of the ISA Grand Final. In a season that had involved 38 matches we had secured a major trophy, the ISA Shield was ours for the second successive season, the first time we had achieved this.

 

Captain Nicholas Morabito was our man of the match, while Claudio Rosano was named the ‘Shahab  Kargarian’ most valuable player in the game by the match officials.

                             SPX 1st XI Season 2013

P 38 W 29 D 6 L3 F 113 A 36

 

So as it ends again, it all begins. My boys Spurs have made a steady start to the new EPL Season. Two 1-0 victories both where new boy Soldado scored form the penalty spot. On Sunday (early Monday morning here in oz) we play the Arsenal. It will be an interesting tussle for Tottenham have invested massively in new players while the hero formerly known as Gareth Bale will probably have left the building by then.

I'm optimistic for Spurs....hope springs eternal....Soldado, Erikson, Lamela, Capoue and Paulino will make the side very competitive. Yes, football is truly an all  year around, twenty four hour pre-occupation for many of  us around the world. This was my fiftieth year of playing just finished and thirtieth year of coaching. It's great being fully involved in what is truly the world game!

 

 

 

 

Selling Gareth Bale gets us a lot for our money :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New EPL season......Hope springs eternal!

Here we go again. The EPL, global phenomenon that it is, kicks off again tonight for the 2013-14 season. We've had the phony war for over month in the form of the accursed transfer window. This supporter hates it. Most of the fans probably also hate it because it allows cashed up (or not) big clubs to bully the rest until some time early in September. Go figure when FIFA / UEFA claim to be leveling things up with the Financial fair play rules http://www.uefa.com/uefa/footballfirst/protectingthegame/financialfairplay/index.html

Oh good luck with that :)

Bale or no Bale, I'm looking forward to my fine but flawed club Tottenham, making a better impression. It is a bit sad that 4th in the EPL has actually become almost an end in itself with the Champions League qualification it affords. My Gooner friends will be quick to remind me that I'm tied down on Thursday nights with UEFA Cup competition. When did a place in Europe become so undesirable?

As we have all been reminded, the top three of United, City and Chelsea have all changed their managers / coaches since last season. AVB avoided the temptation to go elsewhere but it is Wenger who must be laughing quietly to himself. At times last season he was being hung out to dry but champion survivor that he is, he got the Arsenal in to fourth spot and is still there.

Even as we kick off today, the league is poised like a line of dominoes to ignite some mega transfers, or not.

Ronaldo to United....Bale to Real....Rooney to Chelsea, it seems that money is washing around the game. That is until we realise that most transfers nowadays are funded with debt. My club Spurs are yet to receive a significant part of the Modric fee from Real Madrid from last year! Real would like to pay for Bale over six years:) 

Eventually an EPL game will be played on every day of the week. I am sure of it. The pay TV people will demand it. Many will see no problem with such a situation but old timers will feel slightly put out pining for past times when everyone kicked off at 3 O' Clock on Saturday afternoon....my team don't have a Saturday game in the first three fixtures and this will lead me to sit up at 3.00am in the early hours each Monday morning before work. Still that's been my life in oz for the past 20 years or so!

So what will happen this season? I think United may regret going for David Moyes instead of Roberto Martinez. I think he will struggle and the fans won't like it. United are traditionally about flowing, incisive football. Moyes may struggle to inspire.

What about the two 'cash on steroids' Chelsea and City? To me, the job for Manuel Pellegrini and The Special One will be keeping their squad players happy. Both clubs have a recent history of 'warehousing' players, giving them no game time but preventing them playing elsewhere. Again  Financial fair play rules should be doing something about this one.

What about the aspiring sides...Spurs Liverpool Everton? I feel that my club will have the edge here. Wengers lack of spending so far, might suggest that the Arsenal may struggle to hold off this trio in the race for Champions League spots. United, City and Chelsea are unbackable all at 1.10 while 

at this time the odds on the others are: Arsenal 1.60 Spurs 2.80 Liverpool 3.00 Everton 21.00

At the other end I'll pick Sunderland Palace and Norwich to go down.

Barclays Premier League

Scores & Schedule

1. Week 1
2. Week 2
3. Week 3
4. Week 4
5. Week 5
6. Week 6
7. Week 7
8. Week 8
9. Week 9
10. Week 10
11. Week 11
12. Week 12
13. Week 13
14. Week 14
15. Week 15
16. Week 16
17. Week 17
18. Week 18
19. Week 19

Saturday, 17 August
Liverpool 9:45 pm Stoke City
Sunday, 18 August
West Ham 12:00 am Cardiff City	Sunderland 12:00 am Fulham
Norwich City 12:00 am Everton	West Brom 12:00 am Southampton
Arsenal 12:00 am Aston Villa	Swansea City 2:30 am Man United
Crystal Palace 10:30 pm Tottenham
Monday, 19 August
Chelsea 1:00 am Hull City Tigers
Tuesday, 20 August
Man City 5:00 am Newcastle

Aussie fans find their voice to signal a real cultural shift

Okay lets put this straight from the start. This is not in any way a criticism of of my adopted country or in any way an attempt to diminish my fellow Australian citizens. However it does need to be said: It fantastic to at last see Aussie sporting fans show passion not dependent on getting pissed at the SCG, MCG or any other sporting arena. What I am referring to is the phenomena which is the Western Sydney Wanderers and in particular their supporter group the RBB...formally known as the Red & Black Bloc.

                                   The Red and Black Bloc in residence at Parramatta Stadium

 

It is known by most sports fans now that a miracle of sorts has taken place out Western Sydney way as a club only born 26 weeks ago has come through to dominate and eventually come through to be the minor premiers in their first season as an A League club. Of course that is a fantastic achievment in any sporting context but I feel what has happened off the field with the supporter group is even more impressive.

Last year I wrote a couple of pieces on on the new club saying:

Western Sydney Wanderers take a bow...not just the football but also the fans. You have, in a short time set the benchmark for passionate support in Australian sport. League, Union and AFL don't come near in terms of noise and participation. Melbourne Victory had been the supporters setting the pace but they have been surpassed. The real success story here is not how the side is outperforming onfield but how the West has embraced this fledgling club. You won't read it anywhere but methinks that there are many Olympic, United and Marconi fans actually giving them support. Why not, after all the A and State Leagues barely overlap. It is healthy for Sydney football yet more importantly goes against the stereo type of Sydney sport support being soul-less.....the city is now Red and Black.

A bit earlier I'd said:

This takes me onto my second point on the A League and the way forward. Any second Sydney side should be in the Western Suburbs. Unfortunately, the FFA ignored reality and not only failed to foster relations with existing Western Sydney clubs but planned to base any expansion side out of Homebush! What could they be thinking? The NRL proves every year that this stadium / venue is not a week to week proposition for a club side. Why would a new football team want to play in a massive 3/4 empty stadium? This view can be backed up by a story from the old NSL days. Marconi and Sydney United both had sides in the NSL. So what you may say. Well the west not only provided these two National Soccer clubs but they are almost in the same suburb! You can see one stadium from the other! Absurd but even more incredibly no one seemed to acknowledge this...was it because few Sydney, NSW or Australia based people ever went out there to disover this fact? To me expansion of the A League will require talks with these old school participants of the game. Italians and Croatians and others in Bossley Park could put together a strong club using one of their existing stadiums. Nearly a decade has passed since the schism left the old NSL people disconnected from the national game. Here is an opportunity that could bring these elements back to the mainstream and in the process strengthen our National competition, the A League. Frank Lowy probably realises that some welcoming back into the fold is necessary. An A League side based in Bossley Park or Blacktown would deliver a very strong football area back into the fold....time to revisit a few hasty decisions for FFA?

                                                           Seven Thousand Fans  at Gosford

Well in the event it took the collapse of North Queensland and Gold Coast United to make it happen...that and the Foxtel contract demanding a 'ten team' A League competition before WSW were given their chance. In the short time available the club literally built itself front he ground up. Numerous supporter meetings were held throughout Western Sydney to gauge opinion. Modern media were used to bring a wide range of voices to the conversation. Twitter, Facebook and blogging all played their part. One of the most important developments from the beginning was the idea of 'active support' at games. To those unfamiliar with this term it means 'fans singing throughout the game'.....something common in Europe, Asia and South America but unusual in Australia.

Why would this be in unusual in Australian sport? Personally I believe that there is a significant anomaly between the outside perception of Australians and the reality within the country itself. In my experience travelling, Australians come across to others as open, relaxed, fun loving and loud. However, within their own surrounds Australians are reserved...even at sporting events and don't really sing.  Occasionally I have heard St George, Rabbitoh and Cronulla fans sing a song but it is usually when the match is over and won. Weak renditions of Aussie Aussie Aussie prove my point. Down in our sporting capital Melbourne the Victory supporters have a fair go at making noise but Western Sydney Wanderers and the RBB have reached a new level. A thousand fans travelled to Melbourne and then seven or eight thousand to Gosford and Newcastle. An unprecedented effort in Australia. They are not particularly tuneful like Liverpool or Swansea fans but definately make a noise almost non-stop. Their top chant being 'Who do we sing for? We sing for Wanderers!" Fantastic if you will excuse the pun.

 

A quick glimpse of the RBB

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TqEfo7vjvxQ

 

If you prefer a bit more of a tune with your noise.....here is Swansea Hymns And Arias

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92j3_4Q2qdk

or the scousers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFsl9LwRLYY

Australia...truly is that all we have?

It seems as though quite a few people got to see the Australia v Oman game in one way or another. Many watched on TV while 35,000 made the effort to go to that sporting vacuum that is ANZ stadium. As one of the match day spectators I must say that I was underwhelmed. It hadn't been a great day for me.....spot  BOS inspections at school and run ins with mortgage bankers who act like robots but lack the personality. Regardless, we made our way into the stadium and sat along with the throng of hopeful strangers united by their commitment to the green and gold'. The omens were not good even before the kick off. Clearly a local village was not just missing one of its idiots but a mating pair. He reminded me of an annoying Harry Enfield character while she parroted his every word in some bizarre commentary only missing comic brilliance because they were so serious.
No sooner had we shuffled to allow the latest latecomers into the aisle when suddenly the Socceroos were behind to a fine Muqbali finish. The likeable Thwaite had seen the ball roll off the Omani's shoulder and fall neatly into a channel on the left. A fine touch and finish saw the ball go through Schwarzer's legs for 0-1. A collective groan rang out with the realisation that after just 6 minutes the road now had quite an incline. People looked desperately for reasons .....programmes were consulted and feverish iphone activity took place as disbelief took a hold. Only at this point did I have a good look at how the Aussies were lined up:

.......................Schwarzer
Wiltshire Cornthwaite Thwaite McKay
Kruse   Holland    Jedinak     Holman
...........Brosque....Cahill

Yep a great side to put out in some away leg in snowy conditions in some former Soviet Republic where we need a point. Unfortunately, here we were on a balmy March evening playing at home against an Omani side which had scored just 4 goals in five games. True, they had pulled off a Asian Cup smash and grab against us down in Canberra a few years back but surely they couldn't hope to do that again?

I refuse to believe that that side put out by Holger Osiek is the best Australia has available. There were at least four players shoe-horned into the starting line-up who were playing out of position.
McKay....Kruse....Holman and even Cahill were playing in less than optimum positions. The team had little natural width and contained no player whose normal game involved running at the opposition.  The result being that the 39 minutes that followed the Omani goal were as sterile and frustrating as any under Pim or Farina. The Aussies failed to register a single shot first half. Their build up was pedestrian and first touch abysmal. Any side playing a slow 'pass pass' game like this is simple to defend against. Surely changes would be made at half time and the subdued crowd brought into the game. Whatever words Osiek spouted in his 15 minutes at half time never got a chance to have an impact. Within four minutes the hapless Jedinak had turned a right wing cross into his own net..... 0-2 we were now in deep trouble.  A collective crowd vocabulary including such words as clueless, shit, boring and rubbish seemed to circulate without a single mobile phone being touched. One of our central midfield artisan twins...... Holland was quickly withdrawn. Bresciano entered the fray and brought a touch of subtlety and guile previously missing up to until this point. A string of crosses and corners at last reminded the Aussies that their renowned physicality might indeed be a help. Almost on cue Tim Cahill rose to head a fine goal inside an unguarded right hand post.....1-2..... the crowd at last remembered why they were at ANZ. Thompson replaced the out of place Kruse on the right and with 30 minutes remaining hope sprung eternal. Unfortunately Bresciano's game was to be just a cameo and he was replaced by the natural wide player Tommy Oar. Holman moving inside. Route one became the main Aussie tactic but they were still strangely lacking in energy with Oman picking up too much of the central midfield possession. In truth Oman had been comfortable for much of the night and played most of the best football on show. Australia maintained a back four that played absurdly deep for a side chasing the game in the last ten minutes. Then somehow Holman came left to right and unloaded a fine low shot that bounced before and away from keeper Al Habsi. Somehow it was 2-2 and an unlikely point the reward.

As we walked away from ANZ the question 'Australia...truly is that all we have?' went through my mind. The villagers walking behind us were bemoaning the gamesmanship of the Omani's....my last thought being 'Yes....if the Omani's had actually stood up for longer and played the game we would have gone down by 3 or 4 goals.
Somehow Australia needs to include both Aaaron Moye and Tommy Rogic in this shambolic side. Someone who passes comfortably and someone who can drop the shoulder and head through the heart of the oppostion back four. Whether these two get the opportunity in the 2014 World Cup is in doubt. Timing is everything Holger and your time is swiftly running out.

2012 TABLES: WC QUAL - AFC

TEAM	P	W	D	L	GD	PTS
Japan	6	4	1	1	10	13
Jordan	6	2	1	3	-6	7
Australia	5	1	3	1	0	6
Oman	6	1	3	2	-3	6
Iraq	5	1	2	2	-1	5

Australian icon former Prime Minister Mr John Howard comes to St Pius X College

Sometimes the best ideas come from casual conversations. Occasionally you push for the unlikely and make it happen. On 12th February 2013 we persuaded former Prime Minister Mr John Howard to come to school.....more specifically St Pius X College Chatswood! 

Former Prime Minister Mr John Howard

Teaching HSC. Economics involves focusing on the theory while at the same time trying as quickly as possible to get students 'connected' with the everyday realities of the economy, its issues and the political consequences of government actions. Regardless of contemporary arguments it is often the decisions and actions of previous governments that constrain or empower those of the present. Such is the case when we consider the change and restructuring experienced by the Australian economy. When we look back to the late 70's early 80's we can identify decisions made at the time that set the economy on the way to increased  international competitiveness, efficiency and flexibility. Such was John Howard's legacy.

Channel Nine's 60 Minutes came to film Mr Howard's visit to
St Pius X College  as he spoke to students at the Sarto Centre

The Campbell Inquiry was commissioned by John Howard in 1979 and delivered its report in 1981 recommending a comprehensive deregulation of financial markets for Australia. Over time further micro-economic reforms were introduced by both sides of politics and although few would admit it at the time a 'bi-partisan' approach was effectively taken, elements of corporatisation and privatisation shifting the economy towards significant change.

Former Prime Minister Mr John Howard addresses
students from SPX and Mercy College Chatswood

Speaking to over 100 students from both St Pius X College and Mercy College Chatswood John Howard spoke for 40 minutes providing a narrative of his time both in and power and opposition. He spoke of the pre -1980 economy, why it needed to change and how successive governments went about the business of opening up that economy to lure of free trade and globalisation. 
When he finished John Howard then threw open the floor and fielded a whole series of questions ranging from the issues of Tariff Reform and Financial Deregulation through to questions relating to Australia's handling of refugees. 

Mr John Howard and Mr Steve Quilty exchange views

Both students and staff alike were entranced by Mr Howard's ability relate the broad ideas and detail alike. We were privileged to hear such a witness to world events speak and left with sense that here was someone who had in his own way created history.