Blackjack\’s Blog

19th October

 Pless Preview

Tasmania  2  v  South Australia  1

own goal 36′            Reeves 46′

Brazendale 73′

20th October

Tasmania 2  v South Australia  3

Gasparinatos          Fuda

Roach                     Vickery

                               Barber

Futsal Tasmania’s Summer Futsal competition is poised to take off in the northern part of the state with leagues being started in Launceston.

Working in association with St Patrick’s College, Vikings Futsal is now able to offer a top notch facility that can accommodate what we hope will be the future of Futsal in Launceston. We have secured the use of the brand new, two court hall so that it may become the home of Futsal. We are having a sign up day on Thursday 25th Oct from 6pm at St Pats. It is for all ages whether your children are 12 yrs old or you yourself are looking to maintain the level of fitness you enjoy over winter.

With support of the community it is possible to make this the number one sport over the summer if the boom in Hobart is anything to go by. And with the developmental side of things, if we can get juniors into a league that supports the kids in understanding the basics of futsal while keeping things fun then there is no reason why we can’t share the same success that Hobart has enjoyed. If you examine the way things are set up for soccer player’s here in Launceston, there really is nothing over the summer besides an indoor soccer roster, so where does all that hard work that so many Juniors and Seniors alike put into skills development go? I put it to you, that Futsal WILL not only maintain fitness, skills and team play but improve it dramatically as i myself have witnessed improvements in players just from playing for little over one month.

Many senior soccer players that i myself have played alongside and against complain that the outdoor skill level has grown stagnant and the game in Tasmania is almost at a standstill in the way of skill development and the game itself. Futsal is a way to improve the level of the game while having fun and socialising. If you, the readers, players and supporters of soccer here in Launceston get behind this fantastic sport then the sky is the limit in terms of future improvement.

For details on how to sign up for Futsal in Launceston please contact the Northern Tasmanian Development Officer Ben Porter on 0447 335 431 or State Co-Ordinator Corey Smith on 0437 935 991.

Results for southern matches held on Wednesday 10/10/07 are as follows:

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Tasmania University Soccer Club is pleased to announce the appointment of our new Senior Coaching Team for 2008:

Premier League: Scott Gallacher

Premier Reserve: Gary Slicer

Under 19: Les Richardson

Premier Women: Les Richardson

Division One Women: John Hargrave

I think we should get away from the patently ridiculous notions and scuttlebutt but there are some fairly solid rumours starting to filter through:

Franco Previdi has done his time with the State development squads and has thrown his hand in for the South Hobart job. The word is he’s a strong possibility as one of the other strong applicants is seriously reconsidering due to personal reasons. George Krambousanos has applied for the South Hobart job too.

South will be down a few players for next season as Tom Roach and Jono Lo will be heading off overseas with their medical studies and the State match against South Australia will also be the last match for Daniel Brown before he heads to the mainland. South’s losses will be offset with the signing of a couple of disgruntled Knights.

Jonathon Ladic has secured himself a new team in Hobart Zebras - returning to the roost as it were.

Metro will loose Shane Kent and must rely a lot of their youngsters unless they can get a top notch coach.

Knights will be decimated and could loose up to six of their top names including Corey sitting out for another year due to injury.

South Hobart will not enter a Div.1 team in 2008. Kingborough are still yet to make up their minds on this topic.

Beachside’s failure to win their way into Premier League will see a mass exodus of the youngsters all heading to clubs such as Taroona, Knights & Olympic.

Clarence, like Kingborough are an unknown quantity.

Can anyone fill the gaps in the George Dale (Northern award) award?

Rothmans Gold Medal Winners

1971 John Kirkpatrick (South Hobart)

1972 Karl Schwesinger (South Hobart)

1973 Brian MacKay (Olympia)

1974 Billy Jones (White Eagles)

1975 Dudley Hall (Croatia-Glenorchy)

1976 Alistair Hales (Caledonians)

1977 Danny Spendiff (Olympia)

1978 Larry Nunn (White Eagles)

1979 Brian Davidson (Croatia-Glenorchy)

1980 Brian Davidson (Croatia-Glenorchy)

1981 Wolfgang Stuetzel (Ulverstone)

1982 Eric Young (Hobart Juventus)

1983 Liam Monagle (Ulverstone)

1984 Ian Parker (Caledonians)

1985 Peter Sawdon (George Town)

1986 Colin Guest (Launceston Juventus)

1987 Liam Monagle (George Town)

1988 Peter Sawdon (George Town)

Vic Tuting Silver Medal Winners

1989 Peter Savill (Launceston Juventus)

1990 Chris Barrell (Croatia-Glenorchy)

1991 John ‘Snow’ Compagne (Devonport City)

1992 David Stoddart (White Eagles)

1993 Tom Huigsloot (Glenorchy Croatia)

1994 Tom McGinn (Devonport) 

1995 Craig Nichols (Hobart Olympic)

1996 Anthony Guilbert (Devonport City)

1997 Brett Pullen (Hobart Zebras)

1998 Scott Hadley (Glenorchy Croatia)

1999 Julian Proud (White Eagles)

2000 Brett Pullen (Glenorchy Croatia)

2001 Ben Harbinson (South Hobart)

2002 Colin Shepherd (University)

2003 Colin Shepherd (University)

2004 Brett Pullen (Tilford Zebras)

2005 Tom Roach (South Hobart)

2006 Tom Roach (South Hobart) and Chris Sanita (Kingborough Lions United)

2007 Bart Beecroft (South Hobart)

George Dale (Northern) Medallion

1974    J. Pailthorpe          Croatia

1975    P. Donaldson        Launceston United

1976    M. Joss                Launceston United

1977    M O’Sullivan        Georgetown

1978    R. Caruana           Riverside

1979    M. Spiranovic       Croatia

1980    G. Attenborrow    ST. Leonards

1981    G. Lewendon        Launceston United

1982    R. McCormick      ST. Leonards

1983    R Brown                Western Suburbs

1984    P. Brookes            Western Suburbs

1985    P. Sawdon            Georgetown

1986    Bob Stillie              Croatia

1987    

1988    Richard Soule        Riverside

1989    Phil Moore            Georgetown

1990    Peter Sawdon        Riverside

1991    Neil Roper            Riverside

1992    Steve Morley        Launceston United

1993    Tim Jones             Burnie United

1994    F. Pizzirani            Devonport

1995    Wayne Boyd        Devonport

1996    Hugo Luttmer        Burnie United

1997    Hugo Luttmer        Burnie United

1998    Hugo Luttmer        Burnie United

1999    Andy Fraser         Launceston

2000    Wayne Boyd        Devonport

2001    Chris McKenna       Devonport

2002

2003    Hugo Luttmer & Chris McKenna

2004    Pieter Oosterloo     Riverside

2005    Pieter Oosterloo     Riverside

2006    Des Schipper        Northern Rangers

2007    Pieter Oosterloo     Riverside

“Hand to ball or ball to hand?” Nothing stirs the passion like a controversial handball decision.

You’ve only got to look at players and managers jumping up and down enraged at a dodgy penalty to know that.

A ball slams into a player’s arm and one team is screaming for a penalty, while the others are claiming it was an accident.

It’s a tricky one for the referee to call in the heat of the moment.

So what is ‘deliberate’ handball?

In Fifa’s Laws of the Game 2005, Law 12 says a free-kick or penalty will be awarded if a player “handles the ball deliberately (except for the goalkeeper within his own penalty area)”.

Page 67 of the document gives “additional information for referees, assistant referees and fourth officials”.

It adds: “Referees are reminded that deliberately handling the ball is normally punished only by a direct free-kick or penalty kick if the offence occurred inside the penalty area.

“A caution or dismissal is not normally required.”

However, the document fails to describe what constitutes deliberate handball, which places the responsibility firmly on the referee and referees’ assistants.

Former Premier League referee David Elleray said the referee’s interpretation depends on whether the hand or arm is in an “unnatural” position at the point of contact.

“Referees look at two specifics - did the hand or arm go towards the ball or in a manner which would block the ball, or is the hand in a position where it would not normally be?” Elleray told BBC Sport.

“The challenging decisions are if the defending player spreads their arms to make themselves bigger.

“If the ball hits the arm then the referee must decide whether this action was to deliberately block the ball or whether the player has raised their arms to protect themselves - especially if the ball is hit at speed.”

The referee and referees’ assistants, therefore, have a matter of seconds to weigh up these factors, and take the appropriate action.

And there will always be at least one manager, 11 players and thousands of fans who will insist they have been hard done by.

thanks to BBC Sport

Full voting lists now available for ALL leagues (see below)

2007 Vic Tuting Silver Medal Winner:

Bart Beecroft

South Hobart - 24 votes

2nd - Tom Roach (South Hobart) & Brett Pullen (Zebras) - 16

3rd - Michael Bulis (Olympic) - 13

Coach of the year:

Nick Lapolla

Hobart Zebras

Premier Reserves:

Best & Fairest - Saad Mohammad (Olympic) - 13 votes

2nd - Sacha Puclin (Knights) & Dylan Fennell (Zebra) - 11

U19s:

Matthew Chapman (Clarence) - 18 votes

Felix Kang (Taroona) - 17

Jamie Vernon (Eagles) - 14

Premier Women:

Laura Prescott (University) - 20 votes

Shelley Cook (Nelson) & Hanna Manuela (South Hobart) - 19

Division One:

Bill Handley (Nelson) - 19 votes

Rowan Franklin (South Hobart) - 13

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Nathan Pitchford is a raw talent. There are better keepers in terms of concentration and there are probably better technical keepers but very few will give you the passion and perseverance of this rising star of Tasmanian football. Pitchford is temperamental but he is also inspirational. He can be be petulant but he can be a phenomenal tower of strength to his team mates.

Pitchford himself admits behaviour is not a strong point for him but he’s been around the football fields of Tasmania for so many years we forget he is still only a teenager. Nathan is maturing and you only need watch how he helped to inspire his New Town Eagles team mates to give their all and avoid the dreaded drop into Div.1 He was a constant source of encouragement and if required, a bollocking too. But none was harder on Nathan Pitchford than Nathan Pitchford himself.

I firmly believe this young lad can become one of the most respected goalkeepers in Tasmanian football if he continues to apply himself and mature. There is no doubt there is a truck load of natural talent and leadership potential in which to tap into. Careful guidance from the right people will ensure this talent continues to gloss into a shining star.

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Adelaide United  4  v  Melbourne Victory  1

Milicevic (og)                     Thompson

Dodd 2

Pantelis      

from Corey Smith

Futsal Tasmanian staff and players have just returned from Melbourne from the 2007 Vikings Australasian School Futsal Titles which involved teams from New Zealand, Queensland City, Queensland Country, Far North Queensland, Northern Queensland, New South Wales, Northern New South Wales, Hunter Valley, Victoria City, Victoria Country, Australian Soccer School Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania North and South.

Our Tasmanian teams competed in competition for three days straight followed by a fun filled trip to Luna Park and the Wave Pool on the Friday.

The teams from Tasmania surprised everyone with their tactical game plans and had the most successful trip ever from Tasmania both on and off the field. The 16 Boys coached by Jon Foley-Donaghue and including Pat Foley-Donaghue (c), Matt Lewis, Amadu Koroma, Valandis Matsouris, Rory McCallum, Mathew Spence, Callan Griffin, Matthew Chapman, Daniel Langdale and Zak Bird went the whole way to the National Grand Final before going down to Victoria and becoming runners up.

Tasmania also had the North West 13 Girls make the final and another three teams make the semi finals only to be narrowly defeated.

There were many stand out performers for Tasmania throughout the championships with every one of our 15 teams finishing with atleast a win or two throughout. In the past Tasmania as in all other sports struggle against the bigger states but it looks like that no more in Futsal circles.

Four Tasmanian’s made the starting All-Star five squads from the tournament which grants automatic inclusion into the Tour select teams. Amadu Koroma (16 Boys), Hayley Ward (13 Girls), George Kamano (12 Boys) and Vincent Kamano (10 Boys) were the players selected and to receive trophies for this accolade.

I imagine there will be many more Tasmanian players selected in the overseas touring teams once letters are sent out with amazing performances by the following players surely being noticed - Joseph Bangura (10 Boys), Yosef Kolele, Caleb Smith, Patrick Todd (12 Boys), Alexander Gaggin (13 Boys), Alison Probin (13 Girls), Matt Lewis (16 Boys), Jarrod Bugg and Jacob Clamp (15 Boys).

All in all we had a fantastic trip away and all players, coaches, managers and supporters had a great time. We commend all players for their outstanding behaviour on trip and the way they conducted themselves and intergrated with all players representing their state. Many of the coaches who have competed in Nationals and tournaments before including myself were amazed at just how big and how good the tournament was and i am sure people will be queuing up at the school titles hoping for selection next year.

The Tasmanian School Titles in which squads are selected for these trips will be held in April next year so be sure to get your school involved for your chance to make the squad.

We will be selecting squads from our weekly summer rosters in the future to send to the Vikings Pacific Regional Titles on the Gold Coast in May next year. 

Also at senior level we are looking at picking a senior mens side for the final leg of the 2007 Pacific Futsal League in Melbourne in December in which we would like to get a few new players involved with the vision of building our squad for 2008. We are also looking at the possibility of taking a youth team as an invitational to this tournament which i hope we will be granted permission.

Pics from the tournament can be found at www.comm23.com once they are uploaded by the photographers.