Canterbury United

Record for the season Played 16 won 4, drawn 2, 10 losses. 22 For and 32 against, for 14 points - finished 8th out of nine.

Deleted double posting.

oh well, better luck next season

Pleased Aaron has scored some goals.

Spain I assume who finished with 3 goals, second equal top scorer along with Tom Schwarz. Aaron Clapham the top scorer with 6.

Have just seen Canterbury United end of season awards tonight.  My award goes to the loyal fans that turn out week after week whose loyalty is only strained by.

1.  Canterbury coaching staff launching themselves over the fence with expletive abuse and hand gestures.

2.  Having the bank actually roped off to protect the fans from coaching staff that are unable to control their anger and feel the need to antagonise fans rather than coach the team

3.  No acknowledgement from most (I do say most as there are some of the older players that know what it is about) of the players when going on the field, while playing, getting subbed or even at the end of the game.  Friendly clap or wave would be great.

The funny thing is that the loyal base turns out week after week and is what you grow the game on - they are there win, lose or draw

It is called biting the hand that feeds you I know many that will not be turning up next year and I believe no one actually cares and that is the problem.  

Christchurch is a small village and don't be surprised if funding lines get tightened up as well.

I see Mike Coggan is stepping down as Mainland Football CEO and Canterbury United General Manager.

The ad for his replacement has been in the Press recently.

Applications closed March 29.

He moves on to become CEO of Otago Cricket:

http://www.nzfootball.co.nz/coggan-resigns-from-ce...

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/67636713/co...

I think he's probably been pretty good as Mainland CEO in terms of turning the organization around financially..

Apparently as he says in the second article above "cricket is his real passion"

And he says: "But there have also been disappointments. The Mainland Premier League men's competition is still struggling and Canterbury United are yet to win the national league and finished eighth of nine this year.

Coggan believes Canterbury United stands at the crossroads and "a think-tank" is needed to revive the Dragons' fortunes.

His biggest regret is that some clubs don't set their sights high enough.

"We've got a small number of clubs that are truly aspirational. Some of those clubs can cause you challenges because they're passionate about what they do, they want you to be doing things their way."

But he said clubs like Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirit's women's programme, and Nelson Suburbs "wouldn't have had the success they've had" without being "truly aspirational". Tech have won two Chatham Cup crowns and Spirit clinched the 2013 women's national knockout title.

Nelson had "stayed in our premier league when they've had to pay five or six times what the other clubs have to pay" to compete.

"But we've got too many clubs who are not aspirational. They've got tired volunteers who have done a great job over many years but the model hasn't changed as the times have. The clubs are sitting static, or even declining."

Coggan would like to see a new generation of leaders come through to revive ailing clubs and "make sure not every kid transfers across" to the bigger, progressive clubs.

Every administrator has a use-by date and Coggan believes he's reached his in football. He thinks it's "impossible to stay in the same [sports management] job for 10 years" without finding new levels of motivation.

He felt Mainland Football needs "a fresh face, potentially new ideas and someone with a different personality and drive around stakeholder relationships."

Current board member Eddie Clark will be acting chief executive until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Bye Sean

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/domestic/67931826/sean-devine-departs-canterbury-dragons-football-coaching-job-by-mutual-consent

.

Devines first year and Keiths first year, remember and yes with a few untried kids at that level, Hmm.

Devine thinks that it's the players fault [most of the ones he had] they finished bottom but one, oh and the fact he couldn't get Suarez and Messi.

Just a bit of coaching and setting the bar higher than what was on show from pre season onwards may have helped. 

Who ever takes over how about we try and get some of the lost spectators back week on week. 

Did the coach always turn up to practises and on time?  The commitment starts at the top.  

What about the coach's behaviour?  'Monkey see monkey do' they say.

Respect is earned not demanded

Have to agree about the likes of Terris though his performances and commitment on and off the field are to be commended.

Will be great to start fresh this season.

So, who's next?

That Price guy everyone respects him.

Xavier.

Devine Intervention by The Board

Some of the Board?

Well at least many of the players who were dismayed at the appointment of Devine last year can rest easy that he has gone. Even though you are representing your province, it is hard to push yourself for someone you don't like or respect. That is the case in any workplace, not just football

Heard Padmore was keen for it - He jumped up and down at the excitement of maybe having a crack - then he broke his leg. ;)

From today's Press

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/sport/68244865/br...

He certainly went to all the mouths of the various local horses thats for sure.

Interesting in the 'intriguing' out of town candidate. If I could float a totally wild speculator that has zero logic to it, I would go with Bill Robertson. Former player and seems to have done well at NCR as a player coach and would probably do it at CU as well. Young, respected, has a fair idea of the player base in Mainland as well as out of town contacts and has no skin in the current local politics. Also understands the involvement of being in the league and whats required from the players.

Received this earlier today as did many others - for those that the unaware Roger is the current chairman of the Canterbury United Board. 

Hi All

Canterbury United would like to invite you to a planning meeting / "think tank" of interested personnel to assist us in the path forward to improving our overall performances both on and off field in both the ASB Premiership and ASB NYL.

This meeting would be held at ASB FOOTBALL PARK on Sunday May 24 at 10am and is not expected to exceed 11.30am

If you know any other personnel who would be interested in assisting Canterbury United move forward in the future please feel free to invite them to this open forum

No rsvp is required

Regards

Roger Georgieff

Note the date for this has now altered to the following:

Hi All

Further to my earlier email regarding a Think Tank/Planning to be held on May 24 we now have to postpone it. Due to Cashmere-Technical playing away in Nelson that weekend and several others not available we will now hold this meeting on Sunday June 20 at 10am . The weekends in between are Queens Birthday followed by two Sundays of FIFA World Cup U20 knock out fixtures which would rule a number of personnel out

Again if you know any other personnel who would be interested in assisting Canterbury United move forward in the future please feel free to invite them to this open forum

No rsvp is required

Regards
Roger Georgieff

I am aware of one out or towner that applied - unsure if made the final cut or not.

With a complete lack of knowledge of people around- credentials?

he was with the NZ U20's but got removed either late last year or early this year

alignment  I think.....

Seems he did.

A good appointment. No club ties in the Mainland area, or at least not until !! [ add as you want] get their money out.

won the NRFL Premier League with ECB and has coached Waikato FC before in the ASBP - not my favourite person but a decent coach, hard to warm too.

"Very German" was the expression I heard last week (at Glenfield v Birko) from an ECB insider. Make of that what you will.

There was meant to be a picture there

I know a little German

I have sauerkraut in my lederhosen 

Anyway let's get in behind the new coach and cheer the Dragons on to a much better season than this. Be great to see a few of the youth side step up. 

with an outside coach, arent you guys worried about the same problems as last year?

Not really, because the Board have stated publicly that their policy is now to base the squad mainly on local players - with a maximum of three or four from outside the Mainland Federation if they will add to the quality of the squad.

New coach Gerdson will clearly have agreed with this policy on taking the job.

So no need to worry about an influx of very average outside players at the expense of local talent.

I read that he will be scouting local players in two spells here in coming months before he moves here permanently in September.

Plus Gerdson seems to have a long coaching CV and to be well-respected.

He coached East Coast Bays since 2002 and before coming to NZ was a respected youth coach in Germany.

Apparently he coached teams at major youth tournaments in Europe.

Willie is a good choice for this side. He coaches his teams to play football. Chopahs summary is probably about right. He is hard to warm to and is quite rigid but is a good coach. He will be a massive upgrade on Devine. 

One thing you will always get with Willie is that its always about the results he gets with the players that were out. "Oh we had this player out and this player out". You might get a little of that.

I think if he was smart, he would be talking to the Pittmans, Terris etc and getting their views. Guys that have been around and can help fill in some of his knowledge gaps.

oh he is into his coaching gadets as well - he has a one on one cage that he is very proud of.

oh also ever hear of a Joe Breshnan in CHCH - well your about to.

Sounds like most of the Dragon's home games will be played on Sunday.

Good by me, won't clash with my other sports/motorsports.

Ditto

Willy is a good coach. He is very well organised and will get resu

Does that mean he won't be coaching ECB next year 

First successful result of the season.  Obviously the 'test' of Saturdays last season was not the success they thought it would be.

From Canterbury United Facebook page - more in The Press today but not link to paste here:

Canterbury United this week completed the signing of a 25-year-old Englishman going by the name of Gary Ogilvie who most recently plied his trade in the semi-professional Conference South league with Concord Rangers FC, winning consecutive Essex Cups in 2014 and 2015. Welcome to the Red&Black Gary!