Southern Football (incl Southern United) (Part 2)

I agree with all your points bar the cavy and tech stuff. Hopefully moving forward they can pick up some points and we can get further buy in from the local football community. Still a long way from ideal in terms of their engagement but that should come with time.Hopefully the new striker can knock in a few goals and help us gather some points.

Yeah nah don't believe I saw anyone else this year get 18 goals...

Get out there and do better, superstar

18 goals in a terrible league?! Definitely not difficult. Southern are terrible...end of

He scored 9 goals in three games against University - meaning 7 goals in the other 12 games. 

Agreed that the stats shows that he was one of the better strikers in the league but that isn't saying much when T Jackson scored 26 goals in 12 league games. At the moment, the standard being set are of mediocrity, and at national league level, that's never going to get you anywhere. 

And that last comment actually summarises the mentality in the region better than anything else - just because we highlight the weaknesses, doesn't mean we know we can do better. All it means is that we are unhappy with the state of Southern United and based on the current season and seasons before this one, we are more than entitled to that opinion. And there are clearly things being done in other teams that we arent doing, yet we are expecting better results. .  

We are doing better  - the coach and the Irish guys will work out in the next few years.  Sure we might not win the league but we will be more competitive and young players coming through will develop better than they have (although some have done really well already).  This is probably all we can hope for.  We've had three 1-0 losses this season and with a bit of luck we could have come away with three draws there surely.  Chins up and have a Guinness. I personally think that if we could get a couple of artificial fields in town and the winter teams played on them it would do no end of good.  Get rid of the long ball focus for one, and number two - make washing the mud out of the team strips a thing of the past.

So how long are these Irish guys staying for?

Team still needs plenty of time spent on defending as well as when to keep the ball and when to get it away from the D area.

Need to have a GK. CB, CM, and Striker that can match up with the best in the league. Southern don't have that this season except for Liam at GK.

Yes I have seen them play live plus what coverage you've had on T.V.

Attack wins games Defence wins titles.

Who were the players?

Yeah well we can't score can we?  That's the area that needs most attention so maybe this new paddy will help fix that.

Be interesting to see if the irish lads stick around during winter. You would think they would considering football south made staff redundant to fit them in. If they do what is the best way they can be utilised to strengthen the league?

I personally think Southern United will continue to struggle until the players are playing hard games week in week out during winter. Be good if a South Island league could come to fruition that could give at least a couple of our teams 20 hard games a winter. Having watched a couple of their games this season they just seem to lack game nous and sharpness compared to the others. 

After reading a couple of the posts - I thought I'd chuck in my 2c.

1. Southern United - Although I was only involved last year, this season looks to be a massive step upwards in terms of preparation, professionalism and general approach to this competition. Paul O'Reilly is well-prepared and sessions are progressive. It's like starting from scratch again - but with the input from Football South - and the amalgamation/inclusion of the Women's, Futsal, Youth and Refereeing all finally facing the same page - it's progressive but it will take time. Success begets success. You have to start somewhere and I have been massively impressed at the effort put in not only to save the franchise but to steady the ship and build a progressive momentum moving forward. It will take some time, but it will be fruitful in the long run. There's too much short-sightedness on here - you have to remember that this is the same franchise in name only, this is a brand-new start and the results already are in my opinion - better than seasons before. The lads genuinely are hurting after losses and draws. I honestly believe it will get there - we will attract more players and a slow progression off the bottom of the table will see this happen. Really great to see the crowds at FSB - really impressed with the kids - more of this and interaction with the kids in schools etc will reap massive benefits.

2. ODT League - Agreed the league is poor - but again steps are being taken (I understand) to fix this. Inclusion of teams from South Canterbury, Invercargill and Queenstown may help improve the league. As long as there is little to money down here then the league can only get so far. Auckland is good because there is money - it attracts players and on the whole the club system is a lot more driven and professional. However the clubs do not rely on the Federation to assist them - in fact one could argue the clubs dictate to the Federation how the competition will run. This is because the clubs are self-funded through income (Juniors) or grants. The more successful the club and the public buy-in (think Bay Olympic, Birkenhead) the more income and the more success that follows. Clubs down here have a massive junior base - but you are losing those numbers with clubs that have no proper senior men's team or even a senior side at all - its a waste because the ability to retain these players becomes incredibly difficult in the transition from juniors to youth to seniors. Also in my honest opinion having a club that dictates the competition in terms of who can play and when they play (Grants Braes) is wrong (no offence). Either they make the move to the Premier League or amalgamate with another club OR allow anyone to play them in Fletchers - the club has a First Team - aim high and play in the Prems - if you get beat every week so what - Northern and Uni are still there and doing there share. I know that coaches and clubs at Prems are establishing systems and my club is working very hard at a playing style and a club that will inevitably breed success - the goal is always the future and as long as the progression of the club is constant and measurable and not stagnant - the area will grow.

3. Tahuna Park - Turn the whole facility into a 'home of football' shift all the Football South Offices and Franchise Operations there. Build club-rooms and turn the whole park apart from the #1 into artificial. This is the councils job not necessarily the Federations - but this would be huge for the region. (Lotto winners need petitioning).

All in all - I think the franchise is building and it will happen - just need to remember it's a fresh start, the League needs a shake-up and financials scrutinised with some forced amalgamation and re-introduction of further afield teams. Combined the league will grow - but needs the community support and the best coaches teaching the best football.

**Written from someone still-fairly new to the area - an a lot of time on my hands**

Seriously? I haven't seen the figures but i doubt he scored many against Mosgiel, Tech or Cavvy.. And they're a step down from what he comes up against for Southern. The guys a hacker. Run's around like a headless chicken until he's tired and then walk's around like a headless chicken. The guy couldn't control a medicine ball and couldn't header a bloody beach ball. Team selections are bizzare. Riley Anderton? Surely there is a squad player that has been training all season that's better than a guy that benches for his club?Maybe Otago player of the year, Ridden perhaps? I dont even think he's the best midfielder in the youth team. Not to mention that outside the Irish player's only a couple of players have played consecutive games. Not good for players new to the league, looking to gain some much needed game time and confidence.

I've never seen you win an election, but I bet you still criticise the government.

Don't know about that one..

Hang right on theres been some absolute diarrhoea thrown up here recently. Southern is being run very well and making steady progress which will continue as these Irish lads are sticking around (be patient). Chris Wright is doing well reviving the ODT league which needed some serious repairing - sounds like 2-4 new teams and a potential cross over third round with Christchurch prem league (top 4 each league) which is exactly what we need to narrow the gap between our local guys and those from other regions. Anyone else heard about the artificial ground/facility supposedly being put in where the ice rink car park is?

Yeah look I remember seeing Wood and Rojas as kids (12-16 yrs) and I tell you Marco was streets ahead.  Clearly he's still fantastic but Wood really is a superstar of NZ football.  Just because a kid isn't flash technically or whatever doesn't mean he can't improve in the right environment. So give TK a chance yet, he's still very young and clearly he has some qualities that are worthwhile.  And the new coach can see that - he's experienced enough.

Scored 8 against Uni.. Not to mention 5 of them 8 were against Varsitys 3rd team, cheers 

Still something you or anyone else couldn't do, pretty easy to talk s h I t about someone but at the end of the day you didn't do better ? you must be really good..

Cheers

Hit me back up when you're golden boot

Logic, that's a stupid fudgeing argument and you know it. I might not be able to score 1 goal in 49 appearances for the All Whites but I still criticised every time Brockie was picked for the All Whites (although if you'd have given me a couple of penalties like he had, maybe I would've). What I find interesting about this page is how personal a lot of people take criticism... when it's not them being criticised, it's the players, the management, the lack of any tactical knowledge seemingly, the spirit of defeat that looms over Southern and the fact that Southern is only slightly better than last season but aside from last season this is an all time low. Years ago we were shark, but not shockingly shark.

I just find it weird how anyone can criticise Messi, Ronaldo, Brockie, or any kinda high or high level player but you criticise a mediocre player at a mediocre level and people come out of the woodwork to protect them. Any professional athlete will receive criticism, so why can't a mediocre semi-professional player receive criticism in a team full of mediocrity and complacency? 

Logic is clearly one of his TK's boys.. Probably training at the same facility most nights.

Reid Houlihan?

Jez you just spun the biggest,irrelevant, pointless yarn I think I've ever seen

Mate, you're stating pointless, irrelevant facts though. A good player receives criticism and no one gives a shark; a mediocre player receives criticism and people like yourself come out of the woodwork. Why? You must be close to him or else you wouldn't give a shark. As I said this whole team either have a severe lack of quality or a lack of self-belief and a sharkty attitude. Most likely case for the players is the former and most likely case for the management is the latter as they don't give a shark about Southern improving. Or I guess they might be trying to, but the local leagues are shark. Scoring heaps of goals in them is usually irrelevant because it doesn't translate at all to this level. Having said that, the way the team plays football is proof of how awful the management is as well.

How are you going to deny this? Or are you going to veer off-topic again? The Irish players can't do much when there's only 2 or 3 decent local players.

Being the top scorer in the Dunedin league is extremely irrelevant. Sorry, but it's true. Some top scorers will become decent but mostly it's pretty irrelevant. If you can't admit that, then you're deluded. 

Being slightly annoyed at the unsurprising complacency and lack of quality of Southern is not seething. At this point all Southern fans expect mediocrity, so I am not upset because it's nothing new.

I guess you assumed I was seething because of the strong language perhaps? Because otherwise I have no idea how you could infer that.

So? He's one of the rare players to come out of the Dunedin league and do well. He's an exception.

You can't deny that all other teams are better managed, produce better quality players and have more tactical awareness. 

I forgot why I don't usually post in this thread. Now I remember, it's 50% people rightfully criticising Southern United and 50% people resorting to childish insults to protect Southern and pretending the team is progressing. So many childish insults and no one actually counterarguing my points. We might be doing better than last year, but these two years are a really low point in Southern's history. 

So, will you actually address my points then? A lot of our players seem tactically unaware when facing opposition; simply making stupid moves, being out of position or making the wrong decisions. Our tactics often resort to route one. 

Other teams' players seem to make a transition from their local leagues to the national league, but many Southern players are often too poor to perform well. The team rarely get results, even at home. 

In Rounds 9 and 10 we play Hawke's Bay and Tasman, both at home. I hold hope we can get at least a win out of these two. Both of these teams come from places with lower populations that are capable of producing local players that perform better at the national league level. Please dispute something I've said here.

Hey call a truce dudes this is all a bit naff and boring now.  Swearing is OK imo but name calling is never good.  Agree to differ and get on with it.  SU can actually get 3 wins from the next 3 - let's hope for that and that this new striker is the real deal.

Not sure we can get a win out of Team Wellington but if we can get 4 points from our next three home matches I'll be content.

Well that was painful to read.

Reminder about the forum rules, play the ball and not the man.

https://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/general-a...

Great performance from the Youth today, very unlucky not to walk away with 3 points. Liam

Whittaker with another stand out performance as he pulled off multiple saves including a penalty.  It was good to see Ben O get 90 minutes today and what a threat he looked playing with a talented Rahan Ali. Where was Connor Neil? A few marginal decisions in the back line with Rory Hannon and George Edwards in the back line who looked out of place and very shakey on the ball.. Can anyone explain why these two were starting? Is Peter Coates and Tim O injured? 

From Stuff: Southland to play in the Footbal South Premier League in 2017

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/87353499/southland-fo...

This is good - they should be competitive.