Southern Football (incl Southern United) (Part 2)

He's been here a long time, I remember playing against him circa 2009 and his father was a fixture for Marlborough sides in goal (and something of an urban myth - there's a story he chased a referee around a pitch trying to assault him).

No myth, happened at Ensors Road when Marlborough were playing Christchurch City in either 2000 or 2001. The ref was Warren Potter, I was at the game covering it for the old Star Sports. Was banned 'sine die' and was later reduced when he got involved with coaching. 

You've made my day

Do not think the ref was chased around the pitch. If I recall correctly was going to be shown a red card and as the ref was walking towards him he took a couple of paces towards the ref and punched him on the nose before he could e restrained by him team mates as the ref was trying to back track.

I think Johnny regretted his actions as soon as it happened. 

Is it true Craig Whitson was taken aside at the club's prize-giving & informed he was no longer required next season & Andy Brook is back in charge.

You would think there might be a few changes looking at those near the bottom of the final table. 

I heard the players were sick being told what to do and were expected to turn up to training.  Andy does neither,  so he's been called back in for 2018.

Southern United have announced an initial 20 man squad

Eric Molloy has gone to Team Wellington but been replaced by another Irishman, Garbhan Coughlan, from Limerick

Harley Rodeka is out injured, and Ben O'Farrell is overseas

How many are New Zealanders / locals?

Looks like about half, maybe.

Pretty similar ratio to most other teams in the Premiership, to be fair

It's always nice to see 'genuine' local guys make it, but realistically it's often students from around the country that take those spots. They're practically locals even if they're often only here a few years.

Always been the same with footy, rugby, cricket etc (I remember our brilliant NPC rugby team from the 90s was largely from Hawkes Bay).

Little would count as a Dunedin lad as well

Southern were behind only Auckland and Canterbury last year in minutes given to imports, and well ahead of TW, WU, HW. Given that I reckon we'll see ACFC using more Kiwis in prep for OCL, I'd bet on CU and SU topping the charts this season.

i reckon CU's will turn out to be crap and barely used

Pre-season

Yesterday Southern United 2 Canterbury United 2

Today Southern United 1 Tasman United 1 

Starting squad for this weekend? I think Southern will come away with some points

You were right. Well done!

Incredible just how quiet this board gets when things aren't going too badly for the team. Pretty typical of Dunedin really !

The manager doing a smashing job if you ask me ! What a start to the season.

There was a good buzz about the team last year and it's continued into this season, the team have had time to gel too so I think what was started last year is starting to pay off. 

It's a shame we can't see more of these games on TV!

Bloody annoying we don't even get YouTube highlights anymore too, crazy to get two goals in injury time to win. 

Tough to follow a team that really has little to no connection with Otago / Southern. Only a handful of players grace the SPL and they come from 5 cavvy, 2 from mosgiel and 1 from roslyn. Might need to address these Irish lads playing in the winter league next year, if teams are serious about the south island league and for teams from otago to compete this is a must. If only i had a crystal ball...

It's really not that hard to follow them. And I don't understand why patronage is dependant on SU players playing locally over winter? 

in fact, i think it would be better for the league if none did and there were 3-4 rounds

Weird attitude - I thought the fact they are actually winning games and look as if they could finish in their highest ever place since the NZFC started (anything above the bottom 3!) would be reason enough to follow them.

Fair bit of support from Canterbury (Selwyn) way for Southern.....

Don’t look a gifted horse in the mouth, especially a Stallion. ;-)

Our team is comparable to practically every team in the national league for # of locally based players.

"These Irish lads" are as good as locals now - working and living in the region for over a year, and doing a lot for the game. The main reason they didn't play winter football last year was because they had come straight in from a full Irish Premier league season without a break. Surely they'll be involved next winter given the SI League.

They're helping to bring the best out of the local league players. Ridden finally looks like a national league player for the first time.

If you loved football, you'd be supporting them and getting along to their games. They played some bloody good football against a team which hadn't been beaten this season and deserved the win. Sunnyvale was surprisingly good as a venue too (although would be a different story if the weather turned to sharke).

Apparently this weekend's game is live on Sky as a curtain-raiser for the Phoenix

It's not just the men doing well - Southern united women's team is guaranteed a finals spot and could even get a home final if they beat Capital on Sunday, not bad for a team that had only one 1 game in 10 years before this season!

here is an interview I did with 2 ex Capital players now at Southern, Mikela Hunt & Emily Morison

At no stage was did I say I wasn't happy that Southern were winning, all I stated was that it is hard to connect with a team that doesn't represent the area. What happens next year when the new residency rules come into play?

So you'd rather we have more local players, no external talent, and were trash again? Why exactly? For your the sake of your pride? 

Not a sake of pride but for player development and pathway. If locals cant see themselves getting to the senior ranks then how will will grow our game here and have players believe they will make the grade? How many players have gone on from the youth league to the senior team? It was 2 years ago that they won the league and from memory only Cody Brook who is in the team now has made the step up

i think it was quite important that southern became competitive and thy have done which is great for the league and great for them

now if a young player makes this team, they can consider themselves a proper national league player, not just some young dude handed a spot because a bunch of older dudes can't be bothered losing every week any more

Five or six imports the rest local. That is how the league wil;l look ongoing. The outside players have the quality to raise the standards. So sure you may not have 18 locals in the squad, but youd take 10 of your best being elvated in standards by the imports.

I feel like the issue is that the link between the Southern United team and the Southern league is that the Irish lads are helping the state of football in the region yet they are not even playing in the premier division. 

I appreciate that they are doing work at schools, youth level and coaching etc, but those actually playing the game and those developing to try and get into the Southern team are barely getting any benefit from these guys being here. They clearly have ability and experience, but if they were training / playing with those in the Southern league week in week out then surely the standard of the local players would further increase. 

Maybe its a very long term focus with their support and development, but the local league needs help now, especially moving into the South Island league

I had also heard a comment that their Dev jobs meant they were often busy working weekends with kids etc, but I'm pretty confident they will be involved in winter football next year.

How will it help Southern football when all the Irish turn out for Caversham and/or Dunedin Tech?

Get them playing with the other clubs at the Northern or Grants level

Don't get too excited over a South Island league la, it hasn't got any clubs with the entry fee paid yet.

This forum has been quiet for a year or 2 now Sawu nothing to do with southern United. Was more to do with the pretenders on here being found out. I think everyone wants southern to do well regardless of make up. Let’s hope they can compete throughout the season.