Central League

And if the unthinkable happened and they came 10th?

I don't want to think about the unthinkable ! What a nightmare...Heard some people comparing this with what happened to Leicester. Think this is far worse than that. 

Hmm, nah. Everyone is talking about that 6-pointer in Palmy.

We will leave people guessing till our game at DF. We are going to go there, walk all over Miramar, save our ar**es , finish about 8th, but declare a moral victory - the season saved !

We may then win our last game of the season against Napier by 'bout 12:0 (to avenge that humiliating 10:0 defeat two seasons ago and them kicking our a*rse twice this year).

I'll believe it when I see it...

Here's what I though about the Olympic - Lower Hutt game

and a few photos

Team Taranaki have lost their appeal to NZF. Will lose three points and be flung back into the #mcl17 relegation battle https://twitter.com/liam_hyslop/status/882316114511843328

doesn't that mean their opponent books 3 points courtesy of a 3-0 result being given  for that game?

Wasn't that v pn marist - more bad news for olymp

Tweeted back to try and confirm but think I remember earlier in this thread when it was discussed it was for the Marist game at the start of the season which you assume would mean they are awarded the 3 points as TT won that game 1-0 originally. 

#shambles

so why isn't it currently a 3-0 win to TT for that game since their protest must have been successful immediately

I notice back on page 120, this is first raised.

https://www.yellowfever.co.nz/categories/regional-...

Here's the pertinent passage of the central league regs:

6.6. On receipt of a protest, if any team is found guilty of playing a player who is not listed on the teamcard, or who plays under an assumed or false name or who plays while suspended, the following sanctions will apply:
i. the offending Club shall forfeit any points gained and goals scored - the opposing team will be credited with a 3 – 0 winning result or credited with the goals they scored if higher
ii. a fine of $100.00 per offending player will be imposed on the offending Club
iii. if both Clubs are found to be in breach, the match result shall be null and void, the match will not be replayed and fines per ii) above shall be imposed.

So, the most likely outcome (if I understand what people are saying here properly) is Taranaki 11 pts, LH 11 pts, the Greeks 10 pts and Palmy 9 pts going into the next round ? Interesting....

If the result becomes a 0-0 and no points then TT will be lower than Lower Hutt on goal difference https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Premier_League#Central_Premier_League_Standings_.E2.80.93_2017

Huge. Massively hot bottom battle!

Here's the remaining fixtures for these teams.

Instinctively with Taranaki's lack of travel, it has to favour them via lower hutt / Olympic. They should be safe.

... is the title of the new Chuck Tingle book.

I like a "hot bottom battle"...... but not if they are massive!

Big bottoms drive me out of my mind
How could I leave this behind

Mini battle for academy bragging rights today. Anyone know enough about both to assess/contrast how they're doing. What is the measure of success? 

"pass completion rate" ? or is that now old skool ?

Purely as a football observer with no foot in either camp:  I think Ole has progressed over the last few years in the things outside of developing good footballers but also creating an environment to develop the person etc. Whilst at times it may seem pseudo cult like, it is important for all round development, life learning etc. 

Whats disappointed me in watching some of the Phoenix Youth is things like; waving imaginary cards at the ref to try & get a player booked... clapping when an opponent gets sent of... showing displeasure at team mates etc. (Disclaimer" Wests players may also do this but I haven't witnessed it)

Obviously both teams have some very talented individuals but I prefer the attitude/demeanor of the Ole players over the Phoenix Youth.

As another neutral observer, I feel there is a marked improvement in the spread of players in Central League due to the fact that Ole and Phoenix have brought young footballers to the capital and developed them to this level and further.  The "rep" teams from Taranaki,Wairarapa and, to a lessor degree, Palmie  and Napier, show that one team from these regions is the way to go. It certainly isnt going to be the same top four each year, as was the case in the past.That leaves Wellington with Miramar, Olympic and/or Waterside, and Stopout, Lower Hutt and/or Petone to make up the numbers. Maybe a 12 team league?

Napier, Marist and Wairarapa are club teams in CL all have lower grade teams playing in local competitions. TT are the only rep team. 

Sure Blew. I was implying that one team from each region was a good level, that is why I had the word Reps in inverted commas.

Hmmm the ole academy boys in the stand gave me a different perspective from yours. 

Some of their comments and ridicule of players on the pitch was disgusting. They came across like smug little boys with no respect. 

So maybe that personal development isn't transcending to the younger players?

On a side note - Declan said he was glad to have a team of kiwis in the aftermath speech. And then pointed out one of his players and said oh maybe Alex is not. I'm not sure what he was trying to achieve with this comment but I was appalled by it and it just sounded absolutely racist.

Kids chat in the grandstand and coaches after match speeches weren't what I had in mind re 'measure of success'. Call me old fashioned, but what about the football; and the potential of players to kick on a bit? 

It is by no means (the only) measure of success for sure.

I was merely commenting on what I observed.

Re the game, I thought patches of it showed some nice skill on both sides, particularly the central Striker of Wests.
Sadly both teams should have got on the old studded boots instead of their fancy slip-fest ones

Given my son was in that group and I was sat behind them I'd love to know what was said that you found disgusting.

All I saw was a group of 13 and 14 year old kids enjoying themselves, cheering on a group of players they all know and applauding the football.

All this talk about Olympic and their troubles, but what is the story with Miramar this year ?

I have to admit I haven't seen any (apart from the Olympic one) of their games this season. Not saying they are in any danger of relegation or anything, but a 6:0 loss one week, then a 7:0 win the next week, now a 3:1 loss to LH. Did they also play with their 2nd team against the LH like Olympic did last week ?

Taranaki - Olympic 0:2

F***ing PHEW !!!

The relegation avoidance race is closer then the top of the table and worth watching.   Olympics win lifting them 3 points, and possibly ahead of Team Taranaki should they lose 3 points as alluded to higher up this thread.  Going down to 11 from current 14. 

Marist would still need a win should that be the case.,  Goal Diff is not on their side either. 

https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/sport/...

I'm wondering when this TT 3 point deduction is going to get "confirmed or not" & table adjusted etc or maybe we'll just see 11 team Central League 2018 instead ! 

On a purely nerdy note I'm not sure that the CF computer system can handle a voided game with no points.

Perhaps if they make that game essentially unplayed.

Probably not, but that's never stopped me having an opinion.

Wests were miles better. Elijah Just is such a fabulous player. I hope the Phoenix are keeping an eye on him and I also desperately hope that him being at Ole doesn't rule him out of anything. Wests have a great squad, and a Kiwi squad as Declan has noted. It's really encouraging to see.

They're more direct than I think people realise. The like to play either a smothering game in the other team's defensive third or a fast break counter attacking game. They defend with every man behind the ball. 

United will rue the defensive error that led to the first goal. I thought they had defended quite stoutly until then. The second goal was a superb individual finish and maybe the 7 foot Keegan Smith will wish he'd done better, but still, what a peach of a goal!

United are on average a year or two younger than Wests too don't forget. 

A pretty fair result, but I think both sides will be pretty pleased with how their respective 'projects' are tracking. The challenge for both Academies is whether they can meaningfully transition players to further things. United have the inside track on that front (see Singh, Sanjay).

If you consider how the wests defended as soon as the ball was first turned over- 3 players closing down the ball possessor, more often than not they were winning possession back very quickly indeed. Utd were forced into the long ball out to the winger, which was not effective.

Very interesting game. Should wests make it into the later stages of the Cup, will be interesting to see how they are playing against talent from the other regions.

Wondering what the overall implication is here for the Central League; Are the days of paid aged players going to come to an end? If Phoenix/Ole hoover up all the young talent, and can build teams like these, how will other clubs respond?