Mainland Premier League

I think things have worked out perfectly whether by design or good luck (i suspect the latter). 

I know players in a couple of teams who are in Div 1 now, who didn't enter Div 1 at the start as they didn't think they wanted to play that seriously but have been surprised how competitive they are and both say their teams are in the correct grade.

They have ended up with 3 Div's of 8 and if they have an automatic promotion/relegation starting from next season, then it's all good.

The promotion/relegation shouldn't start after this round of 7 games as it's not enough to judge. Two full rounds, a Cup and promotion/relegation is the way to go.

I'm surprised they are contemplating  less than 11-a-side and on a different day. Whose idea is that? I can't picture anyone keen on that...

And their trophy cabinet

As promised here is the table showing the stats going into the 250th MPL round on Saturday for the four ever present sides since the league commenced in 2002.

Bays have won four titles and Suburbs three with Halswell runner-up twice and Western runner-up three-up.

Idea of the one and only Mike Coggan. Would pay to ask the people who splash  a decent amount to your wage each year what they want before coming up with this stupid idea/s. Read the full article on the Fan newsletter.

So any feedback from the meeting then?

Can't seem to find anyway on their site to view any of the newsletters?

Here it is here! Might be time to remove the P pipe from the Brainstorming sessions at Cranford Street!

Comment from CEO, Mike Coggan
Time to think differently about Masters Football
I see my competition staff have called a meeting of club delegates to discuss the future look of master’s football. Any such engagement is great because it gets all clubs, passionate about master’s football in a room to consider the shape it takes over the next half decade. I have asked our staff what is the documented philosophy of master’s football. It doesn't appear we have one. I have tried to research the philosophy of master’s sport in general.

Winning seems to be a distance behind camaraderie, continuing friendships through older age sport participation, fun, keeping active later in life and things of this social nature like the opportunity to have a beer and a laugh after the game.

Over the past couple of seasons I have noticed we have had increasing numbers of debate and discussion from teams in masters grades not so happy that other teams won't play them or that we don't have enough teams wanting to play division 1 masters or that players are getting older so why not have older grades. I understand why this would be. Teams within clubs have already instilled a philosophy or aim for why they play and maybe they have no desire to be thumped by serious master’s teams.

Given the changing demographic and age of players finishing playing football (much earlier than those currently still playing masters), I believe clubs need to carefully consider how we develop the product to suit the future needs of players.

Players simply don't have as much time to participate as they once did and as players become 30 something, work family life balance becomes far more important and prevalent to decision making than it was a decade and longer ago. Many now stop playing much younger.

I personally don't think master’s football in its current format of 11 v 11 on full size field on Saturday afternoons for guys 40 plus will survive the test of time. The challenge will be who will replace all the mid to late 30's, 40s and 50's in 10 years’ time.

I like the bell shape curve theory that goes something like this - you start playing football on a small field with fewer players and maybe you should finish at an older age for similar reasons - less running, more touches, more fun, less chance of injury or health issues. Remove point’s tables but record results. Competition and winning are essential elements but not the be all and end all!
I am an advocate for;

• Having our clubs define a philosophy and developing products or structures accordingly
• Competitive teams over 35 can always play men's division football and enjoy it. It happens now.
• Let’s look at a mix of social and serious and create programmes accordingly to attract and keep players involved eg. 5 v 5 futsal, 7 v 7 midweek masters winter or 7 v 7 Friday nights summer like we do now.

Whatever we do we should also remind ourselves that in many other sports where you can't keep playing easily when you get older, many more tend to take up coaching or the whistle. Why don't we create programmes that offer opportunities for players to take on bite size masters football and maybe still coach or referee kids midweek - and still maintain the all important family life balance.

Masters is about fun and enjoyment. If we hold on to that philosophy appropriate programmes will cater for appropriate levels of skill and ambition.
Regards, Mike Coggan

You know what - lot of sense in that! What's more - what brilliant ideas have players/clubs themselves come up with? Most of them don't even realise there is a decline in numbers, let alone consider how to combat it.

I dunno.  Altho eligible for the masters comp I play in the illustrious Sunday League, personally it would put me off if Masters was a 5/7 a side on smaller pitches. Wouldn't feel like a real game/competition would it?

I play 5 a side in the summer at Coastal, have the opportunity to play futsal, or play Mainland's summer football competition so if I wanted a smaller game. 

Seems odd that now teams are sorted into groups of 8 after a random season of playing teams in all divisions, they now think about changing it.  I reckon keep the discussion going and the 3 groups, and if it all goes pear-shaped half-way through 2015 then deal with it.

I think the comp has worked itself out well now. 

This is our first year in Masters. We've ended in in the Div 3 grade, though perhaps would be more suited to Div 2. All of our games in the 13 round comp were close, the biggest losses were 1-3 to a CT team (8th) and 0-2 to Waimak Sliver Streaks (3rd), we also lost 1-2 to Ferrymead Navy (2nd). We managed to lost four games 1-2.

Our biggest win was a blow out in the last game 6-0 but prior to that it was 3-2 and 1-0. 

Most of the blowouts occurred when the 'random' draw meant the top teams in 2013's Masters 1 played the bottom teams in 2013's Masters 3.

I for one have zero interest in playing 5 or 7 a-side and can't believe any of the teams we've played against this season would feel the same.

We have played in the Division Grades Coggan mentions and Presidents Grades in the last 5-6 years and the problem there is you often come up against a bunch of young kids. Although we were competitive (4th in Pressies A last year) it's no fun chasing 18-20 yr olds around a field all season.

In fact in direct contrast to Coggan's comments, we had 3 guys stop playing 2 seasons ago due to what i outlined in the paragraph above, but now we have moved to Masters they've all come back.

As I mentioned i believe the comp has sorted itself out. Teams that werent keen on entering Div 1 have found themselves to be very competitive (SilverStreaks, Western, Wanderers). No team wants to get thumped each week and equally no team wants to thrash teams each week.

I'd be disappointed if any major changes were made.

Thanks for that...

The oldest in our squad of 20 is 43 and there's 5 of us over 40, we however have 13 in the 35-39 bracket and 2 34 yr olds.

That would be disappointing if we were forced to play in a different grade. Hopefully if teams are currently in Masters then they will be able to stay and it's only new teams forced to abide by the 'new' rules...

Not sure if you play Masters football or work for MF but you are the first person I have come across to have anything  positive to say about these ridiculous opinions and conclusions. Everyone on both teams at my masters game on Saturday was in total disagreement with the article and was concerned that maybe MF have lost touch with their customers. Maybe it was a wind up to get more people to the meeting, it certainly had that effect. If you were at the meeting you would have noticed there are many great ideas that players and clubs are happy to put forward, that may require better listening skills from the power brokers to have any effect though.

The author hints at a lot of research he had undertaken prior to the article, none of that research appears to have included asking my club or its Masters players what they wanted in the future. You are quite right there are a lot of things MF and the clubs need to worry about including declining player numbers, but I don't believe having a crack at Masters players is going to improve that situation.

As I said earlier, time to put away the P pipe and rather than waste time writing woffle about bell shaped curve theory, spend the time in serious consultation with the clubs to find ways to keep players in their late 20's and High School leavers in the game!

Neither - both operate too slow for my temperament! My questions were around what clubs/players had done themselves. Looks like at least MF got them off their arse and get along to voice their opinions. Job done I'd say. Now masters have contributed and therefore have ownership. 

Gonna call it now - Reckon MPL, WPL, PDL/WPDL and Reserves to go ahead - everything else to be called off.

I called it right on the other thread:  Just got the official word, only MPL going ahead at English Park.  11,1,3,and 5pm.

Hahah nice work!

MPL and WPL are the only games on this weekend.

MPL and WPL are the only games on this weekend.

ONLY 4 Men’s Premier League Games are on all at ASB Football Park

The schedule is as follows.

11.00am Universities v Ferrymead Bays

1.00pm Coastal Spirit v Nelson Suburbs

3.00pm Nomads v Cashmere Technical

5.00pm Halswell Utd v Western

The only women’s game to be played is Women’s Premier League Universities v Parklands at Avonhead S5.

All other football is cancelled.

The Masters article has stimulated debate and people have come forth with ideas. The only thing I would say no to would be Sunday Football. If people have kids footie on Saturday then when do you have a day with the family? If it went to Sunday you'd lose quite a few players to family committments as well as those that want a day skiing!

No wonder HSOB did well against the top sides they had the world's youngest masters side and two underage ringers!!!!

We (HSOB) finished 17th out of 24, hardly world beaters - we are just a bunch of grafters, and fact battled against a number of teams who all seemed to have that player (and in some cases 3 or 4) who have played at a high level.

None of us have been anywhere near those levels.

""But as I said, they won't be easy. They've got quite a good coach, they've got some French guy coaching them, they're well organised and they've got some good, experienced players."

Congratulations to the French guy, 6-2 win to Coastal and Suburbs had there pants pulled down today.

Here's the link to the article, hilarious and well worth a read.

Varsity take a point with a 0-0 result in the early game,

Half way through the first half Nomads v Tech and Tech lead 2-0. 

Only 1 point in it at the bottom if things stay this way with 5 games to go. Nomads v Uni on August 16 shaping up as the crucial game.

Lol. nomads have had their pants pulled down and spanked. 7-0.

Nomads 0 Tech 7

Nomads lucky to get 0 by the sound of it.

Lucky not to concede 10 more like. Poor keeper was hung out to dry. Saved atleast half a dozen

Xavier's Coastal side were very good for the first 25 minutes.

The final score could have been a lot higher to each side a number of missed opportunites

Gareth got 3 and probably missed 2. Ben missed 2 for Nelson. 

Entertaining game, great to see Coastal play real football for the first part of the game. 

Todays results so far:

Men's

University 0 Ferrymead Bays 0

Coastal Spirit 6 (Gareth Turnbull 3, Josh Lis 2, Shane de Feitas) Nelson Suburbs 2 (Ben Wright 2) HT 4 - 1

Nomads 0 Cashmere Technical 7 (Aaron Clapman 3, Danny Boys 2 - incl pen, Shawn O'Brien 2 HT 0 - 2

and at half time Wesyern 1 (Alex Pak) Halswell 0

Congratulation's to Gareth on becoming the higest ever goal scorer in the MPL now on 82 moving ahead of Keith Grosvenor on 79.

Women's

University 9 (Anika Tiplady 4, Aimee Phillips 2, Gabrielle Brodie, Rachel Brodie, Holly Pascoe) HT 4 - 0

With Gareth Turnbull's hat-trick today now also the most hat-tricks in the MPL with 7.

Dan Ede scores for the Hawks to make it 1 - 1 with Western with 17 mins to play.

Alex Pak scores again to put Western back infront 2 - 1.

FT Western win 2 - 1.

Points: Technical 43, Western 32, Suburbs 28, Bays 26, Coastal 19, Halswell 13, Nomads 11, University 10.

Games next round: Bays vs. Suburbs, Halswell vs. Coastal and Western vs. Nomads. Tech vs. University postponed due to Chatham Cup.

If this Canterbury United Winter XI (Plus an All White) couldn't beat a Nomads side who have only 11 points from 16 games by 7-0 then something is wrong.. Men v Boys league.

Hopefully the Coastal Women's team gets a win today for another home final!  Might even cheer on Cash Tech for a double header.

Might do.

No score after 30 minutes.

Most people looking at Nomads/Uni as the relegation battle, but Halswell have to be careful not to get dragged into it too. Big game for them against Coastal next week, and Coastal at least moving in the right direction. A win at Halswell would make them safe I would say