Mainland Premier League (Part 1)

Just checked the Companies Office website - Cashmere Technical Football Club Inc (an incorporated society) was registered on 14th February 2012. So, the merged club AGM may not be until late Jan/early Feb.

So, what have you heard Foal?

 I don't know, I was asking.

All RK's points are news to me as well, for instance I thought Waimak was going quite well, and from a purely selfish viewpoint it's good they can put sides into the Div 1 Juniors because we need more clubs of that standard through the grades, not less.

Ronaldoknow      " plus Rangiora riddled with expat poms "

Like to clarify this observation?  i.e.explain how this has impacted on the Waimak/Rangiora merger?

From my observation in the last couple of years, playing against Waimak at Kendall park is starkly different to playing Waimak at Manpower Oval. The Rangiora based team is loaded with poms. I actually laughed when I read that comment.

It wouldn't be much of an issue for Waimak to seperate would it? Apart from maybe the Div 1 side would likely be split in two..

I don't think CashmereTech or what ever it's title is will get the pick of the best under 17 year olds on that side of town.

Watch Halswell get the jump, kids [the elite ons] and parents will be falling over themselves come January to be out there.

There you are then, you all got the first snips on the YF web site. 

More to come.

Don't think it will bother C Tech either way. When you take a look at the map on the Mainland website it highlights the issue - why don't we all merge with Tech and be done with it? Can't honestly believe Mainland let the CTech merger go ahead in the first place. To me it looks like one club (CT on the map) now dominates approx 1/4 of the city.

 For me cashmere and united would've been the smarter merger - but thats another issue.

In saying that one of my local smaller clubs was saying that it's a shame quite a few of her local kids are being drawn to the bigger clubs due to the fact of what we can offer them.

I argued and realise that it is in the best interest of the individual kids that they come to best club due to what they offer.

But comparing that to what's happening in our schools nowadaze, is that what we want? 4 of 5 schools/clubs across town that rule the roost?

Looking at team numbers: Coastal, Bays, Tech, Halswell, FC, Nomads, Waimak, Selwyn/Rolleston. Thats plenty of options (all of the above have 50+ teams according to mainland) Throw in Western, the Uni Crew for seniors, Pap Redwood (who could really only merge with western or nomads due to geography), a burwood/parklands merge would give a big club, united (if they survive) as well as mid canty, amberley etc who cater for those outside the metro boundaries.

We have enough options. How clubs like St Albans with 9 teams in the whole club survive are beyond me.

When it gets to a north, south, east and west situation at club level then the concern is justified

 Every D1 grade has a minimum of 1 club providing 2 teams

Winter 2013 will extend this further , most D1 Junior grades will have 2 clubs providing 2 sides.

Of Gings list , I think Nomads cannot be counted on to provide anymore than 2 D1 sides. Which means we are reliant on both Selwyn and Waimak having a true D1 side in every grade. Potentially Parklands could provide 1 or 2 teams as well.

So if 8 team grade is the preferred option clearly we have the big clubs needing to provide 2 teams. I expect Chch Metro to be down to 5 clubs in the next 3 years.  It's implausible to run a club without driving it from the juniors.

Heard on the grapevine:

• After advertising for a new 1st team coach Wiamak have reappointed Gordon Fraser - the position description seemed to indicate change and perhaps greater ambition 
• Waimak are building an indoor facility at Maria Andrews to replace the clubrooms - indoor court, gym, offices, changing rooms - fantastic
• Chch United have appointed Jason McDowall as 1st team coach, with Gary Bint assisting. Jason coached the 2012 PDL team
• "Journeyman" youth coach Gareth Preston has resigned from yet another club. The former Cashmere, Coastal, Burnside and Halswell coach is apparently taking over the Womens first team at .... Halswell. Hopefully he'll see in the start of the new season this time
• No confirmation yet regarding Coastal's PDL coach...
• Look out for Cashmere Christchurch Woolston Technical Wanderers (Port Hills would have been so much easier) to claim an association with Burnley FC. Burnley have set up an 'Australasian' academy based in that football powerhouse of Perth, Western Australia. The Burnley Academy website claims "further centres are planned for Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, other Australian states and New Zealand". The 2 Burnley teams sent on a recent NZ tour (Chch and Auk) were pretty underwhelming but I'm sure Burnley  see plenty of opportunities to take cash from parents in this part of the world.
• Parklands aggressively targeting new players (girls) on the back of South Island tournaments
• Most clubs have 15th grade Nike Cup (sorry Manchester United Premier Cup) trials either underway or already selected and training; including FC20, Cashmere, Coastal, Halswell, Waimak. FC20 and Cashmere are overwhelming favourites having the vast majority of players from old Canterbury School of Football set up; but Nelson and Otago could be strong contenders if they "arrange" players to represent one club
• Looks like the Auckland City FC 17th grade Easter tournament has attracted interest from at least 4 Chch clubs 
• Likewise some interest in the Taupo 17th grade tournament later in April run by Premier Skills, who have links with West Brom
• FTC reviews and invitations/talent on locations/coach confirmations due pre Christmas
• competitions review will all need to be done and dusted by then too
• club AGMs happening as previously mentioned

That's one bloody big grapevine!

But no scandal or taking the piss, useless.

Fair call. Back to the subs bench for me. Lesson: take more piss! 

Now that's more like it :)

Gareth Preston is indeed taking over at Halswell. Strike that one of the rumour list. He seems pretty enthusiastic.

 Hi - New Here.  I hear that Rolleston/Ellesmere are looking to merge to become one single club.  That will probably form the Selwyn entity for certain (or some sort of club name that is different from the Rep sides).  That will probably fix the whole Rolleston/Selwyn issue. 

Also that if Prebbleton wanted to put in a Saturday team - that according to Mainlands rules that they are pretty much there.  Most of the boxes needed are pretty much there.  Also considering the way the population is moving due to quakes, kind of makes sense to look at areas that are going to grow quickly.

Have a guy at work likely to be coaching a PDL team next season and just work on a few things and want to know are their set fines for yellow and red cards.

Have a guy at work likely to be coaching a PDL team next season and just working on a few things and want to know are there set fines for yellow and red cards.

Hi Dragoon, yes merger meeting being held early December over Rolleston/Ellesmere/Selwyn. Apparently will set the issue in stone moving forwards. As a player no idea which way it will go, will read up on all the information and put my vote forwards however. No point doing nothing and then complaining 5 years down the track because my kids aren't being given the best possible help in their young careers. Whatever is decided will be it. Much prefer kicking a ball than the whole politics side of things

Saw this today - guessing someone has made a wee mistake and that the 8pm meeting should be new club CASHMERE Technical AGM. But maybe not; or Freudian slip...

Unconfirmed rumours:

 #1: Ceri Evans to Cashmere Technical for 2013. No real surprise, he and Danny H are pretty tight; and FTC finishes for his sons this year I think.

#2: Ceri to run the CT Academy. Hmm, Ceri has always coached his kids but not sure he'd have the time to coach others. The Academy will happen though, whether Ceri is involved or not.

#3: CT to advise players to skip FTC in favour of CT Academy. That's a biggie as current NZ Football 'rules' are that players not attending FTC are not eligible for selection for National Talent Centres.

#4: CT to be known as the CATS - Cashmere And Technical Soccer.

Which of these will happen I wonder; if any?

 #3.

I don't think clubs would actually do this. For sure certain parents may evaluate that the club program is 'better' than FTC for their child but can't see a blanket opt out decision being particularly smart. 

NZF will probably get to the point where some accreditation is sorted for entry to NTC for players external to FTC. I've not heard where this is up too, but National Age Group comp seems highly likely for 2013

#4

CATS... dear oh dear...

Re CATS is heard is was FACT - Football at Cashmere Trchnical, and that is a Fact

Any one on here form Western?

If so whats happening with the talk about you Junior section.

a) not having one

b) working with other Junior clubs in the area

c) something else

 no skinny from foal, aside from the general disillusionment from parents about the utter ineptness of the club. Don't know if I have heard anything positive re Western Juniors in last 3-4 seasons. It's sad to hear.

when I was a lad Western always had a D1 side in each grade it seemed. Now it's like D3/4 at best.

 Western were formed in 1913, probably before any of us were around.

Apparently not all the Chch clubs that were expected to go to the Auckland City National U17 Easter tournament are actually going. With guest player rule in place, expect a number of players to move for the opportunity to play in what looks to be shaping as a pretty big tourney.

Good to see a bit of fresh gossip doing the rounds.

FACT sounds almost as tacky as FC90210 - now that's a fact!

17s sounds like a good wee tournie. I'm picking FC & Tech to be sending teams up? Any news on who has registered? also, anyone got a link to it?

Nike cup - with a 3 year rule coming in will we see mass movements of players in 11s-13s to try get to the strongest club for it in the future?

My sources say PDL B = goneski, U/22s = no go. U/19s to replace U/18s or maybe come in after it.

Can see there being massive fighting from clubs like burwood, uni, pap redwood etc where most of their 'reserves' players (2012 PDL B) wont be U/19. Time for div 7 & 8 to come in? Will one of them push to replace chch united in PDL A? (arguing that their 'reserves' would be stronger than theirs)

Halswell are sending a team up for the U17 tourny. Didn't realise it was an Easter tournament though, that's ages away. In fact that's the weekend before the next football season starts..

Another good weekend on the national stage with Canterbury United crushing Waikato FC 5 - 0 and the Mainland Pride remaining undefeated in the Women's league when winning 2 - 1 over FootballSouth to earn a home semi in early December, both results were away.

MPL clubs are starting to tap up players for next season. 

I know of two clubs that have made contact with players at other clubs.

Last I heard under 22 league was a starter, has this changed? 

Burwood too small a club for Mainland to worry about what they need from PDL B.

 If Burwood lost a couple of players they wouldn't have a team anyway.

Yes for both and a small [$5] increase is expected for next season. Fines in Mainland region will still be a lot less than NZF state they should be at. Mailand fighting to keep them lower. Good on them for doing so.