Mainland Premier League (Part 2)

onion bags-nope no allegiance to Waimak anymore, do follow but not involved. I heard through a source timtam may coach uni mpl

onion bags this just gets better! But yeah sorry to poop on the party I ain't no coach that's for sure!

Heard tht rumour myself quite a while back from someone affiliated to Uni.

bumblee bee I'll say if you say

 We have descended to referring to people's weight now. Good job you are some kind of Adonis like figure with a sparkling personality I suppose. Must be tough being perfect  

What are we 10?

Sorry community.I've been on a bender, drinking since before Western kick off and just got home from town 7 hours ago. It was classic Coastal champagne showers last night after Coastal quiz night. Chubby Akpom  (who I don't think is a Coastal player) is on point. Many players from other clubs are loving this Coastal vibe and they are all welcome. It's not a coincidence that Tristian, Eddie, Zac, Pitts, Louie, Spain are ALL having their best season to date. Ryan Stanley electrifying the league and hopefully throw it in Techs face after not giving him opportunity to play up front with the loyalty he showed. Only the players in the dressing room really know Messiah football Intel and how fast he's developing. He's Def made mistakes. He admitted he got it wrong and lost the plot in two of the Tech games. Was talking to a player at the quiz going on about Messiahs half time talk yesterday that resulted in two quick fire goals. Thing I love the most when i talk to him about his relationship with other coaches is that he's supportive sharing video content and catch ups. Just Halswell and Tech seem to be the only clubs that try squash him now as he has earned respect but both of those clubs i think are coming to an end. Old English folk. When Coastal are at the top I cant see them taking the arrogant "I can do n say what I want" stance which we have seen the last 4 years. The community will be a better place for all. And we will invite challenges from other clubs. Not bully the league and give the MPL a bad name. I wonder what the referees think when they are told they are refeing Tech this week.... I'll be banging the Coastal drum so hard come Tech game. You may have $$ but we got Spirit, Smarts and more importantly  SUPPORT

A team is a reflection of their coach. 

HT Nelson Suburbs 1 (Ross McPhie) Universities 0

Suburbs now 2 - 0 up over Universities

Time almost up and Suburbs now leading Universities 3 - nil.

FT: Nelson Suburbs 4 (Ross McPhie, Ryan Stewart, Ben Wright, Tom Marston) Universities 0 HT 1 - 0

Update Table now Round 18 completed:

Interesting match up's in Round 19 in two weeks time with the big match up between Coastal and Technical which will have a big say in who wins the MPL with the relegation battle also may be decided with two bottom half clashes.

Coastal vs. Tech 

Bays vs. Suburbs 

Halswell VS. FC Twenty 

Western vs. Universities

From the Nelson Mail:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/nelson-mail/sport/82663151/...

From The Press:

https://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/82656256/ben...

Watched Ferrymead play yesterday. Best I've seen them all season. Defintely glimpses of the Bays team we've become so accustomed to over seasons gone by. Thought FC were poor. They offered very little going forward and looked awful at the back. Sounds like John Brown would've had his heart in his stomach for the last 10 minutes against halswell. Picking the mighty Hawks to stay up. Heard their new signings looked impressive and Uni again struggled today. Massive games next round. 

No changes in the order this week, although our leader takes a mini step forward. 

Next round is here: a combo of Chatham Cup, WPL and Championship.  

Aw82 how many points has uni picked up since beating tech?

I guess there goes my lead because I know absolutely nothing about any of the WPL and the Championship teams.

I as well as a few others I know totally agree about the 2 Uni lads. Both although having played NZ age group football are extremely average and I know Timtam aka Barraclough will disagree but it is what it is. One wonders if Joe Hall ex Uni had any influence on this decision. Let's wait to see if the plot thickens over the next few weeks.

Couldn't agree more about the uni lads. My guess is they won't get a minute for the dragons all season. 

2, from draws against Western and Halswell

if Uni beat Western they should be safe... With superior GD it forces Halswell to get 7 points from last three games. 

Yes if there is a winner between Western or Universities they would be safe and in a way a draw does not help the Hawks so the pressure is on them to get at least a point out of their game with FC as hard to see Halswell getting anything out of their trip to Suburbs on their present form.

This is like Last year when Halswell just managed to stay out of the bottom when scrapping it out with CHCH United.

Coastal Fans - which Coastal players do you think deserve to be in the Dragons? And all of them is not the answer i'm after. Be interesting to see who you think has put their hand up for selection.

I joined the train too late to make a fair judgement call.

I hear really good things about the German Dragons coach. We are lucky to have him. Looks like he dont have much to work with though.

There a certainly players at Coastal that are good enough. Im aware a few of them have turned Dragons down as their club football and having the summer to themselves of comes first. #lifestyle

Eddie, Tristian, Zac, Matt, Macca, Jacob, Shawn, Spain even Louie is starting to put his hand up again. oh man come to think of it, Id love to just see that Coastal team play in the national league haha individually they are good players but together they are great. Not quite sure about our new Fullback Jackson yet.... But I think hes been around the Canterbury environment and is motivated to play at the highest level possible. I got told Messiah didnt have a place for him in the reserve team a few years ago

Talk of Coastal going up north to play the big guns for pre season next year. Players will want to be available for that.

Not sure if ill get behind Dragons like I do Coastal. Maybe if there are Coastal players in the ranks I will. I miss half the season going overseas anyway

I always get behind the Dragons despite most of the team being from my nemesis

It's a great Sunday arvo in the sun with beers.  

Sean Liddicoat would be the pick of the bunch I reckon. I know he played for Hawkes Bay last year however we should snap him up seeing as he's in the city.

I think Sean L has been a great signing. Unfortunatly he will play for HBU in the summer.

I'd like to see progression from Youth Dragons to the main squad. Maybe Zac. 

Surely Aaron Spain I hope. 

bring on Saturday 13

Unfortunately 'almost' does not bring you any points.

Have a soft spot for the Halswell has they are my 'local' team and also played for them way, way back but the odds looked to be stacked against them this time. The Hawks have been finishing at the wrong end of the table in recent seasons, 5th on both 2012 and 2013, 6th in 2014 then 7th (2015) and currently in 8th place,.

Were one of the front runner's after they took out the old Canterbury League three years on the trot in from 1999 - 2001, prior to the MPL starting in 2002 and were runner ups in the first time seasons to Ferrymead Bays (2002) and Nomads the following season, missing out on the title by just a point. Won the English Cup in 2003, 2004 and 2011 and reached the semi-final of the Chatham Cup in 2005.

Looking at their stats shows things have been going backwards for awhile:

Here is the same stats for the other three 'ever present' MPL clubs, Ferrymead Bays, Nelson Suburbs and Western.