Southern Football (incl Southern United) (Part 2)

I would be happy to see the wee Celtic man start at left back.

Not a fan of last weeks LFB he should have got better position on both the WaiBop goals.

Lesson One of Junior defending. Don't get beaten down the outside, force the player inside [more help defense there] normally it's on to his weaker foot. 

Lesson Two take a good look at the player you're marking as early as and watch his touch and ability on both feet you then know his weaker foot.

Lesson Three. Defending corners. Make sure a player is two metres ball side of the front post to stop driven low balls. Note; stand no more than one metre out from goal line allows you to attack any wider balls without putting in own net which could happen if you stand too far out and move towards the goal line.

Player on both posts and stay parallel to the line, the player on near post stands with toes on the goal line no further forward, this gives you a fraction more time to to adjust and [stops what happened last Sunday] gives cover behind the GK not getting in the way in front of.

All stuff that kids get taught at junior level. Don't expect an ASB Prem coach should need to coach this basic stuff. Easy to teach good help defense, reading of a game you have or you don't but basics should be known . 

Good luck for the Wellington game whoever gets on the pitch.

Watched the youth team today and Caversham have got a real player on their hands in Ryan Fleming, two great goals from a great player

The kid looked alright with a couple decent finishes but his game just looks like 'kick and run'. And don't remember him completing a single pass - ball security not good enough. Also he managed more offsides than goals scored from both teams in the entire game! If you ask me, what use is that??

Can't be that hard on him! Offsides don't mean much, if any thing just shows how hungry he was to get on the end of ball and make an impact on the game! Which obviously he did by scoring 2 and winning the game for S.U. Not to mention I overheard that some of the Waitak lads were giving him shark and what a great way to bounce back.  I feel the boy shows real ticker! Needs a start...

Comical defending once again on the highlights against Wellington.

Anyone see that article on Caversham in the ODT yesterday , I'm not that impressed with Steve Fleming on this one , Moving away from Tonga park unbelievable !! , he may as well have said we will look a joining Dunedin Tech as they have a good roof over their head.

Ferg & Redwood have left the squad i believe

Maybe if Cavy had more of a club than just the top two teams they might be able to afford a new roof. The clubroom's atmosphere must be the worst in town!

behind Varsity and northern. lucky they don't have to pay to win trophies  

Caversham won Division 3 making it 3 of the 5 senior men's competitions Tekkers.

Acknowledged. The financial troubles discussd though might have something to do with there only being 4 teams in the whole club

I assume you're his mother?

His stupidity and arrogance continually staggers me. Pay players, don't bother having them pay subs, alienate lower grade teams, then find grants dry up, and then wonder why the club is going broke. Mind boggling stuff.

Looks like reality, neither of them in the squad today against Canterbury

Reality, Ferg quit & Redwood was let go for being an idiot

Southern to end the season on 3 points?

I would like to see young Mitchell Carter getting a run for the men's now that Ferg and Redwood have both made an exit from the squad 

So here we are.

Going into the second half of the season after only collecting 3 points in 6 games. Southern have now lost captain Matt Joy and winger Tim McLennan through various other commitments. God only knows where the goals will come from without a genuine striker who can find the back of the net. I understand Southern have had some narrow results through the first 6 games but eventually collapsing in the last 10-20 minutes through it seems a lack of a strong/winning mentality. 

A lot of pressure on coach Fridge to find some half decent quality over the holiday break but I can't see it happening. Not even Tom Jackson could pull them out of this mess. I do like to stay positive as much as possible and obviously I support Southern United but radical changes need to happen at this franchise before it becomes a bigger mess. Year after year securing a bottom place spot or fighting for second bottom is what Southern are content with. I whole restructuring programme needs to take place from the players, coaching staff and organisational stand point. The way it's going Southern United may not exist in a couple years time, with no higher level football than the poor club standard down here and that would be a catastrophe.  

So I say this, Southern please start picking up some points and playing the hard determined football that any bottom place team is capable of. 

Is youth the answer? With the very successful youth season over their best have joined the men's team in Josh, Hamish, Lewis, Ben Kiore and O'Farrell. I genuinely believe these five could provide some form of answer. Certainly don't play them all together but Ben Kiore and Lewis Jackson have certainly got goals in them- maybe not as many as at youth level but why not give it a try? Hamish is the best centre midfielder in Dunedin bar none, Ben O'Farrell is nippy, good vision with excellent feet, he does play worse against physical players though so maybe off the bench he'd be better and Josh is very talented- he could go all the way. I think that all of the players should be given a go, not together like I said, cause it is a physical league and they are all young but need to be tried.

Hamish is the best centre midfielder in Dunedin bar none. It only took a week and we already have the stupidest post of the year. 

Agree Pump they could be somewhat of an answer. The youth team did very well and have a handful of good players but the step up from youth to national league is massive and I think they would struggle. In saying that I would love to be proved wrong and good to see Fridge including those boys named. Centre mid? Really? You sounded like you were making a bit of sense until that one popped up

so Cavie are poked?

Jack Caunter  wow

O'Brien FYI, one of the top players in the MPL for Cashmere Tech the last couple of seasons as well as a Canterbuty United player.

I don't know why he's not in the Dragons squad this season.

Having watched the Auckland City game Southern still need a replacement for Matt Joy and the two new boys are not that.

Some of the SU boys had good games but still need a better ball holding/playing centre mid and hope O'Brien can help fill that hole. 

Josh to get a run in goal on Thursday v Waibop after Batty letting in those 3 goals. 

Not a National league player

Re O'Brien - understand he wanted to have a break from the ASB this summer so was never considered by CU, also is no longer playing for Cashmere Technical as has transferred to Coastal Spirit. Was Tech's top scorer in 2014 with 16 goals which saw him win the Mainland Golden Boot with only 3 goals in 2015 with injury seeing him not in Tech's starting 11 too often.

Bit of drama out on the plains already with wee randy TK cutting young Keegan Taig's lunch

WaiBop this Thursday I think we have a no chance, they weren't that good down here, but they still beat us 3-0

Men’s pre-season training 2016

Pre-season training for all Dunedin Technical Senior Men commences on Tuesday 19th of January. This training is to be held at De Carle Park starting at 6pm. Previous, current or intending players are cordially invited to attend.

Have been in contact with head coaches from Green Island, Northern and Grants Braes and they are all very keen on signing Ryan Fleming on the back of an excellent end to the youth team season. Rumour has it, it'll only take a new pair of adidas, shirt with his name on it and a pack of darts.

They might need to supply him a bed for his final year at Kings while they are there.

Have heard southern are looking at a forward from Canterbury squad to help boost there attack anyone else heard this

Why when they have Lewis Jackson?