To all our GV Suns players, parents, friends, sponsors and supporters. We hope you have a happy and safe Easter, and we look forward to getting back into the 2016 football season!
From GV Suns
Our co-tenants have agreed to allow us access to McEwen on Thursday night for a pre-easter training session. Starting time will be the same as for normal training nights. At this early stage of the season regular sessions where we can work on our team work as much as our individual skills are really important so please make the effort to come along.
From Wednesday 30 March, our training sessions will shift to Wednesdays and Fridays at McEwen. Same start and finish times.
No matter how good you are as a player, soccer is a team sport and your training sessions are vital to learning how to play as part of a team. If you can't make it please call your team manager to explain and see if you have missed any game day information.
Under 15s v Box Hill Rescheduled
7pm Wednesday 6 April at Wembley Park
FFV and both clubs have agreed to reschedule the Under 15s match that was postponed last weekend. The match will now be played at Box Hill at 7pm on Wednesday 6 April.
Shane and Troy will be in touch with the squad to confirm availability, transport and any other matters before the game.
The match is taking place during the school holidays so if anyone is in Melbourne and looking for some Wednesday night entertainment come on down to watch our Under 15s play.
Volunteers needed to video games
If you are a video expert or just an enthusiast we would love your help to video our games. Videos are a great way to help our players review, learn and improve their play and how they play as a team. If you have a video camera and can help out please talk with your team manager.
GV Suns players selected in 2016 FFV Country squads
This term several of our younger players have been back and forth to Darebin to participate in trials for the FFV Under 13 and Under 14 Country squads. Many of the rounds involved two hour sessions in sweltering heat - for the players and their parents!
The Country try outs are open to players from regional Victoria - which includes Geelong, Ballarat, Bendigo, Werribee, Melton and the Mornington Peninsula. After each round a smaller group was invited back to trial at the next session.
It has been terrific to see so many of our young players continue through the rounds. We had seven players - Stephan Pigatto, Billy Browne, Teng Kuol, Brandon Giaccherini, Josh Rachele, Luke Mitchell and James Nieuwenhuizen invited to trial as part of the final 32 for their age group. Congratulations to all the boys and to everyone who put themselves forward.
Last week the FFV announced the squad that will train as a group for the next few months before the final team is selected for the October competition in Coffs Harbour. The squads includes Stephan Pigatto in the Under 14 age group and Teng, Josh and James in the Under 13.
Armchair expert - the offside rule
Is it really that hard? Soccer isn't the only sport with an offside rule so why do soccer fans of all ages spend so much time debating or worse!
It all depends on where you are when the ball is played not when you receive the ball. So when the ball is played forward by your teammate you are NOT offside if
- you are on your side of the half way line
- the ball and at least two opposition players (can include goalkeeper) are inline with you or between you and the goal
- you are in an offside position, but not involved in the play
- you are not active in the play which means you aren't gaining an advantage by being offside and you aren't interfering with a play, or an opponent.
- you receive the ball directly from a goal kick, a throw-in or a corner kick.
Now you are an expert too, so how about volunteering to run the lines - with some mentoring from one of our regulars you can put your armchair expertise to great use.
Anything else you have always wanted to ask? Send us an email and we'll ask our resident experts to come up with an answer!
Get well Hamish!
Hamish Sweeney, our Under 15s player, broke his arm in two places during the game against Murray United. We wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the pitch as soon as the doctor gives the ok!
Weekend Game Wraps
Reno's Wrap
The junior results this weekend were overall rather disappointing. Our Under 12 group, very new to this type of pressure performed quite well. Hopefully it was a worthwhile learning experience for them. They continue to play a passing game even when under extreme pressure. This is great to see.
The U/13 group underachieved in their game. They found it very difficult to compete in one on one situations and did not put many combinations of passes together. Box Hill had no trouble passing the ball in triangles and finding space. When an opposing side does this with efficiency we need to get closer to our opponents when we don't have the ball and we need the desire to win 50/50 situations. This group of players needs to train hard, listen carefully to instructions and work on their passing game.
The U/14s were in a similar predicament for parts of their game. They struggled to play out from the back and were often pushed off the ball by their opponents. It is time to harden these groups up and give them the confidence to win the contest. At training we have covered the important role of the No 6 and 8 when we cannot find a wide option out from the back - we need to put this into play on game day.
Our under 16s and 18s were very competitive. They showed glimpses of good play. Effective passing and ball speed was lacking as was the ability to penetrate in the front third. These two groups are low on numbers and need everyone at the club to try to help them increase their squad lists. They are performing quite well in these circumstances. They too must listen to their coaches and look to improve on forward pressure.
Our Under 15 group will play their catch-up game in Box Hill on the 6 April. Kick-off is 7.00pm. Organisation for this game is underway.
While its not ideal in my new role, I will be away in America from Good Friday until 28 April as part of a trip that was planned well before I stepped into my current role. While I am away Shaban Mehmet and David Davkovski will be available to assist.
I wish everyone all the very best for Easter and the upcoming games. I ask all of our teams to work hard on the training track, listen to their coaches and give their all in games.
Cheers, Reno
Under 12s
Tommy Giuliani
Sunday saw our under 12s make their first road trip for the year to take on a powerful Box Hill United outfit. Our boys went down fighting in an entertaining high tempo game of football.
From the coaches perspective it was a much better indicator of this groups capabilities. As in week one our core skills - ball retention, movement with and without the ball and application to team tasks was excellent. There were lapses, evidenced by the two gifted goals conceded by errors but this errors are shared and embraced as learning opportunities in the group and not a time to scold players.
Again our willingness to press the opposition in high areas and recover possession quickly was commendable as was our ability to hold our defensive line and not collapse into our own penalty area under pressure was also pleasing. This has been a focus - to be aggressive and "stay on the front foot".
I was very satisfied the football on show. As ever it must "look like football", development and the equal opportunity to do so must take priority over a win in this phase. In saying that our boys deserved more today. I eagerly look forward to round 3.
Under 13s
Matt Lelliot
Sunday was definitely a learning curve for a lot of our U13 boys. The first away game for the season can be daunting and it looked it as a few of the young lads who shined last week fell into their shell a little bit in the first half.
During the week we focused on keeping a tight back 4 when we didn't have possession and for the most part they did this quite well, although it looked as if we'd forgotten what to do when we had the ball, giving it straight back to them every time we won it.
4-0 at half time I challenged the boys to show me that we could match it with Box Hill if we kept the ball. We showed them what we were capable of in the second half with some patient build up play and a few shots on goal and were unlucky to concede two soft ones trying to play out from the back.
Billy Browne and Loklan Humphries tried their hearts out all game and couldn't fault them at all. The boys are keen to put this one past them and cannot wait for the next round to get back to playing the type of football that was there in round one.
Under 14s
Nathan Saron & James Lelliot
In our training last week we worked on structured build up from the back and controlled possession in the mid 3rd. Once we move to the pitch the drills also expand to incorporate transition into the attacking 3rd.
On game day we started well with most tasks until the opposition stepped it up, the good thing was
we were still able to create 3 chances for goal under pressure.
At half time we asked for a harder press on opposition players and passing lanes, which the boys did well and this made Box Hill change their style of play to kicking the ball out and forcing long balls.
Moving ahead from this game, we need to believe that as a team we can keep our BPO pressure that we showed in the 2nd half for the full hour. The opposition is proving that's what is needed to get a result from the game.
Under 15s
Shaun Kane & Glen Wilson
Match was postponed so no report
Under 16s
Paul Nieuwenhuizen & Shaban Mehmet
Once again we went into a match with only eight under 16 squad members with three under 15s in the starting 11 and two under 14 players on the bench.
With the team tasks focused on what we worked on during training: getting numbers from defence to support the midfield when attacking and staying compact when defending. Against a well-organised and drilled team the players stuck to the team tasks throughout the game. Our defenders moved forward to support the midfield on a number of occasions and restricted our opponents to 2 goals with some organised defending.
Once again the benefit of the age groups all following the same training cycle showed with Jordan Leocata, Bowdie Chandler and Conor Dobson from the under 15s stepping up an age group and showing great composure and effort.
A big thanks to Fergus Wilson and Stefan Pigatto from the under 14s for stepping up and showing they do not look out of place. Due to their willingness we were able to provide the players the opportunity for a drink and to catch their breath.
Under 18s
Pat Kielty & Shaban Mehmet
Last week we worked on driving the ball forward from the defensive third, to the middle third and into the attacking third with the emphasis being on players moving into the next third providing and overload situation - so we have more players in the third than the opposition. On game day the boys put this into practice on several occasions and as a result our performance was much better than our previous game and against a much better team.
The first half ended scoreless but both teams had chances to score. The second half stated and again both teams matched each other however two silly errors resulted in two goals for the opposition. The GV Suns realised that but for the errors the game was very evenly matched which shows that we are improving.
The Box Hill team were definitely fitter than us and it was obvious they all trained together. It was another example of how important it is for all players to get along to training if they are to improve as individuals and as a team.
A big thanks to Alou Kuol, Thomas Corso and Willie Sauiluma for playing straight after their U16s game and a big thanks to Todd Wallace and Rocky Papalia for playing for us as the 20's had a bye. All five made a huge impact
Seniors - FFA Cup success continues
Our GV Suns Seniors played their first home FFA Cup match on Saturday night and defeated North Sunshine Eagles 3-0. Craig Carley 2, Anthony Giannopoulos 1 scored the goals that topped off a great result on our home pitch. Great work and good luck!
Make sure you visit the GV Suns Facebook to watch great video interviews and game highlights from our Seniors.
Results at a glance
GV Suns v Box Hill United
Under 12s 1 - 2
Under 13s 0 - 6
Under 14s 0 - 6
Under 15s postponed
Under 16s 1 - 2
Under 18s 0 - 2
Under 20s no game
GV Suns v North Sunshine Eagles
Seniors 3 - 0
Rules and codes for on and off the pitch
