demba

Yes, La Rocca was at training. Bart has him covered, substantially.

This man will be a Goliath for us at CB this season. I was at training this morning - he's strong, he's quick, he's imposing and he can play the ball with both feet. Looking forward to the partnership with Jako. Also, Mauk was a no show at training :|

Looks like we have snapped up a 25-year-old Dutch Defender from JVS' club. 16:51 – Swap to Dutch 16:51 - Bart Schenkeveld is likely to pursue his career in Australia. The 25-year-old defender did not form part of the selection of PEC Zwolle for the home game with Roda JC on Sunday because he is completing his transfer to Melbourne City. That confirms trainer John van 't Schip at De Stentor. "Bart was not in the selection because he is working on a foreign club. We give him the space to finish that transfer," said the training champion after the win. Feyenoord's former player still had a contract until 2018 at his club. Schenkeveld signed at PEC in the summer of 2015 and played 32 matches for De Blauwvingers.

Looks like we have snapped up a 25-year-old Dutch Defender from JVS' club. 16:51 – Swap to Dutch 16:51 - Bart Schenkeveld is likely to pursue his career in Australia. The 25-year-old defender did not form part of the selection of PEC Zwolle for the home game with Roda JC on Sunday because he is completing his transfer to Melbourne City. That confirms trainer John van 't Schip at De Stentor. "Bart was not in the selection because he is working on a foreign club. We give him the space to finish that transfer," said the training champion after the win. Feyenoord's former player still had a contract until 2018 at his club. Schenkeveld signed at PEC in the summer of 2015 and played 32 matches for De Blauwvingers.

If only...

Expect a player signing announcement either tonight or tomorrow at the jersey release. Heard it from the horses mouth. I'll be waiting for a green line too.

Love this photo. Interestingly I'm in it, I'm the guy with the Red beanie taking a photo of my cousin with Timmy!! #Funfact

JVS confirmed today at training that the last VISA spot would be used on a defensive minded player - deal should be done by months end.

Hello again, I've just written an article on Robbie Koren after watching him train this morning - Check out my thoughts. http://goo.gl/F5hCCl #MCFC

Awesome mate, tempted to head down. I went down on Friday, they don't care. JVS came up to me and had a chat so I think you'll be right to head down. I might even go again today to see how Koren goes.

Hello, Was down at Latrobe yesterday to watch City train, I've since written an article and posted some images of yesterdays events on my website. Check it out - http://goo.gl/qt15sU

Hearing reports that MCFC will be playing a pre season friendly against Hume City of the NPL Victoria in 2-3 weeks time in Broadmedows.

If true I think Damien Duff would be a decent signing.

Damien Duff to join Melbourne City after World Cup following end to Fulham career Damien Duff will move to the A-League this summer The 35-year-old left Fulham after five seasons at Craven Cottage Duff will be first major signing for newly-formed Melbourne City Former Ireland international was linked with a move to Bray Wanderers By COLIN YOUNG PUBLISHED: 09:00 AEST, 2 June 2014 | UPDATED: 09:01 AEST, 2 June 2014 0 View comments Former Republic of Ireland winger Damien Duff is poised to move to Australia and become the first major signing for the club bought by Manchester City’s owners. The 35-year-old, who announced his decision to quit relegated Fulham this week, will join the A-League after the World Cup Finals. He will become the first major signing for the newly-formed Melbourne City, who are hoping to change their name from Melbourne Heart in time for next season. City’s Abu Dhabi-based owners, who have also purchased sides in New York and Japan since acquiring Manchester City six years ago, are hoping to build a competitive side Down Under. Heart are currently bottom of the A-League. +2 Heading down under: Damien Duff will become the first major signing for Melbourne City Duff, capped 100 times by Ireland, had been linked with a return to his home country and a role with Bray Wanderers in the SSE Airtricity League. But he has turned his back on a potential return to the Premier League or any moves to clubs in Europe, or even a drop to the Championship with Fulham, to move Down Under. Duff will take a summer break with his family before moving to Melbourne for the second part of their season. He has had his pick of A-League sides, including Heart’s city rivals Melbourne Victory, Sydney FC and Perth Glory. City’s backers are prepared to match Duff’s wage demands. His decision to quit Europe for a lucrative move to Australia will still come as a surprise, even though he made just 11 league appearances last season. +2 New chapter: The 35-year-old brought an end to his five-year spell at Fulham and will head to the A-League Former Chelsea and Newcastle midfielder Duff left Craven Cottage after five years and nearly 200 games, following their relegation from the Premier League, and was looking for a new challenge. ‘It was time for everyone, for me and the club to part ways,’ he said. ‘It’s sad but that’s the way it is. ‘I’ve matured as a person and a player at Fulham. ‘Since I’ve been here I’ve got married, had two kids, so it has been a special time in my life and I stand by what I’ve said before that my most enjoyable time in football has been at Fulham.’ But Duff, who is signing an initial two-year deal, will be by far the biggest foreign star Melbourne has attracted since the A-League was founded 10 years ago. Former Liverpool midfielder Harry Kewell is currently playing for the club, who are managed by Dutch coach John van’t Schip Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2645590/Damien-Duff-join-Melbourne-City-World-Cup.html#ixzz33QytAdpZ Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

Hi guys I interviews JVS for a Uni assignment and this is what i conjured up.. There is a lot more info he gave me if you'd like i can post the Q&A. Van’t Schip looks to instil confidence in Heart The night before Melbourne Heart’s first win, coach John Van’t Schip opened up about his return to Heart and also explains why the clubs form hasn’t been up to standard. #MelbourneHeart #ALeague #FFA #Soccer #Football #JVS #Heartbelieve #Socceroos Returning coach John Van’t Schip has been handed a momentous task in taking control of Melbourne Heart. The Dutchman is taking control of a Heart side that is low on confidence and has not managed to win a single game in the first twelve rounds of the Hyundai A-League season. With confidence being the big issue at Heart, Van’t Schip is looking to change the way the club has been playing in order to regather that confidence. “I expect to change something’s within the team, first of all the way they play, they’ve been playing a little bit different since I left two years ago. I think that may have had to do with the results that were not coming, therefore confidence was gone and now I have to get that back”, stated Van’t Schip. Van’t Schip is looking to “find back a way that the confidence can grow”, believing that “the best way of course is getting a result. But you just can’t say of course we need to win, you have to build something and you have to have a fundament before you start getting more results.” Upon Van’t Schip’s return as coach he had only managed a draw and a loss in his two games. So before Friday nights encounter against the Newcastle Jets, Van’t Schip was still winless. But it’s evident in the two games that he’d managed; his game plan, which consisted of “keeping the ball more, more attacking and more pressing” football, had been coming along in patches. On Friday night against Newcastle, Heart recorded their first win in 11 months, to ensure they wouldn’t receive an unwanted record of 20 consecutive games without a win. In addition to that win 3-1 home win, it was the first time in 23 matches that Melbourne Heart had come from a goal down and won. Van’t Schip was eager and particularly spoke about how he was going to overcome this issue pre game. “When they [the players] fall behind there is the mental factor immediately, oh were losing and that is something you have to break through as you shouldn’t think about that.” Van’t Schip says. “You just have to focus on different things and I think that is… what I have to deal with, rather than the playing style, of course that is important as well but it is also getting into the heads of the players.” The boys in red and white also have a terrible record away from home, having not won outside of Victoria since their four-goal haul over Sydney FC back in December 2011. Van’t Schip believes though that also has to do with the players’ confidence. “If you can work on a few things then the confidence will grow, than in that the quality of the players can also grow... They [players] have to believe they can win games, instead of going onto the pitch and thinking lets hope we can come a draw or lets hope we don’t loose. That’s the culture you have to change, you have to just go out there and play and be confident and then you will also get an away win.” To get that elusive win you must have a little luck on your side, consequently we saw that with the result against Newcastle. Melbourne Heart were able to score a lucky goal, which deflected via a shot from winger Iain Ramsey. Manager Van’t Schip is also a strong believer on having the ability to create and influence your own luck. “If you play a certain way, a very attacking way of football, luck will always come to you and if you play very defensively the luck won’t come as often”, he says. In addition to getting the results, John believes that the confidence will grow if the players express themselves by taking the game on and show they have the qualities that made them become professional footballers. “You have to be creative and be free in the things that you are doing, within a certain discipline of course, that’s what I am trying to encourage”, asserted Van’t Schip. Melbourne Heart’s head coach also touched on Orlando Engelaar and Jonatan Germano as they return from lengthy injuries, stating with a smile “they will be like our recruitments for the coming games”. Marquee recruitment Engelaar made his first appearance at the weekend after breaking his leg in a pre-season friendly. Whilst Van’t Schip believes “the best position for him [Engelaar] would be the number 6 position”, whereas Germano is a more versatile player who “can play at right back, as well as all other positions in the midfield.” Melbourne Heart officials also confirmed on Friday night that they would be releasing striker Dylan Macallister from their playing list. Therefore with a free spot available and the January transfer window open, John Van’t Schip stated, “if we did get someone in, we wouldn’t wont them only for the remaining 12 games, but a player we can build on for one year or two years so it’s not going to be that easy.” There has also been a lot of speculation regarding Van’t Schip’s future and wether he’d stick around or head back home after his coaching stint with the club ends. Van’t Schip claimed, “that’s something we have to see for the future, at the moment I am happy to be here and to be here involved with Heart. I love the club, I love the people involved... I love Melbourne so all those things together made me make the decision to come back and try to help them.” Van’t Schip is aiming to leave a greater impression behind in his second stint in charge, hoping that the fans can understand and recognise that Heart “is playing a decent kind of football again”. Van’t Schip hopes that his Heart side can now play with possession and also create plenty of opportunities. Thus far, upon Van’t Schip’s return he has already managed four points from three games, something Melbourne Heart could only manage in twelve fixtures, under John Aloisi. As a Heart fan the signs are encouraging again under John Van’t Schip, although his record shows one win, one loss and one draw. Heart are playing entertaining football again, which we’ve seen will bring results.