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Stefan Mauk


Deluka
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I think that one of the positives from this weeks game was seeing just how much Mauk can boss the midfield, and at such a young age. I daresay we got worse when he came off. He has such potential, and with City coming in he will be training in top notch facilities.

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What I really like about Mauk is how physically unexceptional he appears with his socks kinda down and shirt tucked into his pants. But he gets into the right positions and just reads the game well and provides lovely passes - and can shoot. Could become anything if he has the same determination as Harry to succeed.

Rui costa wanabe. But yeah he shows some promising glimpses, but ti suggest a top european club will be after him for he time being, at least, is ludicrous.

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Made every team of the week

 

 

Fox Sports Mark Bosnich's Team of the Week: "he was tremendous"

 

Goal.com TOTW: "promising young Melbourne Heart man Stefan Mauk, one of the stars of the show in that explosive draw at Coopers Stadium."

 

FFA Aidan Ormond's TOTW: "Instrumental in both goals and could’ve had one himself. Creative yet defensively sound. What a find he’s been. One for the future."

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Don't build up the lad too far and too quickly. We've had a number of youngsters who've looked very promising for a year or so and then ultimately haven't made it. We simply have to give young players better pathways to help them through the flat periods in their development, otherwise they simply drop out because of the number and salary caps, and the lack of decent football to play.

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Don't build up the lad too far and too quickly. We've had a number of youngsters who've looked very promising for a year or so and then ultimately haven't made it. We simply have to give young players better pathways to help them through the flat periods in their development, otherwise they simply drop out because of the number and salary caps, and the lack of decent football to play.

When you look from afar its hard to figure out why things happen and where they go wrong, but if you have a promising player in a good environment really he should go forward.  When he doesn't I tend to (rightly or wrongly) assume its the players fault.

 

A few areas where players can go wrong:

 

1. Believing all the clap trap people say/post/tweet whatever is career ending.  Still believe players should avoid all this (I know, "old school") so they don't get full of themselves.  the same bloke saying "you're a legend" will be calling you a "shitc#nt" in a few short weeks if you don't perform.

2.  Not listening when the veterans say "son, you have to work hard to get to the top, but you've got to work even harder to stay there"

3. Thinking you've already made it when you've barely got going.

 

Robbie Kruse, for one, was a bloke who got a lucky escape.  Talent and luck got him a few early goals and the kid thought he was a superstar with partying his priority.  Next thing that happened Roar were showing him the door because he'd gone backwards.  Lucky Merrick believed he could get him knuckled down and playing football.

 

We provide the right enviroment for Stefan and he keeps his feet on the ground and works like a dog, he'll be OK.  If he slacks off though he'll join the likes of Patafta, Sarkies and Walker.

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Don't build up the lad too far and too quickly. We've had a number of youngsters who've looked very promising for a year or so and then ultimately haven't made it. We simply have to give young players better pathways to help them through the flat periods in their development, otherwise they simply drop out because of the number and salary caps, and the lack of decent football to play.

When you look from afar its hard to figure out why things happen and where they go wrong, but if you have a promising player in a good environment really he should go forward.  When he doesn't I tend to (rightly or wrongly) assume its the players fault.

 

A few areas where players can go wrong:

 

1. Believing all the clap trap people say/post/tweet whatever is career ending.  Still believe players should avoid all this (I know, "old school") so they don't get full of themselves.  the same bloke saying "you're a legend" will be calling you a "shitc#nt" in a few short weeks if you don't perform.

2.  Not listening when the veterans say "son, you have to work hard to get to the top, but you've got to work even harder to stay there"

3. Thinking you've already made it when you've barely got going.

 

Robbie Kruse, for one, was a bloke who got a lucky escape.  Talent and luck got him a few early goals and the kid thought he was a superstar with partying his priority.  Next thing that happened Roar were showing him the door because he'd gone backwards.  Lucky Merrick believed he could get him knuckled down and playing football.

 

We provide the right enviroment for Stefan and he keeps his feet on the ground and works like a dog, he'll be OK.  If he slacks off though he'll join the likes of Patafta, Sarkies and Walker.

 

 

 

I agree with you in general, that it's often on the player, when the young player is at a good club and in a good environment, and they don't develop/improve as a footballer.

 

 

But I think there are exceptions, and they are not too infrequent. External factors that go against the careers of young players and stall, or even stop, them.

 

For instance, there are coaches. Adam Taggart scored on his debut start for Perth Glory in the 2010-2011 season under David Mitchell, but went on to play less than 300 minutes in that season and the 2011-2012 season (where Ian Ferguson was coach) combined. Now I'm not privy to how Taggart was training at Perth and so on, but this surely is an instance of coaches holding back a young talent (something that's said to have happened with multiple Perth young players. And Alistair Edwards showed that the club per se wasn't the problem, and that the coaches were most likely problem when it came to developing youngsters). John Aloisi could also be another example...

 

And then there's untimely injuries that set young players back, and sometimes seriously undermine their footballing careers (Kliment Taseski?). 

 

Other out-of-the-blue occurrences can happen, like a club going defunct or a club going through serious upheaval (Babalj at Red Star?), that can set young players back.

 

 

So sometimes circumstances can screw over players. But I agree that in general, if everything's normal, then it's on the player if their career doesn't advance.

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Now that MCFG own the Heart then the young players can see at what stage other players of the same age are at. In effect right now quite a few players are big fish in a small pond. Going to MCFG Academy even for a few weeks will let them know whether they have the dedication and talent to be bigger fish in a bigger pond.

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2.  Not listening when the veterans say "son, you have to work hard to get to the top, but you've got to work even harder to stay there"

What's wrong with this? 

 

Because they should listen! 

 

I've heard so many top sportsmen say this (eg Kepler Wessels, Craig McDermott, Dwight Yorke, David Beckham) but if the kid thinks its not true and he can rest on his laurels, he'll get a rude shock.

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2.  Not listening when the veterans say "son, you have to work hard to get to the top, but you've got to work even harder to stay there"

What's wrong with this? 

 

Because they should listen! 

 

I've heard so many top sportsmen say this (eg Kepler Wessels, Craig McDermott, Dwight Yorke, David Beckham) but if the kid thinks its not true and he can rest on his laurels, he'll get a rude shock.

 

Oh silly me. I think I have early onset of Alzheimer's. I thought you were saying they shouldn't listen to the veteran's. 

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The qualities he displays can't really be taught. What I like is:

*his positioning before he takes possession of the ball

*his ability to move past players with clever skilful movement and good ball control in tight spaces

*his developing ability to play the killer pass

*that if he takes the ball with time and space, he can act as a fulcrum and exchange passes with others whilst moving the ball forward dangerously

*his growing potential to ghost into goal scoring positions

Let's hope he is able to have a big preseason under the guidance of City's wealth of development resources and that he becomes a key player for us next season

MAUK = Masterful Ability Under Konstruction

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I don't get this fascination with Germano and Murdocca. Neither would make it on the field with any other club except perhaps Wellington.

 

Both are invaluable and both would get game time in any other team. 

 

...and i'm tipping that both will have a break-out season next season. 

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Might see the move of Germano out to right back, presuming that at least one of the marquee spots is going to be filled by a top quality midfield, its going to be very crowded in there.

no chance Hoffman will lose his spot unless he get injured and also probably offer a bit more in attack then hoff but I don't like he would be very solid defensively and also by having a pile of mids means payers actually have to play for their spot in the team week in and week out unlike what happened this season.

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Germano and Kisnorbo are the only players that have any mongrel in them. Love the way Germano gets under the opposition's skin. has been handy when he is on the pitch which unfortunately does not happen often enough due to injury.

And kisnorbo seems like the only player that gives a shit when we conceded a goal instead of everyone else who goes one the "if we lose we lose if we win we win" theory or just complain to the ref about THEIR own mistakes.

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I don't get this fascination with Germano and Murdocca. Neither would make it on the field with any other club except perhaps Wellington.

 

The same Murdocca who played regularly in arguably the best side to have played in the a-league? ie. Roar under AP. Murdocca was probably one of our most consistent players and does a decent job at being the link in midfield. The problem was the lack of genuine quality occurring in front of him most of the season. He was moving the ball forward at various stages to Williams, Kalmar, an injured Kewell or inexperienced Mauk as opposed to Broich, Berisha, McKay etc. Obviously someone of Engelaars ilk is a class above in that role but there are far worse players we could have than Murdocca.

 

As for Mauk he is developing nicely. Is starting to impose himself on football matches more which is key in his position. Early doors I was unsure on him as his positioning was quite often poor and seemed easily bullied. Towards the end of the season he was definitely finding his feet at the level with the extra minutes JVS put into him. Next two years will be massive in his development.

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I don't get this fascination with Germano and Murdocca. Neither would make it on the field with any other club except perhaps Wellington.

 

The same Murdocca who played regularly in arguably the best side to have played in the a-league? ie. Roar under AP. Murdocca was probably one of our most consistent players and does a decent job at being the link in midfield. The problem was the lack of genuine quality occurring in front of him most of the season. He was moving the ball forward at various stages to Williams, Kalmar, an injured Kewell or inexperienced Mauk as opposed to Broich, Berisha, McKay etc. Obviously someone of Engelaars ilk is a class above in that role but there are far worse players we could have than Murdocca.

 

As for Mauk he is developing nicely. Is starting to impose himself on football matches more which is key in his position. Early doors I was unsure on him as his positioning was quite often poor and seemed easily bullied. Towards the end of the season he was definitely finding his feet at the level with the extra minutes JVS put into him. Next two years will be massive in his development.

 

Murdocca's a strong squad player and was definitely one of our better players this season but that in itself doesn't really say all that much.

 

His energy and workrate is second to none and his ball control is excellent but I think his passing leaves a lot to be desired, he often turns himself into trouble and also has a tendency to lose the ball in crucial areas. I agree in the sense that he's definitely the type of player who would benefit from better quality players around him, but I don't think he's a starting XI player if we're to challenge for the title next season. 

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I don't get this fascination with Germano and Murdocca. Neither would make it on the field with any other club except perhaps Wellington.

 

The same Murdocca who played regularly in arguably the best side to have played in the a-league? ie. Roar under AP. Murdocca was probably one of our most consistent players and does a decent job at being the link in midfield. The problem was the lack of genuine quality occurring in front of him most of the season. He was moving the ball forward at various stages to Williams, Kalmar, an injured Kewell or inexperienced Mauk as opposed to Broich, Berisha, McKay etc. Obviously someone of Engelaars ilk is a class above in that role but there are far worse players we could have than Murdocca.

 

As for Mauk he is developing nicely. Is starting to impose himself on football matches more which is key in his position. Early doors I was unsure on him as his positioning was quite often poor and seemed easily bullied. Towards the end of the season he was definitely finding his feet at the level with the extra minutes JVS put into him. Next two years will be massive in his development.

 

Murdocca's a strong squad player and was definitely one of our better players this season but that in itself doesn't really say all that much.

 

His energy and workrate is second to none and his ball control is excellent but I think his passing leaves a lot to be desired, he often turns himself into trouble and also has a tendency to lose the ball in crucial areas. I agree in the sense that he's definitely the type of player who would benefit from better quality players around him, but I don't think he's a starting XI player if we're to challenge for the title next season. 

 

Just to continue on from Nate's point, the other thing that annoys me about murdocca is his constant reluctance to shoot. So many times last season he gets to the top or around the box, and either plays a pass down to one of the wings, or tries to put through a narrow ball into the box, which just isn't there. Obviously a good striker would help this, but whenever he would take the ball forward last season, the opposition would just sit off him. He needs to become a goal scoring threat otherwise, it may get too crowded in the box for our new striker to operate properly.

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I don't get this fascination with Germano and Murdocca. Neither would make it on the field with any other club except perhaps Wellington.

The same Murdocca who played regularly in arguably the best side to have played in the a-league? ie. Roar under AP. Murdocca was probably one of our most consistent players and does a decent job at being the link in midfield. The problem was the lack of genuine quality occurring in front of him most of the season. He was moving the ball forward at various stages to Williams, Kalmar, an injured Kewell or inexperienced Mauk as opposed to Broich, Berisha, McKay etc. Obviously someone of Engelaars ilk is a class above in that role but there are far worse players we could have than Murdocca.

As for Mauk he is developing nicely. Is starting to impose himself on football matches more which is key in his position. Early doors I was unsure on him as his positioning was quite often poor and seemed easily bullied. Towards the end of the season he was definitely finding his feet at the level with the extra minutes JVS put into him. Next two years will be massive in his development.

Murdocca's a strong squad player and was definitely one of our better players this season but that in itself doesn't really say all that much.

His energy and workrate is second to none and his ball control is excellent but I think his passing leaves a lot to be desired, he often turns himself into trouble and also has a tendency to lose the ball in crucial areas. I agree in the sense that he's definitely the type of player who would benefit from better quality players around him, but I don't think he's a starting XI player if we're to challenge for the title next season.

Just to continue on from Nate's point, the other thing that annoys me about murdocca is his constant reluctance to shoot. So many times last season he gets to the top or around the box, and either plays a pass down to one of the wings, or tries to put through a narrow ball into the box, which just isn't there. Obviously a good striker would help this, but whenever he would take the ball forward last season, the opposition would just sit off him. He needs to become a goal scoring threat otherwise, it may get too crowded in the box for our new striker to operate properly.

Yeah agreed but have you actually seen him shoot? About as much power as an 11 year old.

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  • 3 months later...
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Mauk scored a goal for the Young Socceroos in the AFC U-19 Championship, against Uzbekistan, and the game finished 1-1. Unfortunately Australia didn't advance out of the group (3 teams finished on 5 points, and Australia didn't advance on GD). Mauk scoring means he scored 33% of the Young Socceroos goals at the AFC U-19 Championship, as the Young Socceroos only scored 3 goals over their 3 group games.

 

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/article/young-socceroos-bow-out-of-afc-championships/5lb9rpeh0h6c1lkuq8927uyb9

 

 

He looked sharp from what I saw of him in the Young Socceroos. Shaping up for a good season, for a young footballer, IMO. 

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