City in the headlines

[Dylan]

I just wanted to know who actually listened to some decent music and not that hip hop dance crap :up:

Edited October 6, 2015 by Dylan

[Andrew Edmonds]

I just wanted to know who actually listened to some decent music and not that hip hop dance crap

me#iknowimnottheonlyone

[pattyd89]

Has City found its Heart?

Since being re-branded under new ownership in 2014, Melbourne City has been secure in it finances, but now it might have acquired something it couldn't buy; an identity.

By 

Stuart Randall

 

 

The list of players missing was impressive. Internationals Hughes, Franjic, Zullo. Seasoned campaigners Gameiro, Novillo and Williams. Prominent young guns Melling and Mauk. And yet for 45 minutes, it’s Melbourne’s Sky Blues who bossed Sydney’s version.

A goal on the stroke of half time changed the momentum, and swung the game back into the balance, but after a see-saw match, it’s fair to say that the latest incarnation of Melbourne’s second side, emerged with its reputation enhanced.

It’s been a long, and at times, bumpy road. A club that struggled for an identity, and a purpose, a club that tore up the plan and embraced global franchise, and the sudden expectations it brought. But a club that struggled with the sudden growing pains that came with the City group.

Off the pitch, City has forged an impressive path. State of the art training facility. Key back room appointments. Cutting edge technology and support.  On it, it has huffed and puffed, but finally the fruits of the labours may be appearing.

The starting line up on Saturday night contained three youngsters, Wade Dekker, Paulo Retre, Hernan Espindola, in the City system since 2013. On the bench a fourth, Stefan Zinni.  Watching elsewhere three more, in Ben Garuccio, Stefan Mauk, Marc Marino, all with sporadic game time over the past eighteen months.

Post-match van’t Schip said “….we know that for a whole season in the end we need all the players, the players have more experience and we got in to play regularly with our first team. But it’s great that we have those boys behind.”

So it’s clear that it’s necessity rather than choice for John van’t Schip to use the kids, but in the City squad, there is now a group of young players ready for the first team. 

Last season City won the NYL – Dekker topped the scoring charts, Espindola not far behind. Mauk has long been touted as a future star. Franjic is out for another two months, but Retre looks more than capable of filling his shoes, and if JVS takes off the shackles, Paulo will be a threat going forward.

City’s recruitment has come under fire, and you can certainly question the merit of using up visa spots on the likes of Aaron Hughes and Thomas Sorensen, regardless of the quality.  But you get the sense, that it’s part of a bigger picture.  Bring in the battle hardened, experienced guys.  Teach this talented group of kids senior football. Align that with the best facilities in the league, and some of the best sports science and City may have finally found a formula, not just for success, but for its very soul.

The question now is, can the kids stand up to the Melbourne Derby heat?

http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/blog/2015/10/13/has-city-found-its-heart

[n i k o]

 Before when we played young players we didn't have an identity now when we play young players we have an identity. Simple enough. 

[Thrillhouse]

not really anywhere for this to go, but 50 double passes to all home games except for derbies to be given away to herald sun subscribers, number could be increased
https://plusrewards.com.au/heraldsun/offer/593

[Dylan]

Melbourne Victory has the image, but Melbourne City redefining itself

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/aleague-melbourne-victory-has-the-image-but-melbourne-city-redefining-itself-20151015-gkahg7.html#ixzz3om2XWpGv 
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

 

For true derby rivalry to exist, a certain set of conditions must apply.

Both sides must have a hard core of committed, passionate fans. A few fanatics don't go astray either.

And they must be competitive on the field. It doesn't matter if one team is in the ascendancy for a while if the other club gets its chance at another time and takes it.

That's why Everton v Liverpool, Barcelona v Real Madrid  (although El Clasico is not a geographical derby), Rangers v Celtic (at least in the old days before the former's financial implosion and relegation), Manchesters United and City, Tottenham v Arsenal and Boca v River in Argentina, to name just a handful, all work so well.

And it also helps if both teams have a very defined identity. 

Political, regional and religious affiliations delineate the Rangers/Celtic and Real/Barca rivalries.. 

In the case of the English and Argentine clashes, cross-town politics and the sociology and culture of each team's locale (certainly when those clubs were in their formative years) all play their part in establishing the participants identity, and by extension that of their fans. 

The Melbourne derby meets several, though not all, of those criteria.

Melbourne Victory have far more fans than Melbourne City, but the latter do have a hard core of supporters who are beginning to slowly build the club's identity.

Both are certainly competitive on the field, especially in recent seasons. Victory won the premiership and championship double last year while City achieved their highest A-League finish - fourth - having lost the semi-final to Victory.

And there are signs that both are starting to develop a different off-field character as well.

Victory, as the first Melbourne club in the league, probably don't have to try too hard to differentiate themselves. They soaked up most of the audience that was available in the early years of the competition and with two championships in those first five seasons they consolidated their support.

Heart (as City was until they were bought by the City Football Group in early 2014) was up against it when they launched in the 2010-11 season and it is fair to say that they struggled to gain traction. Even though they appointed a European coach (John van 't Schip) and talked about being the team for purists they really didn't seem to have much of an identity other than the fact that they played in red and weren't Melbourne Victory.

But since the City takeover, things seem to be changing, and quickly.

The shift to a white-and-sky-blue shirt helped establish their corporate identity as part of the City Football Group and provided a fresh impetus to step out of Victory's shadow.

Not everyone was happy with the name change - Heart was beginning to get some stickiness - but in football terms City is a much stronger name, and it at least strongly aligns them to the metropolis where they are based.

The building of the City Football Academy in Melbourne's northern suburbs, close to its original Latrobe University base, has also helped City establish a character. 

For years their training facilities made them something of a joke, with players receiving physiotherapy and massages in a portable cabin and stepping into giant wheelie bins full of ice in lieu of ice baths. 

Now they have a state-of-the-art facility and corporate headquarters adjacent to the university, with whom they have always had close ties: in fact many of their administrative staff, particularly in the marketing and sponsorship areas, are alumni of Latrobe.

There also seems to be a marked shift in the branding of the club. Where initial attempts were to market Heart as the club for wannabe sophisticates, the current push is for it to position itself as the quintessentially Melbourne team, even if its rival was established earlier and also has Melbourne in its name.

The season launches by both clubs earlier this month were interesting in the divergent ways they appeal to their different supporter bases, the people whom they identify as potential fans and the images they wished to project.

Victory are the best-supported club in the league, the most profitable and the one with the biggest fan base, and carry themselves as a club that can operate at the big end of town. They are confident and authoritative - as shown by their ability to hire the Palladium room at Crown and get more than 1000 business and corporate supporters to write off a midweek day to attend a long lunch and the after-parties that follow.

City, in contrast, are seeking to present themselves as an edgier, more urban brand, a club more in touch with the street, youth and a hipper audience

They held their launch in the National Gallery of Victoria, and had catering handled not by a huge bulk supplier but by Shane Delia, the head chef and owner of Middle Eastern restaurant Maha, who is also fronting an SBS food program.

Where Victory had a comedian entertaining post-dinner guests, City merely offered canapes and small bites and had a street poet declaiming a hymn to Melbourne's virtues, a sort of rap artist without the music.

Some things, however, remain the same: no season launch is possible without a team line-up on stage and the cheesy pictures that go with it.

The feeling from the two approaches was that, for the first time City, in particular, may be establishing an identity for themselves that is not a reflection of their status in comparison with their longer-established, more successful neighbours.

Victory remain in the ascendancy: they have the numbers, the titles and the local corporate appeal, although City's wealthy foreign owners mean they are the best-resourced club in the A-League.

But City seem to be getting there, and quicker than many might have thought. But to really establish their identity they need to give fans the feeling that Victory supporters have got used to: the feeling of being a winner. That's why this Saturday's derby, as always, carries such resonance.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/aleague-melbourne-victory-has-the-image-but-melbourne-city-redefining-itself-20151015-gkahg7.html#ixzz3om2R5yAq 
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook

Basically. Victory is for all those cashed up bogans? Everyone get your beards and fixies ready

[Shahanga]

we are chasing the hipster market?  FFS.  Give me Bogans any day.

PS Victory aren't after Bogans, they are after the criminal market, from the young ones on the rise, to the well to do ones who have made it. 

[Deeming]

City, in contrast, are seeking to present themselves as an edgier, more urban brand, a club more in touch with the street, youth and a hipper audience

I'm out 

[Dylan]

we are chasing the hipster market?  FFS.  Give me Bogans any day.

PS Victory aren't after Bogans, they are after the criminal market, from the young ones on the rise, to the well to do ones who have made it. 

have you seen collimbaris? 

[SHERLOCK]

That's me out then, I need a club targeting idiots.

[Tonyboozeadams]

I'll be the hipster posterboy if the jobs going

[belaguttman]

That's me out then, I need a club targeting idiots.

Perth?

[Imperial Pints]

PS Victory aren't after Bogans, they are after the criminal market, from the young ones on the rise, to the well to do ones who have made it. 

They are chasing the entire population of Port Melbourne?

[Tommykins]

Basically. Victory is for all those cashed up bogans? Everyone get your beards and fixies ready

AT THE READY

[jw1739]

The club's community engagement and outreach program "City in the Community" was officially launched on Friday.

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/melbourne-city-fc-officially-launches-city-in-the-community/j4wth0yslzmc11emz151bca3g

Points perhaps of interest:

- three full-time members of club staff involved in the program;

- article mentions 'former Chairman and Life member Peter Sidwell.'

We are doing such a lot right off the field that it's such a shame we can't yet match it on the field.

 

[Heart of Melbourne]

Heard it all before. Fold the club. Victards got 25k tonight. 

[Shahanga]

The club's community engagement and outreach program "City in the Community" was officially launched on Friday.

http://www.melbournecityfc.com.au/article/melbourne-city-fc-officially-launches-city-in-the-community/j4wth0yslzmc11emz151bca3g

Points perhaps of interest:

- three full-time members of club staff involved in the program;

- article mentions 'former Chairman and Life member Peter Sidwell.'

We are doing such a lot right off the field that it's such a shame we can't yet match it on the field.

 

and Craig Ondarchie has done alright for himself too.  Prime Minister now apparently.

"Craig Ondarchie PM"

[Red or Dead]

Love the passion in this photo! ...and the fact that I can see more red than sky blue!  

This was on the a-league website! The Melburnians capo is front and centre of the video too  

Edited November 6, 2015 by Red or Dead

[Tony999]

More red then sky blue because supporters still have old supporter gear. Sky blue & white will eventually take over

[Red or Dead]

More red then sky blue because supporters still have old supporter gear. Sky blue & white will eventually take over

Wash your mouth out!

[Jestr]

More red then sky blue because supporters still have old supporter gear. Sky blue & white will eventually take over

you're dead to me

[Tony999]

Are we going to reignite the colours topic again? Seriously, who gives a toss about colours anymore. Just win me some silverware.

[Red or Dead]

you're dead to me

Only at home games (and all away games apart from Sydney FC). Mind you, at home games I alternate between my red Heart polo and last season's away top...I need to to stay alive!

Are we going to reignite the colours topic again? Seriously, who gives a toss about colours anymore. Just win me some silverware.

Yo Tony pick up the phone...Wassuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuup??? You can't reignite a topic which hasn't extinguished  

[Jestr]

Are we going to reignite the colours topic again? Seriously, who gives a toss about colours anymore. Just win me some silverware.

I'm not trying to reignite the color topic, I'm over it but no one can convince me to change my mind. 

I just know red is colour of passion while pale blue is something you'll put on the wall of your nursery when you bring your new born home. 

[Tonyboozeadams]

i still wear my season 2 home top

 

but that's cause I'm a povo cunt

Edited November 7, 2015 by Tonyboozeadams

[hakz7]

The two Heart/City jerseys I own, I had won from the club.

[gundam]

Sky Blue can get fucked IMO

[HEARTinator]

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/zut-alors--french-foreign-legion-leaving-their-mark-on-melbourne-20151218-glqwkw.html#ixzz3ufTTRTLB
 

French foreign legion leaving their mark on Melbourne
Date
December 18, 2015 - 3:35PM
Read later
 Michael Lynch

It's nowhere near the level that it has reached in the English game, where several clubs - notably Newcastle United and Arsenal - could, it sometimes seemed, put out an entire starting XI made up of Frenchmen.

But there is no doubt that quietly and with impressive effect, the Gallic influence on the Australian game is increasing.

While Brazilians are so often flavour of the month -  sometimes, it might appear, for no other reason than their place of birth - A-League recruiters are now becoming a bit smarter in the way they go about their business.

The success of Les Bleus at international level over the past three decades, allied to the excellent development system in France, means that French players are now on the radar when any club in any league looks to bolster their squad with some quality international additions.

Obviously the A-League cannot compete for the best French players: they will ply their trade in the big leagues of Europe.

But that doesn't mean that there are not some excellent men available from a lower tier, or experienced players who are reaching the veteran stage and fancy a sea change in the final years of their career.

Melbourne Victory won the A-League title last season with two such players, Matthieu Delpierre and French-born-and-raised Tunisian international Fahid Ben Khalfallah in their ranks.

Melbourne City made it to the semi-finals of the competition thanks to the efforts of a younger Frenchman in Harry Novillo, a  technically gifted attacker who came to Australia to reboot his career because things had not worked out quite how he had hoped in France.

Up in Sydney Graham Arnold also utilised the French connection, signing defender Jacques Faty and midfielder Mickael Tavares in the January transfer window. Their addition helped Sydney power to the grand final, where Victory's Gallic duo came out on top in the contest between the French foreign legionnaires.

Will France become a more popular source of A-League stars as a result?

Although it might be difficult for A-League clubs to compete on salary for many French players, it's hard to think that it won't, given the impact the quintet already here have had.

Melbourne Victory coach Kevin Muscat is a huge fan of his two French imports. Ben Khalfallah made an enormous impression in a short time as his vibrant attack and goals helped power Victory to the title, while Delpierre is, says Muscat, one of the best defenders he has ever seen.

"I learned about them through two separate contacts, ex-players I have played with.  You hear about things from research and meeting people, and then you ring someone else and get an opinion on them and it snowballs," Muscat said.

"Since we got these two there has been two or three other additions in the league. I just think that's what happens from time to time, if the market suggests that you are able to compete for these players. But there is still a very strong domestic market in France where there is a strong demand for good players."

Muscat was in no doubt about Delpierre's qualities. The Frenchman, who had been tipped off about Australia by teammate Tommy Oar when he played briefly with him at Dutch club FC Utrecht, has a terrific track record and captained German club Stuttgart to the Bundesliga title in 2007.

"His ability was never in any doubt, there was never a question about that after playing at the level he played for such a long time. Speaking to him quite a few times, just the way he handles himself and deals with situations, he was in my view the right person for what we needed," says Muscat.

"If you look at how he plays, he is so composed, first and foremost he is a good defender, but he is also so good with the ball.

"He has helped accelerate the development of our young players at the back, quite apart from what he has given us with his own performances. He has really helped the careers of Thomas Deng, Nick Ansell, Dylan Murnane, Jason Geria ...

"Fahid burst on to the scene. He gave us dynamism and a real attacking flair. What you see is what you get, he is a bundle of energy, he is someone who gave us another edge in that final third. He's got real fighting qualities too.

"That was the thing with both of them, they got here, and they prided themselves on coming and making a contribution. They bought into what we were trying to achieve as a club, in terms of the commitment to excellence and to winning games and trophies."

Novillo also made a big impression for Melbourne City when he arrived earlier this year as an injury replacement player, helping City reach the semi-finals.  As a result he was offered a permanent contract and is now an important part of John van 't Schip's attacking mix.

Brian Marwood is the man at Manchester City, the Melbourne club's parent, who is in overall charge of global player recruitment. He says that Novillo was brought to Melbourne City's attention by the City group's scouts in France.

Previously the A-League had not been top of mind for many French players, but City's Australian links meant it was a possible pathway for Novillo, who  had received an excellent soccer education - he had played for the French under-17 and under-19 teams - and had come through the ranks at top club Lyon before dropping down the divisions.

"He has come through a very good system at a good club and lots of players lose their way and need another chance," says Marwood.

"It's not uncommon anywhere in the world that those things happen, hopefully he has found a club that has a real warmth towards him and a coach that is working hard to improve him every day. 

"We have all seen the talent that he has and I think its down to him now about how he pushes on and develops his game and ultimately his career. We have given him a platform and he has to take that opportunity. He is an outstanding talent and when he is playing to the height of his ability he is as good as there is in the A-League."

Novillo believes that now word is getting out about Australia, other French players might be interested in coming.

"I think so, because we talk, people watch, people see. They know now that the league is a good league and I think more will come," he said.

"It's a really, really good championship, a good standard and it's going up every season. I thought it was going to be easy, but it is a really strong championship."

Delpierre also believes the standard is higher than some in Europe might imagine.

"It's very physical, every team is well prepared. I think we can compare with the second league in France and Germany. There are good games, and the league is still growing and improving a lot, I think."

__________________________________________________

 

Some interesting comments from Brian Marwood. The CFG connection has snared us Novillo and Fornaroli. As Marwood says, there are young players who for what ever reason don't quite make the grade early on but giving them a second chance in the A-league might just see them blossom. Good to see Harry loving his time here. It certainly shows on the pitch.

[HeartOfCity]

It's hard to imagine where aussie football sits in the big picture, we are so far away from Europe and really a good way to tell would be to play in those cup games that has all the champs playing and hold so high when they win (UEFA and EUROPA) but would also be nice to know when someone's blowing wind up ya skirt (which I think most foreigners do to be polite) personally I think we match up with the lower teams in the English Championship, not as many tricks and a basic way of playing.

[jw1739]

11 hours ago, HEARTinator said:

Some interesting comments from Brian Marwood. The CFG connection has snared us Novillo and Fornaroli. As Marwood says, there are young players who for what ever reason don't quite make the grade early on but giving them a second chance in the A-league might just see them blossom. Good to see Harry loving his time here. It certainly shows on the pitch.

Very interesting article. It's a bit like picking undervalued shares on the share market. I'm looking forward to us picking up more players into the future through the CFG scouting network.

[Dylan]

Where are all those people posting last season who were complaining we weren't using the scouting network?

 

FWIW I know a lot of commentators are saying Novillo is here to reboot his Euro career, but personally I don't think that's the case at all. I think Novillo loves being here because he is one of the faces of the club and in the top league of a country and on a good amount of money.

oh and I remember reading that we basically had a choice between that Dutch Wellington player who is always on the bench..powell I think and Novillo. I think it's safe to say we emphatically made the right choice.

Edited December 18, 2015 by Dylan

[belaguttman]

They stopped complaining when we started using the coaching network

[Dylan]

2 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

They stopped complaining when we started using the coaching network

Well they were complaining originally that it was worthless. I remember you were one of them

[belaguttman]

Yes, the scouting network was useless to us when we ween't using it effectively. Now we are using it effectively.

[jw1739]

25 minutes ago, belaguttman said:

Yes, the scouting network was useless to us when we ween't using it effectively. Now we are using it effectively.

Well, depends how we look at it. First, until the actual change of ownership in January 2014, CFG had only two clubs to worry about - Manchester City and a fledgling New York City (which wasn't going to start playing until 2015). Melbourne Heart was an entirely different kettle of fish, a functioning club in the middle of its fourth playing season. So the scouts in places such as France could not be expected to have players in their sights that might be suitable for Heart.
I also gained the distinct impression at the time (I emphasise - just my impression) that van 't Schip was determined to show who was in charge at Latrobe, and made a couple of re-signings for the 2014-15 season (Hoffman was one of them - can't remember the other) almost before the ink was dry on the change of ownership papers and certainly before Manchester had had time to assess what might be needed in the way of players.
The underwhelming performance of Robi Koren has also led to negative vibes about the scouting network.
I'm sure that since that time the balance of power between Latrobe and Manchester has been more finely tuned, the scouts now know what they are looking for, and that players such as Harry N. and Tuna are the result. 
Long may it continue.

[rass]

1 hour ago, Dylan said:

Where are all those people posting last season who were complaining we weren't using the scouting network?

... complaining about identity...

[NewConvert]

33 minutes ago, jw1739 said:

Well, depends how we look at it. First, until the actual change of ownership in January 2014, CFG had only two clubs to worry about - Manchester City and a fledgling New York City (which wasn't going to start playing until 2015). Melbourne Heart was an entirely different kettle of fish, a functioning club in the middle of its fourth playing season. So the scouts in places such as France could not be expected to have players in their sights that might be suitable for Heart.
I also gained the distinct impression at the time (I emphasise - just my impression) that van 't Schip was determined to show who was in charge at Latrobe, and made a couple of re-signings for the 2014-15 season (Hoffman was one of them - can't remember the other) almost before the ink was dry on the change of ownership papers and certainly before Manchester had had time to assess what might be needed in the way of players.
The underwhelming performance of Robi Koren has also led to negative vibes about the scouting network.
I'm sure that since that time the balance of power between Latrobe and Manchester has been more finely tuned, the scouts now know what they are looking for, and that players such as Harry N. and Tuna are the result. 
Long may it continue.

This is so true. However, as the club has become more embedded into the CFG network, they recognise better the type of player that the team requires. If Zullo does depart at season's end perhaps a visa LB should be considered. Note that I don't think that the LB merits a visa and Clisby is doing OK there I am really struggling to find another Australian A-League player that could slot in there. Maybe Behich may return.

[rass]

On Zullo, we know how this is a stepping stone for Europe for him. That's ok to think if he's actually playing, but he's lucky to have played 5 minutes so far.

So realistically, there's no chance he'll be euro bound next season with no football under his belt, unless something changes drastically from now.

If he still wants Europe, he'll need another season down here imo.

[Luke]

Yeah i don't think there's any danger of zullo leaving 

[jw1739]

12 minutes ago, Luke said:

Yeah i don't think there's any danger of zullo leaving 

If he's not going to play I'd rather he leave. We don't want another injury-riddled season do we?