It is that time of the year again, where we take stock of Sydney Olympic’s performances on the field so far this season. In an almost carbon copy of mid-way through last season, things are not looking all that great.
After 15 rounds last season, we were sitting in 8th, on 21 points. At the same point this time around, we are sitting in 9th, on 19 points. Two points and one position worse off than last year. Just not good enough for a club like Sydney Olympic.
Plenty of excuses have been thrown around, like the club is currently focusing on and preparing for the National 2nd Division, which is apparently supposed to begin in March 2025 and the other excuse, is that the team should be cut a little slack, due to its lack of experience and it being a young squad.
I’m not sure about preparing for the National 2nd Division as an excuse, so I’ll leave that alone, but as for the latter, I do not wholly buy it.
Yes the club has quite a few younger players this season, but that shouldn’t be used as an excuse. They are not 15 year-olds, they are in their 20’s.
But if we indulge the excuse for a minute, as well as those younger players, the club also has the likes of O’Donovan, Gordon, Parkhouse, Parsons, Timotheou, Burgess, McIllhatton all within their ranks, they are sufficiently experienced and should be good enough to guide the younger players through.
If being top of the table is too much of an ask right now, surely the players and the squad we have at our disposal, are better than 9th position?
In saying that, we have played well and showed promise in almost every match so far, but only in patches or for 30 minutes, matches go for 90, we need to remember that.
I think the most disappointing thing is, we have lost and dropped points to the bottom clubs and I don’t have any official statistics to back it up, but we have to be up there, as having conceded the most goals in the last 5 minutes of games.
Is that purely a concentration problem or a fitness one, or both?
It is not all doom and gloom, there have been a couple of stand-outs on the pitch so far this season.
Michael Vakis has been our best player by a long long way, it is not even close, this guy has a big future. A shout-out to Teng Kuol as well, who has been very good and is only getting better.
Other players have had their moments at different times, but all in all, most have been below par so far this season.
The overall point being made here, is that the team is performing way below to the talent that it has in its squad. Perhaps the coach is just not up to it, two seasons in and only a few people would argue against that assertion.
You never know when it comes to the NSW NPL competition, but we look like avoiding a relegation fight this time. Conversely, it is going to take some sort of miracle, to make the Top 6 and play Finals from here.
As a result, much attention will now be turned towards the Cup competitions, as at the time of writing this, we are still alive there. We need to throw everything into going as far as possible, in both the Waratah Cup and the Australia Cup.
We have been awful for a long time in the Cup competitions, maybe 2024 will be the year we do something.
To off-field matters now, another potential issue for the club long-term, is the confirmed fact, that Canterbury-Bankstown Council has voted in favour of and rubber-stamped, the beginning of work on the “Bulldogs Centre of Excellence”, which will see work begin sometime at the end of this year.
Meaning, that the entire Belmore Sports Ground precinct, will be out of action and a construction site, for a good 18 months, or for however long it takes them to finish.
Word is that Sydney Olympic will be based back at Kogarah Oval for season 2025, but beyond that, it is all up in the air. Nothing has been confirmed as yet, for beyond 2025.
When you see some of these park outfits and small teams, being given millions in funding for their grounds, facilities and other amenities, it makes you wonder why Sydney Olympic can’t get anything from anyone.
I am assured that the current Board are doing their best to find a solution, but once again, the amateurish inept jokers, who were in control and running the club in the 1960’s, 1970’s, 1980’s, 1990’s, even into the 2000’s, when land was more plentiful and cheaper, when crowds were good, when times were good, when merchandise was flying off the shelves and we were selling players to clubs in Europe, they did nothing to ensure the club put proper roots down anywhere.
In 2024, that task has almost become impossible, as there is far less land available in the parts of Sydney where we are suited to be, plus any land is now at ridiculous price levels. Given how many apparently, successful, well connected and wealthy Greeks there are in Sydney, maybe someone will come a long one day and save the day.
But don’t hold your breath.
Here’s to a much more successful second-half to the season.
