tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-77575930041599228872024-03-18T14:03:44.423+11:00Sydney Olympic SupportersA Sydney Olympic Football Club BlogChris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.comBlogger160125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-70992968803682440252023-08-31T17:48:00.001+10:002023-08-31T17:48:32.247+10:00SYDNEY OLYMPIC – SEASON REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">The 2023 season, started off with such promise
and optimism and why not, it should be like that at the start of every year.
But especially, since Sydney Olympic were the defending Minor Premiers from
season 2022, it was only natural for the supporters to think that we would be
right in the mix to win more silverware again this season.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
<br />
How wrong we were.<br />
<br />
As it turned out, we bombed spectacularly.<br />
<br />
It all looked positive, as we raced out to 3 straight League victories to begin
the season, beating Sutherland 3-0 at home at Belmore, then beating Manly and
Sydney FC 3-1 and 3-2 respectively, away from home. We were sitting top of the
table after 3 rounds.<br />
<br />
From that exciting and promising start, we would only win 3 of our next 17
League matches, as we lost 9 of those and drew the other 5.<br />
<br />
That run of form in the past would have seen certain people given their
marching orders. How times change.<br />
<br />
Our season was well and truly over by round 20, we managed to show some
character and some improvement at the back end of the season, as in our last 10
League matches, we won 4, drew 4 and lost 2.<br />
<br />
Our overall season record after the 30 rounds was, 10 wins, 9 draws and 11
losses, finishing the League season in 9<sup>th</sup> spot. A major
disappointment.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2vLYI9e17G92PxSbZw5_Xnpii-G__0QF5smxvrtQUtFLWZrcU5sNk-9tRbPzRMGGfftgVTXZ3qHffJ9v5nLFy16D5DlA_Gqd5q76-_4X-HDahKCDMQ4EnIebPlP4IgJx1Jc-rk4QPdWuIGexI6FPLgxYtq4tSvy2kceXVXqolLhmOchcaZnZj2O--7Xb/s1500/z%20npl%2023.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1500" data-original-width="1270" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ2vLYI9e17G92PxSbZw5_Xnpii-G__0QF5smxvrtQUtFLWZrcU5sNk-9tRbPzRMGGfftgVTXZ3qHffJ9v5nLFy16D5DlA_Gqd5q76-_4X-HDahKCDMQ4EnIebPlP4IgJx1Jc-rk4QPdWuIGexI6FPLgxYtq4tSvy2kceXVXqolLhmOchcaZnZj2O--7Xb/w542-h640/z%20npl%2023.png" width="542" /></a><br />
<br />
Our attack was ranked 8<sup>th</sup> out of 16 and our defense was ranked 11<sup>th</sup>
out of 16.<br />
<br />
Having lost our entire backline and not being able to stick to the 1 goalkeeper
for most of the year, hampered our season defensively, we were poor for most of
the season in that department.<br />
<br />
Up front it was slightly more positive, we actually had a good spread of goal
scorers throughout the season, but we could never hold onto a lead and we would
always concede at the worst times.<br />
<br />
Despite the shocking form in the League, we could at least hold on to the fact
that we were having a relatively good Cup run. Beating Blacktown 3-1, then
Marconi 2-1 and South Coast Flame 3-0, before being knocked out by APIA at the
Quarter-Final stage, which also meant we were knocked out of Qualifying for the
Australia Cup Round of 32.<br />
<br />
Our FFA Cup/Australia Cup performances since the competition’s inception in
2014, have been very poor.<br />
<br />
When it comes to the NSW Waratah Cup, we have been irrelevant in that
competition for some time, having not made a Final for 15 years and not won a
State Cup since 1980.<br />
<br />
Disappointing for a club, which prided itself for many decades, on having great
runs in Cup competitions.<br />
<br />
As much as the season was majorly disappointing, there were some bright spots.<br />
<br />
A few younger players came in to the side during the season and took their
opportunities in First Grade, these are the types of players the club needs to
retain long term. Not bring in overhyped and overpriced a-league rejects.<br />
<br />
The fact of the matter is, there are a few players at the club, who are simply
not good enough to play for Sydney Olympic. There needs to be clean out. First priority
should be to sign some capable defenders.<br />
<br />
Regarding the National 2<sup>nd</sup> Division. Recently, Sydney Olympic as
well as a few other clubs, announced their intentions to continue the process of
application, to be involved in the supposed National 2<sup>nd</sup> Division,
the club’s official statement was:<br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="background: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">“We are delighted to inform our supporters and
the public that our application for the National Second Tier has been
officially submitted to Football Australia during the Request For Proposal
phase. The next step involves Football Australia and its expert advisors
conducting a thorough evaluation to determine the clubs that will be granted
licenses for the National Second Tier. We eagerly await the outcome of this
process as we continue our commitment to advancing football excellence.”</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br />
<br />
There is no transparency on what is being asked of clubs to commit to; to be
part of this National 2<sup>nd</sup> Division and no one knows when exactly it
is supposed to start. <br />
<br />
This is not a criticism of the Board, but I wouldn’t trust Football Australia
and their puppets at Football NSW to take out my weekly garbage, let alone to
run a proper football competition.<br />
<br />
Call me a cynic or a pessimist or whatever, but I personally have my
reservations if this is the right move for the club or if the whole thing will
even get off the ground.<br />
<br />
I can’t imagine the corrupt fools running the sport in Australia given their
history, would be that eager to see a Championship with the likes of Sydney
Olympic, South Melbourne, Marconi, Melbourne Knights, Sydney United,
Heidelberg, Adelaide City, APIA Leichhardt.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, would any acceptance into this National 2<sup>nd</sup> Division
mean we would have to be forced to change or do certain things – the club’s
identity for instance? Would we field 2 sides, 1 in the NSW NPL and the other
in this National 2nd Division? How much is the club paying for one of these
participation licenses?<br />
<br />
Many questions remain about the whole endeavour and we wait to see whether
Football Australia answers any of them.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the warmer months coming up and the off-season and keep an eye out for
any further developments regarding Sydney Olympic.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> </span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-59307434306381886132023-06-05T11:51:00.000+10:002023-06-05T11:51:48.768+10:00SYDNEY OLYMPIC – THE SEASON SO FAR<p><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">I was very tempted to write a mid-season review,
given our pathetic run of results, but I thought better of it as one, it would
be very emotion laden and two, I wanted to wait to see what would happen in the
Cup.</span></p><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
<br />
Now that we’ve been knocked out of both Cup competitions, our results in the
League have continued to be abysmal and that the season for us is essentially now
over, I thought I would give a few thoughts on how the season has panned out
and about a few other important issues.<br />
<br />
Firstly, going from being Minor Premiers in 2022, to currently sitting in 11<sup>th</sup>
place and dropping further as every week passes in 2023 is a scandal. It is, a
pitiful and wholly unnecessary fall from grace, for our Sydney Olympic. We all
of the sudden can’t seem to win games anymore and for anyone still in denial,
we are in a relegation dog fight.<br />
<br />
We have won 3 of our last 15 matches in the League. That is unacceptable.<br />
<br />
We let our coach from last season go, a club legend at that, who we finished 1<sup>st</sup>
with, with no explanation given as to why, we then allowed some of our best
players to leave and have compounded that, with bringing in an inexperienced
and unproven coach, some terrible signings and overpaid uncommitted veteran
class hacks, who have failed everywhere they’ve been and now at Sydney Olympic.<br />
<br />
This season on the field has been an absolute disaster and the way it is going,
there is plenty of time left for it to get even worse still. This club can
genuinely be in NSW NPL 2 in 2024.<br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Also,
refusing to post the full time scores when we lose, in fear of having to see
some negative comments and feedback is amateur hour at its finest. Then throw
in the blocking and banning of supporters on social media, as well as deleting
and closing comments from social media. How about we block some of those spam
and scam betting link comments instead?<br />
<br />
I am not really a big social media person either, but even I understand the
importance of engagement and keeping a presence on these things. Even that is
poor to non-existent. Whether anyone likes it or not, social media engagement
is huge and we have close to none.<br />
<br />
The last saving grace for the club for season 2023 was our Cup run, which is
also now no more. We have not made a Waratah Cup Final now since 2008 and it is
a mere 3 Australia Cup main Round of 32 draw appearances in 10 years, that’s
not good enough. Especially when you consider, that since the re-inception of
the National Cup, the club made it very clear how important of a priority it
apparently was, for the club to be seen back on the National stage. That’s been
a big fail.</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br />
<br />
</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Why
are we also playing the majority of our home matches on Saturday Nights now?
Where was the research done, that showed and said that the fans wanted to ditch
Sunday Afternoons? Or is that decision purely at the behest of the Bulldogs?<br />
<br />
This next matter is not the issue of the century, but points to the decline of
and issues at the club and you would be surprised, with how many fans are
fuming at the club getting rid of the long time gear steward. What advantage did
that have, who did that help? Other than pissing a lot of people off, what did
that move gain the club, what was the benefit from that?<br />
<br />
Next is possibly the biggest and most important decision the club will have had
to make in the last 20 years, and that is this National 2<sup>nd</sup> division
business.<br />
<br />
There is no news out there other than dribs and drabs, about how it would all
work, how much it is going to cost and what are the supposed parameters that
need to be met to be part of it. It is all very secretive and I personally am
wary of the whole thing. Especially as I keep reading, that this National 2<sup>nd</sup>
division will have no direct promotion and relegation with the a-league. What
is the whole point of it then? <br />
<br />
Additionally, I’d be forgetting about any so called fantasies about a National
2nd Division and start worrying about not dropping this club into NPL 2. Do
people think that this is being melodramatic and that it’s not going to happen?
Or we’re too big to be relegated? Ask Marconi about that attitude.<br />
<br />
One issue that is flying under the radar a little bit, is this supposed “centre
of excellence” that the Bulldogs have been given funding for and been given the
green light to build at Belmore Sports Ground. Are we, as in Sydney Olympic,
not still co-tenants? And what does this supposed “centre of excellence”, mean
for Sydney Olympic? I have heard nothing about how the whole endeavour will impact
the club.<br />
<br />
The President, Damon has proven his commitment for years now and has earned and
should have earned everyone’s respect by now, especially after everything he
has done during his tenure, not to mention hauling the club out of severe
trouble following the Papas fiasco and he is a busy man, but I would urge him
to be more alert about some of the things that are going on at the club. <br />
<br />
There are too many people at the club making decisions that know very little,
that do not care about the club, who do nothing and think too highly of
themselves. How many there, know anything about the club or its history, or
even a general knowledge of the club?<br />
<br />
Finally given all these issues and the calamitous decisions and the fall of the
club in recent times, the club wisely or not, has decided to hold a Supporters
Forum. This will not be an AGM and will be open to anyone and everyone to
attend.<br />
<br />
Any supporter and follower of the club, whether you attend regularly or haven’t
been to a match in years are encouraged to attend. To ask the hard questions about
any of the top issues I have already mentioned, or anything else that you feel
is important.<br />
<br />
This is a critical time in the clubs history, we need all supporters that care
for this club, its past, present and future to show up and speak out, given
where we are currently both on and off the field and the challenges that confront
us.<br />
<br />
The Supporters Forum will be on Tuesday June 27. The venue in typical club fashion,
is unknown as yet. But when it is known, you will all know.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-45619202467066675342022-08-25T18:52:00.000+10:002022-08-25T18:52:21.032+10:00SYDNEY OLYMPIC – SEASON REVIEW<p><span style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;">It has been an eventful 2022 for Sydney Olympic,
both on and off the field. After all the smears and rumours of the club’s alleged
imminent demise and the connected attacks by various individuals which included
the so called news media (proper journalism died a long time ago), following
Bill Papas’ departure from the club and everything that surrounded that story,
Damon and the new board have done extremely well to right the Sydney Olympic
ship and plot a course towards stability and a bright future for the club.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
With that being said, I’m quite sure not many people would have pencilled in
the club to claim the Minor Premiership this season, a truly Herculean effort
which necessitated the defeat of the League Leaders at the time Blacktown City on
the final day of the season, as well as hoping Manly didn’t thrash Rockdale too
badly, an achievement every bit as dramatic as our Minor Premiership triumph of
2018.<br />
<br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">The
achievement is even more remarkable, given the heavy reliance and lone wolf
display of Roy O’Donovan’s 23 goals this season, emphasizing the point, the
next best for the club this year, was Darcy Burgess with 5 goals.<br />
<br />
Throw in also, that between rounds 15 and 19, we only won once in those 5
matches, plus we lost our 1<sup>st</sup> choice goalkeeper Nick Sorras, for the
final 2 months of the season with injury.<br />
<br />
Given the various near misses throughout Sydney Olympic’s history, freak events
and acts of sorcery, which have seen the club miss out on numerous other
honours down the years, to get one back this way, is well deserved and about
time something went our way.<br />
<br />
When it came Finals time though, the good luck, fortune, serendipity call it
what you like, deserted us.<br />
<br />
Losing the Major Semi-Final in week 2 to Manly after a 1-1 draw after
extra-time, before losing 4-3 on penalties. The following week, in the
Preliminary Final against Blacktown City, a similar story developed, the match
finished 1-1 after extra-time, before going down on penalties again 5-4.<br />
<br />
In both Finals, Sydney Olympic should have wrapped up both matches inside the
90 minutes, which if we had done so against Manly, it would have put us
straight through to the Grand Final and there would have been no reason to even
go to a Preliminary Final. But it is what it is, that’s football as they say.<br />
<br />
In terms of the FFA Cup (renamed Australia Cup now) which also doubles up as
NSW Waratah Cup ties, it was a very poor display. Sydney Olympic was eliminated
in the 4<sup>th</sup> Round (the first round where NPL 1 clubs enter the Cup),
a shocking loss to lowly St George City, the match finished 1-1 after extra-time,
where we then proceeded to lose 4-2 on penalties.<br />
<br />
3 penalty shoot-out losses in 1 season, that must be some sort of record?<br />
<br />
As for the coach, club legend Ante Juric, he leaves Sydney Olympic to take up
other opportunities elsewhere but will always have on his coaching resume,
Minor Premiership success with the club, which he had also done as a player in
the NSL in 2002/03.<br />
<br />
Some of his moves and decisions throughout the season, drew the ire of Sydney
Olympic supporters and many will point to our 2 defeats in the Finals, as
justification for that displeasure.<br />
<br />
As for who will replace Ante Juric in the dugout for Sydney Olympic in 2023, I
am told that it is all but done and just waiting to be announced.<br />
<br />
Obviously with that being said and until a new coach arrives, it is difficult
to ascertain which players will be re-signed, which players will be chased to
join the club and who of the current squad will be let go.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br />
<br />
Also interestingly, from season 2023, NPL 1 will be a 16-team competition
consisting of 30 home and away rounds, with first past the post being declared
Champions, with the Finals Series being scrapped by Football NSW.<br />
<br />
At this moment in time the 16 clubs will be:<br />
<br />
Sydney Olympic<br />
APIA Leichhardt<br />
Marconi Stallions<br />
Sydney United<br />
Wollongong Wolves<br />
Blacktown City<br />
Manly United<br />
Sutherland Sharks<br />
Mt Druitt Town<br />
Rockdale City<br />
NWS Spirit<br />
St George City <br />
Northbridge Bulls<br />
Sydney FC Youth<br />
Western Sydney Wanderers Youth<br />
Central Coast Mariners Youth<br />
<br />
Personally, I dislike the youth sections of the a-league franchises being
allowed to ascend to NPL 1, they do not bring anything of value to the
competition, except benefiting themselves and their own interests. At most, they
should be restricted to the NPL 2 competitions within every state competition
in Australia, but that is a discussion for another time.<br />
<br />
We await important announcements from the club regarding the coach and the
squad and we’ll see what 2023 brings for Sydney Olympic.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHwDae0MfvMIthyNfVJ-XUXWS_CcOufj-becglMzrvNFdDTZYGyMsj3Ixu01-s8cm2uVvhC73rNqEJJRFkxX8ItfZSZkqf7_nKyc51IWUhg5w0MUwFL41gjqiRUbypYLeImQXStFqFEJhsVWUvP9RLySRfBDnFG323WCPuNi52X72nD0bCgQxLlrI7g/s1289/ol22%203.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="848" data-original-width="1289" height="422" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCHwDae0MfvMIthyNfVJ-XUXWS_CcOufj-becglMzrvNFdDTZYGyMsj3Ixu01-s8cm2uVvhC73rNqEJJRFkxX8ItfZSZkqf7_nKyc51IWUhg5w0MUwFL41gjqiRUbypYLeImQXStFqFEJhsVWUvP9RLySRfBDnFG323WCPuNi52X72nD0bCgQxLlrI7g/w640-h422/ol22%203.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-21173691827008410982021-12-20T18:05:00.000+11:002021-12-20T18:05:19.537+11:00Sydney Olympic vs. South Melbourne – The Rivalry<p><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In terms of Australian Football, much is made of
rivalries or derbies and of the conflict and angst which may exist between
certain teams. Whether it may be actual and based in a reality of</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Calibri, "sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: Arial, "sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">animosity and historical grievances, through healthy
sporting competition, or whether they be artificial and invented by various media
commentators and protagonists, all for purely superficial marketing purposes.</span></p><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">
Sydney Olympic was founded as Pan-Hellenic in 1957, as a composite team of
several Greek teams already playing in Sydney at the time such as: Taxiarchis,
Atlas, Astro and Pansamiakos. The majority of Pan-Hellenic’s 1st group of
players and officials came from these clubs. <br />
<br />
The name Pan-Hellenic was chosen so as not to appear to represent one group of
Greeks over another, whether politically or regionally. Whether you were a
Leftist, Centrist, Rightist, or whether you were an Athenian, Macedonian,
Cretan, Cypriot, Pontian, a Greek from Constantinople & Asia Minor, Egypt, Russia,
Romania or Northern Epirus, all would be welcomed and be united under
Pan-Hellenic.<br />
<br />
South Melbourne meanwhile, was formed as South Melbourne Hellas 2 years later in
1959, after the merger of 3 clubs: South Melbourne United, a historic
English-backed club which had been around in Melbourne since the 1930’s, but
which was now struggling and had seen better days and 2 bigger backed Greek
clubs in Melbourne: Hellenic and Yarra Park Ajax.<br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA8lITVL_Gd823Dw4w9oVon_Ktkbwd3f5tHiwqV5S7N0x5x3irLJZHc8ehDErmkpdNa6Dae3rXGOElIUjIKyxwZ5SHPXyq9mwqyyu0KE8oHnJmajwldZyJl7yLtCsdsz5RN8jZvwvAUBZnVmnLCo9UwLnIHv2Qshs4QRhJtU4gK1OOMhVC6TyDRQGabQ=s900" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="900" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhA8lITVL_Gd823Dw4w9oVon_Ktkbwd3f5tHiwqV5S7N0x5x3irLJZHc8ehDErmkpdNa6Dae3rXGOElIUjIKyxwZ5SHPXyq9mwqyyu0KE8oHnJmajwldZyJl7yLtCsdsz5RN8jZvwvAUBZnVmnLCo9UwLnIHv2Qshs4QRhJtU4gK1OOMhVC6TyDRQGabQ=w400-h289" width="400" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ever since that time, both clubs would fight it
out for the unofficial mantle of the biggest Greek founded football club of
Australia.<br />
<br />
In the late 1950’s & early 1960’s, both clubs would look to Greece for the
recruitment of new players, enticing young Greeks with dreams of jobs and
better lives for them and their families, as well as an opportunity of playing
football at a relatively decent level. <br />
<br />
Australia being banned from FIFA at this point in time was also advantageous
for any such advances, as clubs from Australia could approach any players that
they wanted, without needing to worry about breaking any rules or paying any
transfer fees. In this endeavour, South Melbourne Hellas would soon earn the
ire of Pan-Hellenic officials.<br />
<br />
All inbound International flights into Australia would always stop off in
Melbourne first, before continuing on to Sydney. There are a few instances of
Pan-Hellenic organising everything for a player from Greece to come to Sydney,
only for South Melbourne Hellas officials to meet the plane as it landed in
Melbourne and persuade the player to get off and sign and stay in Melbourne and
to forget about going to Sydney to play for Pan-Hellenic. Cheeky at the very
least.<br />
<br />
Both clubs would end up taking dramatically different paths during their journeys
through their respective state federations of New South Wales and Victoria.<br />
<br />
Although both clubs started their lives in their respective state 2nd tier
competitions before earning promotion, once promoted, South Melbourne Hellas
went on to win multiple League and Cup honours throughout the 1960’s and 1970’s
in Victoria. Where as in contrast and not for the want of trying, Pan-Hellenic
experienced many near misses during the same period with its trophy cabinet
remaining bare, aside from the two NSW 2nd division titles of 1958 and 1960.<br />
<br />
The clubs would first meet in a match in Melbourne in 1964, with South
Melbourne Hellas handing out a 6-1 hiding to Pan-Hellenic, a match was
scheduled to take place again in 1966 in Sydney, but was ultimately cancelled. In
1974, a combined South Melbourne Hellas-Fitzroy United Alexander XI hosted
Pan-Hellenic in Melbourne, to raise funds for the victims of the Turkish
Invasion of Cyprus. The match itself and result will always be secondary to
those tragic events, but for statistics sake, the Melbournians won 3-1.<br />
<br />
The clubs would meet each other for the first time in an official competitive
fixture in 1977, after the formation of the National Soccer League (NSL). It
was a Round 1 contest at the Sydney Sports Ground, South Melbourne defeated
Sydney Olympic 2-0.<br />
<br />
Sydney Olympic’s controversial relegation from the NSL 2 years later in 1979,
is another sore point between the clubs. South Melbourne, who had finished
rock-bottom of the NSL in 1979, somehow managed to avoid the drop, with Sydney
Olympic, who had finished 2nd last in 1979 being relegated.<br />
<br />
Olympic’s 1-0 loss on the final day of the 1979 NSL season to St. George, saw
St. George leapfrog Olympic on the ladder and for that extra bit of irony, it
was a winner from a teenage Peter Katholos playing for St. George that day,
which would seal Olympic’s fate. Meanwhile South lived to fight another day.<br />
<br />
Depending on who you talk to, suggestions are that South Melbourne vigorously
lobbied the Australian Soccer Federation (ASF) to have Olympic relegated
instead of South and to use the excuse of there being “too many Sydney clubs in
the NSL”, the ASF obliged and relegated Sydney Olympic back to the NSW 1st
Division, despite finishing above South Melbourne on the ladder.<br />
<br />
Talk to others, and they will tell you a different tale and that it was all agreed
by the ASF and the NSL clubs before the start of the season, that the last
placed Sydney club at the end of the 1979 NSL season, would be relegated.
Nevertheless it was an incident that Sydney Olympic people would not forget.<br />
<br />
Once again the clubs would go in different directions following this event,
with South Melbourne’s status in the NSL seemingly safe, they swiftly sorted
themselves out and went from strength to strength, becoming a perennial League
and Cup challenger for the rest of the duration of the NSL.<br />
<br />
For Sydney Olympic, they were back in the NSW State League in 1980,
fortunately, its time back in the NSW 1st Division was short lived, as they
thumped Parramatta Melita 4-0 in the NSW Grand Final, to earn promotion back to
the NSL for 1981. Funny how things work out as once back in the NSL, Olympic
also and relatively quickly, got their act together and became a mighty force
for the rest of their NSL run.<br />
<br />
To illustrate the point, within 3 years both clubs would be facing off against each
other for the honour of becoming Champions of Australia.<br />
<br />
South Melbourne defeated Sydney Olympic in the 1984 NSL Grand Final 4-2 (over 2
Legs) as well as defeating Sydney Olympic 4-1 in the 1990 NSL Cup Final. Sydney
Olympic would gain some measure of revenge, knocking South Melbourne out of the
Finals Series of 1990 and 2002 on their way to claiming the NSL Championship in
both of those seasons.<br />
<br />
In Round 17 of the 1999/2000 NSL season, Sydney Olympic fans would witness a
historic 6-0 beat-down of South Melbourne at Belmore. The jokes, remarks and
crowing from Olympic’s end would not even last a week, as only a few days later
in the return Round 18 fixture in Melbourne, South turned the tables on Olympic
with a 2-0 victory.<br />
<br />
Both of those results were inexplicable in their own way, but that is the magic
of football we are led to believe and another chapter in the history of the
clubs.<br />
<br />
The final official competitive fixture between the clubs came in Round 26, the final
round of the last NSL season of 2003/2004, a 0-0 draw at Kogarah Oval.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br /><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDXgTeDa_gDFkUkx615vOUw2kA-cNkePklEHCC8x8bPuRS9lN_eTeJNeCItevqum0NUwlek13onvEmqIpuKQppHxrl2RfR4LGQ9mwo3eCzF_zjiuXMhBRk8lGhDpAfSB9iyND_YQMZ7lzWlLQPFxMyUYF1J60SV5gg8g15e_G4xXmf9DOyf-EFfEkMmA=s900" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="900" height="289" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhDXgTeDa_gDFkUkx615vOUw2kA-cNkePklEHCC8x8bPuRS9lN_eTeJNeCItevqum0NUwlek13onvEmqIpuKQppHxrl2RfR4LGQ9mwo3eCzF_zjiuXMhBRk8lGhDpAfSB9iyND_YQMZ7lzWlLQPFxMyUYF1J60SV5gg8g15e_G4xXmf9DOyf-EFfEkMmA=w400-h289" width="400" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sydney Olympic’s poor overall head-to-head record
against South Melbourne is also another perplexing one and for sure another
sore point among the Olympic supporters and a source of humour no doubt, for
those who follow South.<br />
<br />
Sydney Olympic has a winning record against almost every other major rival,
except for South Melbourne and Sydney Hakoah. Olympic’s record vs. South is
particularly poor and baffling, given how good Olympic’s sides were throughout
the entirety of the NSL. It is very difficult to nail down exactly why or what
the issue may have been but as with most unexplainable things, it will remain a
mystery. <br />
<br />
Since the end of the NSL in 2004, the clubs have met each other only twice in
exhibition matches. South Melbourne invited Sydney Olympic to open their newly
refurbished Lakeside Stadium in 2011, with Sydney Olympic spoiling the party
picking up a 3-2 win and in 2016, where Olympic played host to South at Kogarah
Oval, with Olympic winning 4-3 via a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw.<br />
<br />
It is a rivalry unlike any other you’re likely to see, especially when it comes
to the so called “ethnic” founded clubs in Australia. Because according to what
I have seen and witnessed most of the time throughout Australia, clubs founded
by the same ethnic or national group get along in an almost brotherly manner,
especially when it concerns those clubs that operate in separate cities or different
states, but speak to most South Melbourne and Sydney Olympic supporters, there
was nothing better than seeing the other struggle, or getting one over the
other on the football pitch.<br />
<br />
The fact is this rivalry, crosses state lines and Olympic and Hellas fans can
be found all over Australia, not only in New South Wales and Victoria and even
abroad.<br />
<br />
The fire that burned for this rivalry understandably would start to peter out
after 2004, it is very hard to maintain a fierce rivalry, not only after nearly
18 years of not facing each other in a competitive fixture, but the fact that
there has never been any genuine belief, that the 2 clubs would ever be allowed
to face each other again in a competitive fixture.<br />
<br />
Hopefully one day the time will come, where we can officially lock horns once
again, there is unfinished business.<br />
<br />
For the Record:<br />
<br />
Matches Played – 59<br />
South Melbourne Wins – 31<br />
Sydney Olympic Wins – 13<br />
Draws – 15<br />
<br />
For the purposes of this record, I have included all League and Cup meetings
during the NSL, as well as the contests of 1964, 2011, 2016.<br />
<br />
Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.</span></div></div><br /></div></div><br />Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-8248019997994412362021-09-30T15:14:00.002+10:002021-09-30T15:14:38.422+10:00Sydney Olympic – “Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated”<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It has been an eventful last 2 years on this
planet and it has been no different for our beloved Sydney Olympic, it may have
been even more dramatic for the Blue & Whites.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
We have witnessed 2 disrupted and unfinished seasons in succession, robbing us
of 2 complete seasons of football and chances to add to our trophy cabinet.
Added on top of that, is this business with former President Bill Papas, which
we will not go into here, has also dragged the clubs name through the mud, over
issues which in reality do not concern Sydney Olympic all that much, or at
least, the club had very little to do with.<br />
<br />
That hasn’t stopped the usual newspaper and media types, from having a field
day with their countless stories and no doubt, the clubs many enemies and
haters have had a brilliant time and good laugh at our expense.<br />
<br />
The assorted riff-raff, the alleged aggrieved, those who are irrelevant and
those who are beneath us, of course were going to jump on the death-riding and
bay for our demise (sorry to disappoint). <br />
<br />
Many are seriously getting off on it and good luck to them, I hope they are
enjoying themselves. No surprise also that supposed “</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Ελληνες</span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">” have
jumped on to throw the boot into the club too, the story & lesson of </span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EL; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Εφιαλτες</span><span lang="EL" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"> </span><span lang="EN-AU" style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN-AU; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">for
Greeks should be well known by now.<br />
<br />
That is not to say there are not some issues that need resolving, there are and
they need to be dealt with. We currently do not have a President and the
current restrictions, lockdowns and living conditions throughout Sydney, has
made it extremely difficult to convene a General Meeting of members to discuss
and sort much of this stuff out, hopefully this is able to happen very soon.<br />
<br />
On the field, despite the cancellation of the NSW NPL season, hope remains that
our Round of 32 FFA Cup tie vs. Sydney FC will go ahead, sometime in
mid-October according to those in the know. But even the most excitable
supporter would agree, that the steam has well and truly gone out of any
anticipation, even for that match.<br />
<br />
Also in the last few weeks, we have had confirmation of several departures from
the club, Jason Madonis, Nikola Kuleski, Hagi Gligor, Yu Hasegawa, bid
farewell, joining the already departed Fabian Monge and Mohamed Adam.<br />
<br />
As for the players who have committed to the club and have re-signed for next
season, they are: William Angel, Michael Glassock, Ben van Meurs, Brendan
Cholakian, Darcy Burgess, Nicholas Sorras, Christopher Parsons, Daniel Dias,
Adam Parkhouse, Oliver Puflett, Thomas Whiteside, Fabio Ferreira, Marley
Peterson, Chan Deng, Simun Milicevic.<br />
<br />
New signings include: Mathieu Cordier, Niko Ujdur, Sam McIllhatton, Emmanuel
Peters.<br />
<br />
As Sydney Olympic commemorates 65 years of existence in 2022, it needs its
sponsors, members, supporters, players close to it more than ever before and
hopefully, by the start of next season, this business with this virus will be a
thing of the past, we can go and watch Sydney Olympic again and even witness
the completion of a full and proper season.<br />
<br />
One can only hope.....</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-59821667432464971672021-05-10T12:48:00.000+10:002021-05-10T12:48:06.643+10:00Sydney Olympic – Mid-Season Report<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">We are at the half-way point of Sydney Olympic’s
2021 season, so we’ll take a look at what we’ve seen so far.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
We are sitting 5th on the ladder after 11 rounds, with 5 wins – 1 draw – 5 losses,
a perfect illustration of how we have performed as well as the ups and downs we
have experienced, in this 1st half of the season. <br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mtM9fboNhfo8fJZCGJfkSfNBn5kTTkdw44SR7RGHBXx3olDGQ6IMLFmokF5FJy3NsfmVVRCcTjCSwt0LGemLmBMDOH_8aWAASJzzX79bwFENsutwVZCng-GGQDLEzL23a-5JiuqgJy0Q/s933/__npl.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="933" height="590" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0mtM9fboNhfo8fJZCGJfkSfNBn5kTTkdw44SR7RGHBXx3olDGQ6IMLFmokF5FJy3NsfmVVRCcTjCSwt0LGemLmBMDOH_8aWAASJzzX79bwFENsutwVZCng-GGQDLEzL23a-5JiuqgJy0Q/w640-h590/__npl.png" width="640" /></a><br />
<br /><br />Clearly at this point in time (it could change), we’re a step behind the top 3
clubs on the ladder, but we are not a bottom feeder of the competition this
year either. In fact in large parts, our play has been fairly decent so far
this season.<br />
<br />
Now, most Sydney Olympic supporters before the season started, were saying and would
have told you, that they were worried about this teams ability to score goals
and clearly, through the results of the first-half of the season, that is our
major problem.<br />
<br />
We have the equal worst attack in the League, our general and build-up play is
pretty good, but we have forwards and strikers in the squad who just do not
score goals, so why are they there, and as I have said on here numerous times,
in this League, if you do not have out and out consistent goalscorers who can
put chances away for the team, you are going nowhere.<br />
<br />
To the team’s credit, they are working really hard during matches and competing
for the entire 90 minutes, every week, but that can and will only get you so
far. We just need that bit of polish up front, which we are not getting at the
moment and it will hurt us somewhere down the line this season, if it isn’t
rectified.<br />
<br />
Unless somebody in the squad all of the sudden catches fire and we start
pouring on the goals, we will finish between 4th and 9th and even if we made
the Finals, we would need a bit of luck to achieve anything.<br />
<br />
On the defensive side of things we have the 2nd best defense in the
competition, so there are also some
positives and we have done it, without the services of some good players due to
injury and without the best goalkeeper in the competition, Nicholas Sorras,
hopefully he is back soon.<br />
<br />
On the Cup front, we are still (barely) in it, we have been so very poor in the
Cup competitions over the last few years. There is some sort of curse or phobia
there, I cannot explain it, we always seem to stumble and make things hard for
ourselves.<br />
<br />
We survived by the skin of our teeth during this last round, against Sutherland
Association club Menai Hawks, copping an injury time equaliser to send it to
extra time and then needing to go the full 120 minutes to get passed them. <br />
<br />
For the next round we have drawn another away tie against an association club,
a very good and interesting opponent in Liverpool Olympic, we cannot afford to
take anyone lightly, this match could end up being anything.<br />
<br />
The second-half of the season will be at the very least interesting and it all gets
underway with Round 12 on Sunday Afternoon, May 16th, away at Edensor Park
against Sydney United. Kick-Off is at 3pm.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-67125867686389219482021-04-04T15:03:00.000+10:002021-04-04T15:03:45.049+10:00Sydney Olympic – 6 Rounds In<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Well here we go, after another disappointing
loss to start 2021, this time to Mt Druitt, we have another poor start to a
season. 3 losses, 2 wins and a match which was washed out, with no sign of when
it will be played. Not award-winning stuff.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
When it was announced that Ante Juric would be appointed 1<sup>st</sup> Grade
coach, I’m sure none of the supporters realised at the time, that he was also
doubling up as the coach for the Eastern Sydney A-League franchise women’s
team. I’m sorry but that is an out and out disgrace, Sydney Olympic is not some
xwrio that you just turn up here and there or whenever you want and it should
never play 2<sup>nd</sup> fiddle to anyone or anything.<br />
<br />
For the people at the helm of Sydney Olympic, to have allowed that is seriously
concerning and shows a lack of respect for the club, a club that they are
supposed to be working for the betterment of and representing. <br />
<br />
Onto the pathetic recruitment, in particular and specifically, the club’s
fascination since the end of the NSL, with not signing a proven and out and out
goal scorer, with the exception of 2 seasons (2011 and 2018). How do you expect
to score goals and win games? It truly boggles the mind.<br />
<br />
Every year bar those 2 seasons mentioned above, we have had to endure shocking
performances up front, we currently have the worst attack in the League.<br />
<br />
What is the point in going after and signing a great player like Brendan
Cholakian and not signing someone else to benefit off the back of his good play
to put the ball in the back of the net? Is there a Centre-Forward at all at the
club?<br />
<br />
Why is William Angel, who has consistently been our best player for all of the last
10 seasons not playing? Why is Nikola Kuleski, who has been good for us in
midfield the last few years, all of the sudden playing at Right Back? Where
co-incidentally, William has played for us for the last few seasons?<br />
<br />
What is actually going on? Is the coach just not there enough to not know who
these guys are and what their strengths are? Is there nobody to get in his ear
and say listen, what are you doing?<br />
<br />
Then you have another problem and the questions need to be asked. Why does it
feel like that the club seems to be more focused on and interested in the well-being
of a women’s team from a whole different League, a team that is not Sydney
Olympic and a team in the 2<sup>nd</sup> division of Greece over the interests
of Sydney Olympic? <br />
<br />
I said last year, that the people in charge at the club at the moment, could
put their money where ever they wanted. If that meant investing into a club in
Greece, so be it, just as long as it doesn’t affect things with Sydney Olympic.
It looks as though it is starting to effect Sydney Olympic, in a bad way.<br />
<br />
Just like last season where COVID saved our backsides from the embarrassment of
relegation. People might think that is far-fetched, but I firmly believe that
we were in big big trouble last season, before the COVD thing struck. So too
will we be saved from relegation this year, if you want to believe the news that
there will be some sort of restructure of the NPL at the end of this year and
there will be no relegation from NPL1 this season.<br />
<br />
Everyone at the club needs to wake up, before this season becomes another one
going down the drain.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-74341353663440264962021-02-22T14:04:00.001+11:002021-02-22T14:04:55.048+11:00Sydney Olympic – 2021 Kick-Off<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The start of the 2021 NSW
NPL season is now less than a week away and we hope to see another successful
season for our boys in blue and white, Sydney Olympic.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">
In terms of our pre-season form, it has been a bit of a mixed bag.<br />
<br />
A 1-0 win over the Macarthur Rams, was followed by a 2-0 loss to Blacktown City
and a 0-0 draw with Manly. We then beat Rydalmere 5-2, before losing our final
2 trial matches, 1-0 to Hakoah and 3-0 to St George City FA.<br />
<br />
Hardly setting the world on fire, but at the same time, not taking these
results too seriously, as there have been years where we have looked unbeatable
in pre-season, only to flounder during the season and vice versa.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN;">In saying all that, there
is a degree of uncertainty as to what awaits us this year as Sydney Olympic
supporters. <br />
<br />
Like most seasons, there is obviously some optimism that we will do well, but the
nature of this competition with the unpredictability of the other teams and
what they are looking like, means you never really know for sure until after
the first month of the season.<br />
<br />
In saying all that, let’s get this show on the road and get down and support
Sydney Olympic as often as you can throughout the season.<br />
<br />
Onto some other news, the club’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), takes place this
Thursday Night, February 25<sup>th</sup>, at the Terrace Bar inside Canterbury Leagues
Club, commencing at 6.30pm.<br />
<br />
All Life and Voting members are urged to attend.<br />
<br />
There will also be an opportunity to renew your membership at the AGM, to all
those who wish to become members of Sydney Olympic, it is very easy to do and
affordable.<br />
<br />
Just check out the link here - <a href="https://form.jotform.com/sydneyolympic/sofc-2021-season-pass-membership-ap?fbclid=IwAR1P67gSorzKmNPGraH5GB2nKHffCQ8Zc8eoVL_n7kmGRtY1l8ALIJxrfiQ">https://form.jotform.com/sydneyolympic/sofc-2021-season-pass-membership-ap fbclid=IwAR1P67gSorzKmNPGraH5GB2nKHffCQ8Zc8eoVL_n7kmGRtY1l8ALIJxrfiQ</a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt;">So, it all gets under way this Saturday Evening, February 27</span><sup>th</sup><span style="font-size: 12pt;">.
Round 1 vs. Sydney United at Belmore Sports Ground – Kick-Off at 5.30pm.</span></span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
<br />
COME ON OLYMPIC! </span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-79484743306913803082021-01-29T13:14:00.000+11:002021-01-29T13:14:15.064+11:00Sydney Olympic – Pre-season.<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">2021 will be an interesting season for Sydney
Olympic. For 2020, there was a lot of talk doing the rounds about our signings,
how we would romp through the competition and that we would be unstoppable.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
The reality was very different, there were problems with the coach as well as in
and around the squad from day 1. This showed itself in our performances during
the season, where we lost our first 3 matches.<br />
<br />
The season being cancelled after 3 rounds due to covid, was a blessing in
disguise for Sydney Olympic in my opinion. Sure it was only the first 3 rounds
and in theory, there would have been plenty of time to turn the situation
around, but it did not look likely and we were odds-on to be involved in a relegation
scrap.<br />
<br />
We looked a bit better after the 4 month hiatus, with Ante Juric as coach. The
players responded positively to his appointment, but the 11-match mini-season
became irrelevant and other than being glorified training runs, the matches or
the results didn’t matter all that much. But at least there was some
improvement.<br />
<br />
Coming into 2021, there is optimism that we can once again have a good season.<br />
<br />
New signings include: Brendan Cholakian, Yu Hasegawa, Marley Peterson, Michael
Glassock, Daniel Dias, Luke Kairies, Fabian Monge, Mohamed Adam.<br />
<br />
Re-signings include: William Angel, Jason Madonis, Thomas Whiteside, Nikola
Kuleski, Adam Parkhouse, Peter Kekeris, Hagi Gligor, Darcy Burgess, Nicholas
Sorras, Ben van Meurs, Oliver Puflett, Billy Patramanis, Fabio Ferreira, James
Cakovski.<br />
<br />
A ball has not been kicked yet, but with a few new faces and some others
leaving from last year, already that looks better than the much hyped squad from
last season.<br />
<br />
Expectations are always a tricky thing, especially in such a close competition.
Very little separates the sides who finish 1st and say 7th, a bit of bad or
good luck either way could make all the difference to where a club ends up.<br />
<br />
But being Sydney Olympic, the high expectations are there every season and all
supporters will be hoping 2021, a big year for Greeks in general, will be a big
year for the club also.<br />
<br />
2021 also marks 6 years since we have made the FFA Cup main draw – yes it has
been that long! – after making the Round of 16 stage in the first 2 editions of
the Cup in 2014 and 2015, we have not made it back to the main draw since, a
huge disappointment for all supporters actually. Getting back there has also
been a stated goal of Sydney Olympic club representatives.<br />
<br />
As for the League season, it will be starting a couple weeks earlier than
usual. Our Round 1 match is against Sydney United at Belmore Sports Ground, on
Saturday February 27th – Kick-Off at 5.30pm.<br />
<br />
COME ON OLYMPIC! </span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-58964653061194157042020-10-18T19:25:00.000+11:002020-10-18T19:25:39.030+11:00Sydney Olympic – 2020 Season Review.<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">A season we probably will never see the likes of
again, an absolute circus from start to finish on multiple fronts. We started
off the actual season in the worst possible fashion, losing our first 3 matches
of the season and looking like massive relegation candidates.</span></p><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">The coaching appointment, the bewildering decision to let go of several players
to other clubs and the bringing in of certain players on big reputations and I
presume on big money was a failure, simple as that, I cannot be any clearer.<br />
<br />
Then came the so called virus, a 4 month break in the season and then a
re-start to the season, which Football NSW would cut in half. Making it an 11
round mini-season and essentially turning the competition into some sort of
parody and not a real proper Championship.<br />
<br />
Be that as it were, we actually started this mini-season in the opposite
fashion to how we started the proper season, winning our first 3 matches this
time.<br />
<br />
This was followed by a poor loss to Manly, draw with Rockdale, before winning
at Marconi, giving us a 4 Wins – 1 Draw – 1 Loss record after 6 matches and
sitting in 1st spot. We then went W–L–D–W–D, in performances which were reminiscent
of our play from the start of the proper season, to end any hope of picking up
another trophy.<br />
<br />
The club has a bit of work to do in my opinion, to be ready for season 2021,
for us to be a competition threat and seriously challenge again.<br />
<br />
Ante Juric as coach from what I have heard, was only temporary and a stop-gap
solution during this mini-season, with Gary Phillips’ name once again popping up,
as someone who will take charge for next season and beyond. Obviously, none of
this can be confirmed, but we hope this can be sorted out as soon as possible,
as time is of the essence in what is a shortened off-season.<br />
<br />
We also must sort out our 1st Grade squad.<br />
<br />
Glaring issues remain out on the playing field, particularly in defense.
Madonis and Angel can do a job playing out at RB or LB, but it is not their
natural positions and they are very much needed up the park. Signing a couple
of defenders should be an absolute priority for the club.<br />
<br />
Up front is also a worry; in this league you need someone who can score goals regularly
if you want to challenge for any trophies. Sydney Olympic in 2011 (Alex Smith)
and 2018 (Alejandro Sanchez) are categorical proof of this. We need some
quality forwards and creators, which we lack.<br />
<br />
In midfield we have no shortage of players, but we must sort out the balance,
decide who will consistently play and where, not having to constantly chop and
change in this area.<br />
<br />
The squad is in need of a serious overhaul.<br />
<br />
Also, most know by now, that the current directors of Sydney Olympic have gone
and purchased Greek club Xanthi, recently relegated from the Greek Super League.
The only issue I personally have here, is a potential loss of focus on issues
that concern Sydney Olympic or neglecting the needs of the club.<br />
<br />
They can and will do whatever they want with their own money, they saw an opportunity
in Greece and have taken it, as there are no opportunities in Australia as the
sport is at an amateur level and a basket case.<br />
<br />
We will see what transpires at Sydney Olympic in the coming months. We look
forward to announcements by the club in terms of coach and players.<br /><br /><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SxrZ66mDvC0QjLG-2UNyp6HjgcIL8ya7JcQFFLwWh8LWdJKDgqrqOGZ7jmTdJiB9IaEy7sk6iRVbPIgR_avL9VkRcHIejw3o0m1c7BE4tHk4zWJrnHY9zskMq2_b3pbuM_rlQHpkVp4A/s1058/_2020.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="750" data-original-width="1058" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2SxrZ66mDvC0QjLG-2UNyp6HjgcIL8ya7JcQFFLwWh8LWdJKDgqrqOGZ7jmTdJiB9IaEy7sk6iRVbPIgR_avL9VkRcHIejw3o0m1c7BE4tHk4zWJrnHY9zskMq2_b3pbuM_rlQHpkVp4A/w640-h454/_2020.png" width="640" /></a></div><br />Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-13587416988837950312020-06-15T15:27:00.000+10:002020-06-15T15:27:11.135+10:00Sydney Olympic – June<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Three months since this virus came into our
lives and turned everything upside down and 3 months since the 2020 NSW NPL season
was halted, there might be some light at the end of the tunnel, in terms of
seeing any football resuming this season.<br />
<br />
It seems like a lifetime ago, since we saw any live football and some of you
might need your memories jogged, on what happened in the first 3 rounds of
season 2020.<br />
<br />
Round 1 – 2-1 loss at home vs. Wollongong<br />
Round 2 – 2-1 loss away vs. APIA Leichhardt<br />
Round 3 – 2-0 loss away vs. Marconi<br />
<br />
Most decent judges would say, that they have been and are the 3 best sides in
the competition in 2020 and luckily for Sydney Olympic, we drew all 3 of them
for our first 3 matches of the competition.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, it has been one of our worst starts to a season for a while,
certainly one of the worst that I can remember. From afar, things didn’t look
right within the squad.<br />
<br />
Regardless of who our opponents are/were, to start the season 0 and 3, after
all the hype and optimism about our squad and all our signings before a ball
was kicked, to start like that was disappointing and has been a huge let down.<br />
<br />
As mentioned at the top, we may soon see some football again in 2020, given
that most other sports in Australia and around the world have started back up,
or will start back up shortly.<br />
<br />
Hopes of there being a full 22 round NSW NPL season however, look increasingly unlikely
though, from what I have been told by various people. More than likely, we will
see something of a shortened season of 11 rounds. If that does end up happening,
promotion and relegation between the various NSW NPL’s, will almost certainly not
be taking place.<br />
<br />
Of course, there is still a possibility that we will not see any football at
all and that the 2020 season will be abandoned.<br />
<br />
All in all, we just have to continue waiting around for FNSW to make a
definitive decision about what will happen to season 2020.<br />
<br />
On another front, as for any hopes of there being some sort of National 2nd
Division kicking-off any time soon, with promotion and relegation to and from the
a-league, this virus seems to have put a serious dent in that discussion.<br />
<br />
As the a-league (and I don’t follow what goes on there all that closely in all
honesty), looks like is struggling big time, with a myriad of problems. Which
is nothing new from what I hear and are told.<br />
<br />
Plus on the whole, we have heard and been on the receiving end of a whole lot
of lip service regarding this for many years now, so whether that actually
happens or was ever close to happening is highly doubtful.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-54687330279108107292020-03-19T14:31:00.000+11:002020-03-19T14:31:20.279+11:00Sydney Olympic – March<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was meant to do monthly blogs starting from
this year, not for any specific reason, it’s just the way I want to go about it
now. With what’s going on right now in the World and with the suspension of the
NSW NPL season until mid-April, I have brought it forward.</span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
<br />
What can anyone say? All that optimism before a ball was even kicked, has
turned into frustration and a mini nightmare. The first 3 matches have been
tough viewing for us Sydney Olympic Supporters. <br />
<br />
The first 3 rounds have been performances littered with errors, careless and
poor play.<br />
<br />
We were not at our best in our opening 2 matches, but even still, we threw away
vital points against both Wollongong and APIA, conceding late and devastating
goals to lose both matches. <span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Matches that we should never have lost.</span><br />
<br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Against Marconi in our most recent match, it was
a different story. It resembled something close to an Under 10’s match. The
conditions didn’t help, but there was plenty of hacking from the opposition as
is their style as well as, a lot of kick chase and long ball stuff which would
be OK, if we had personnel to play that style. Very poor to say the least.</span><br />
<br />
But let’s go back to January, this is what we knew to be our squad for 2020:<br />
<br />
</span><span style="background: white; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">William Angel, Bai Antoniou, Darcy Burgess, Anthony
Bouzanis, Fabio Ferreira, Hagi Gligor, Paul Henderson, Peter Kekeris, Shato
Kohno, Nikola Kuleski, Charles Lokolingoy, Alexander Lopez, Zac Mackenzie,
Jason Madonis, Giovanni Panuccio, Adam Parkhouse, Billy Patramanis, Dimi
Petratos, Raul Beneit Romero, Sebastian Ryall, Alejandro Sanchez, Jack Stewart,
Niko Tsattalios, Thomas Whiteside.<br />
<br /><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Very impressive some
would say, which sparked much of the pre-season optimism and hype surrounding
Sydney Olympic.</span><br />
Within that list of players – Henderson announced his retirement. Gligor,
Lokolingoy, Ryall, Patramanis, Kohno (who has since gone home) all have
long-term injuries, Stewart and Lopez have gone overseas, Sanchez has gone home
and Petratos asked for a release and was given one.<br />
<br />
Bad luck has played its part, but all-in-all, it has been a disaster in terms
of recruitment and squad management.<br />
<br />
All that, means we are sitting bottom of the table after 3 rounds, Mt Druitt
are below us on the table, but they have a game in hand.<br />
<br />
Relegation as we all know has changed for this season and beyond, no longer
will it be judged via the Club Championship, which was a combination of points
from U18’s, U20’s and First Grade. It is back to the traditional format of
First Grade results.<br />
<br />
Also and it was news to me when told, not only would the team finishing 12th
(last) be relegated, but the team finishing 11th (2nd last), will find itself
in a Promotion/Relegation playoff, with the team that finishes 2nd in the NPL 2
competition. So, bare that in mind also.<br />
<br />
In the same vain, in the last blog I spoke about the importance of getting off
to a good start. Especially in this competition, which goes for only 22 rounds
and knowing how hard it is to fall behind early and to then, have to chase results
from the get go. Well, those warnings have not been heeded obviously.<br />
<br />
Not sure what’s going on at training or within the squad and this is not about
pointing the finger at anybody, everybody needs to get their heads out of their
asses and wake up and do it quickly.</span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><br />
<br />
Maybe this break will do us some good, especially when it comes to getting some
of our injured players back on deck. <br />
<br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Other than that, no one knows when the
competition will resume, so we will all have to wait around to see what happens.
But when and if it does resume, we need to make up for our bad start, be ready and
hit the ground running.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt4kFwKkgEVNMBhm0xVhi7SLDF_gpQI7PfGCfCbZTLpgrmUwrJjF5mb60R405hxey0A7hUIpBOMxPx3y2kRWJEtXBspxlXZeXfbeyV4j798MQPL-X05zKthqE9B0OaMZ9jUiNPgoZ_1P4/s1600/Untitled+f.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZt4kFwKkgEVNMBhm0xVhi7SLDF_gpQI7PfGCfCbZTLpgrmUwrJjF5mb60R405hxey0A7hUIpBOMxPx3y2kRWJEtXBspxlXZeXfbeyV4j798MQPL-X05zKthqE9B0OaMZ9jUiNPgoZ_1P4/s400/Untitled+f.png" width="400" /></a></span></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-22036571123283378722020-02-25T12:36:00.000+11:002020-02-25T12:36:27.523+11:00Sydney Olympic – Season 2020 Kick-Off<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmvOr50QC3H8k0Zgz_JAvJoZ8a266sUqRw1_k8735QOpbBI9Cpe8qWZw1fX5Hk9oDqZx34Z5PURgTi5xAs-5VUCczu79gvgorMS9_6dwdyt4qf3031QR4oEJjA6NQQr3D_x1q-SohCaOX/s1600/Untitledzzzzzzz.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="620" data-original-width="739" height="335" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdmvOr50QC3H8k0Zgz_JAvJoZ8a266sUqRw1_k8735QOpbBI9Cpe8qWZw1fX5Hk9oDqZx34Z5PURgTi5xAs-5VUCczu79gvgorMS9_6dwdyt4qf3031QR4oEJjA6NQQr3D_x1q-SohCaOX/s400/Untitledzzzzzzz.png" width="400" /></a></div>
<br /><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Here we go, another football season is upon us
and as usual, no one quite knows what to make of it and how it is all going to
pan out. But I suppose, that has always been half the fun/torment of following
Sydney Olympic ever since I can remember and especially, at this level of the sport,
where most teams are fairly equal.<br />
<br />
There are seasons where you think to yourself – yep, this year we are looking
strong, the squad looks great, we are going to give this competition (whatever
level it may be) are real shake – only for everything to collapse in on itself.<br />
<br />
And of course there are those other seasons, where you literally fear for the
fate of the club and think the worst, about what the season might entail. Only
for those fears to end up being unfounded and the season is a successful one.<br />
<br />
You don’t even have to search that far back into Sydney Olympic’s history, to remind
yourself of such seasons.<br />
<br />
With that in mind, there has been much optimism surrounding Sydney Olympic for
2020 and quite a bit of buzz, over our chances this season.<br />
<br />
In that vain, much has been made of the flurry of signings that the club has brought
in during the off-season, which has seen the likes of:<br />
Fabio Ferreira, Bai Antoniou, Raul Romero, Anthony Bouzanis, Charles
Lokolingoy, Shato Kohno, Adam Parkhouse, Nicholas Sorras, James Cakovski come
to the club. Other new signings – Alexander Lopez and Sebastian Ryall – are
currently M.I.A. Apparently, the former is trialling overseas, while the latter
has a long-term injury and we won’t be seeing him out on the pitch for a while.<br />
<br />
But for all those signings made and positivity: Alejandro Sanchez, Jinya An,
Radovan Pavicevic, Riley Woodcock, Jack Stewart, Mitch Stamatellis (again),
Dimitri Petratos, Harris Gaitatzis, Michael Gaitatzis, Brendan Hooper have all departed
the club, while we believe that Paul Henderson has officially given it away, as
there has been a change of heart in the decision, to go around again as a no.2
goalkeeper.<br />
<br />
Long serving players; William Angel, Jason Madonis, Nick Tsattalios are back, as
well as Darcy Burgess, Nicola Kuleski, Hagi Gligor, Zac Mackenzie, Thomas
Whiteside as well as promoted players Giovanni Panuccio and Billy Patramanis. Sadly,
the latter is still coming back from a long term injury and will not be ready
to play for a while yet.<br />
<br />
On the face of it, the squad is not as impressive nor as deep as many thought
it was, say 2 months ago, especially defensively where we do look vulnerable.
Especially with 2 long-term injuries in that position.<br />
<br />
Any thoughts that we would romp through the rest of the competition this season,
not that it was at all realistic anyway, must be put on the backburner. We need
to keep our heads down, roll our sleeves up and get back to reality.<br />
<br />
Of course in this competition which is only 22 rounds long, it is of vital
importance to start the season off on the right foot. The worst thing to happen,
is to be chasing our tails and results from early on.<br />
<br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So, </span>it all gets under way this Sunday Afternoon, March 1, as we host last
season’s Minor Premiers the Wollongong Wolves at Belmore Sports Ground,
Kick-Off at 4pm.<br />
<br />
COME ON OLYMPIC!</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-90662557996508493732020-01-15T16:04:00.000+11:002020-01-15T18:19:07.776+11:00Sydney Olympic Off-Season – January<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Welcome to the New Year and it has been an
interesting start to the New Year to say the least for Sydney Olympic. Last
blog, I mentioned the big rumours doing the rounds at the time, of Sydney
Olympic looking to add the likes of Sebastian Ryall and Charles Lokolingoy to
the First Grade squad.<br />
<br />
These rumours were confirmed to be true this week, as the club announced their
arrivals and that they will be part of the club in 2020.<br />
<br />
Here is a reminder then, of our confirmed squad for 2020:<br />
<br />
William Angel, Bai Antoniou, Darcy Burgess, Anthony Bouzanis, Fabio Ferreira, Hagi
Gligor, Paul Henderson, Peter Kekeris, Nikola Kuleski, Charles Lokolingoy, Alexander
Lopez, Zac Mackenzie, Jason Madonis, Giovanni Panuccio, Adam Parkhouse, Billy
Patramanis, Dimi Petratos, Raul Beneit Romero, Sebastian Ryall, Alejandro
Sanchez, Jack Stewart, Niko Tsattalios, Thomas Whiteside.<br />
<br />
A few people have mentioned and I already have here on the blog also, of the
heavy recruitment from the Sutherland Sharks. A team who have not performed
great for a number of years now and we seem to have signed all of their players,
there could also be the potential of a clique forming inside the squad, that
could be damaging, especially if we get off to a poor start.<br />
<br />
And supporters who have good and long enough memories, will not need reminding
of the damage a clique can do to a club and to a season.<br />
<br />
Also mentioned by various supporters, is the top heavy recruitment in the
attacking 3rd of the field. These concerns are also legitimate, as within a
squad of 23, there are not too many legitimate defensive minded players. A
slight concern at this stage.<br />
<br />
All those issues and any more, you’d think will be dealt with by the coaching
staff and others at the club. You’d hope.<br />
<br />
On the other hand, if the club plans on winning matches this season with score-lines
of 4-3, 5-4, 6-5, I and most others would be OK with that, just as long as we
win.<br />
<br />
Outside of that, there has not been too much news around surrounding the club.
Some will probably say that is a good thing, less chance of that news being
bad.<br />
<br />
Whenever the club in their infinite wisdom, decides to release details for 2020
membership, I would urge all Sydney Olympic Supporters to become a member this
year. <br />
<br />
It is as important as ever to contribute and become part of the club. The club
does not get any grants from TV money, it has no foreign ownership, it is not
controlled by some foreign Government or Country, nor does it have poker
machine money, it runs on the passion of people who love the club and the
supporters.<br />
<br />
Plus with big issues such as the perennial headache of securing facilities,
discussions about joining any potential National 2nd Division, the NCIP which
was recently overturned by the FFA, plus many more issues, it’s up to us as
supporters to help keep the club going, to be informed and be involved with the
club moving forward.<br />
<br />
In the last few years, it’s been around $100 for full membership, which gets
you into all 11 home matches, access to the AGM, plus a scarf, shirt and that
sort of stuff.<br />
<br />
Very good value, hardly breaking the bank to be a part of the club.<br />
<br />
The start of the 2020 season is now only 6 weeks away. Preparations are ramping
up, with our season beginning with Round 1 - Sunday March 1 vs. Wollongong
Wolves at Belmore Sports Ground. Kick-Off is at 4pm.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">UPDATE | Just as this blog was posted, has come
the announcement from Sydney Olympic that it is parting ways with Spanish
striker Alejandro Sanchez on his request, as he wishes to return home to Spain
and his family.<br />
<br />
This is a huge loss and big blow for our season.</span></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-87486301507876589312019-12-22T18:37:00.000+11:002019-12-22T18:37:42.274+11:00Sydney Olympic Off-Season – December <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Not much news to report from the past 2 months,
the </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">club website and</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> official channels of Sydney Olympic on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter would
show you the same thing, or that could just be their usual activity.</span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
<br />
Anyway, the draw for the 2020 NSW NPL season has been released:<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc1AmZ9hndDpU-sVfM_2epYwjFXHahL6x3jYzkFXy6e55EcThXlsbBLUExUnoTJyqOyNUNITU1AQfx_NW5SQ-etf0XTHl-x2yw_91mAjcEqy_hmid0oJuAIopeCCa7Ne9aKIZuT7FhOEq/s1600/oly+1.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="820" data-original-width="1250" height="416" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPc1AmZ9hndDpU-sVfM_2epYwjFXHahL6x3jYzkFXy6e55EcThXlsbBLUExUnoTJyqOyNUNITU1AQfx_NW5SQ-etf0XTHl-x2yw_91mAjcEqy_hmid0oJuAIopeCCa7Ne9aKIZuT7FhOEq/s640/oly+1.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Of course, as always with these things, they are
always subject to change depending on conditions and other circumstances.</span><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"><br />Here’s a reminder of our confirmed squad so far
for 2020:<br />
<br />
William Angel. Zac Mackenzie, Peter Kekeris, Thomas Whiteside, Niko Tsattalios,
Alejandro Sanchez, Dimi Petratos, Darcy Burgess, Jason Madonis, Nikola Kuleski,
Hagi Gligor, Billy Patramanis, Jack Stewart, Giovanni Panuccio, Paul Henderson,
Anthony Bouzanis, Bai Antoniou, Alexander Lopez, Raul Beneit Romero, Adam
Parkhouse, Fabio Ferreira.<br />
<br />
Of the list, Billy Patramanis who was set to have </span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">a </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">big season, has suffered an
ACL injury and will miss most if not the entire season.</span><br />
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;"><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">
<br />
The club’s off-season policy of poaching players from Sutherland is a curious
one. Sure, our coach is their ex-coach, but they have not been a successful
club in recent years, so it remains to be seen if this policy will end up
working out. <br />
<br />
At the very least, the Sharks invasion has prompted some old Olympic Sharks jokes
to resurface on the internet.<br />
<br />
Recently, there have also been rumours of signing another ex-Sutherland player,
striker Charles Lokolingoy, as well as former a-league player Sebastian Ryall,
we will see what happens with those rumours.<br />
<br />
It is also the end of the decade. We had 2 Championship winning seasons – 2011 &
2018 – we were Minor Premiers in both of those seasons as well.<br />
<br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We have had some good players play for the club
in that time and have had some other good seasons during the decade, but no
trophies or significant success outside of those 2 years.</span><br />
<br />
As for players, I have selected an XI for the decade, some will agree and
others will disagree. So here it goes:<br /></span><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyuJgn6dYAJRFp89xNBu_KIGZP007FWURYKzo63BicF93GCWn71F76UpkzSlBszn92zZOFKySNt4HvdQnET5g6gB9s57sm3Avm6OgjgIwO7l-XnOYTUvx1KjpxL5h7Ghnl9QfojHyaNsa/s1600/oly+2.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="495" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWyuJgn6dYAJRFp89xNBu_KIGZP007FWURYKzo63BicF93GCWn71F76UpkzSlBszn92zZOFKySNt4HvdQnET5g6gB9s57sm3Avm6OgjgIwO7l-XnOYTUvx1KjpxL5h7Ghnl9QfojHyaNsa/s640/oly+2.png" width="540" /></a><br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s it for now, Merry Christmas and we will
see you in the New Year.</span><br /></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-3911182578509349162019-10-14T20:13:00.001+11:002019-10-14T20:13:34.975+11:00Sydney Olympic Off-Season – October <span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">We are only in mid-October; but it is already
over 2 months since our season ended and around another 5 months, until the
next season commences. That is quite a long lay-off. But that’s Australian
soccer for you.<br />
<br />
Obviously, that mostly has to do with us missing the Finals and not being
involved in any of the FFA Cup action either.<br />
<br />
A week or so after our final League match, the club publicly announced the
resignation of Abbas Saad.<br />
<br />
Numerous conspiracy theorists automatically went to work, claiming this, that &
the other and who knows, some of it might be accurate. At the end of the day,
it has happened and we all must move on.<br />
<br />
Despite what was written here about the team’s performances, his coaching
decisions or what not in this past season, Abbas Saad is a Sydney Olympic
Legend, adding to that by delivering us the Championship in 2018 which will
never be forgotten. We sincerely wish him all the best for the future.<br />
<br />
The club moved swiftly in finding a replacement as a week or so later, the club
announced the appointment of Sutherland Sharks coach, Terry Palapanis.<br />
<br />
Personally, I don’t know that much about him as a coach. His Sutherland team
beat us twice last season, both home and away, but in saying that, that ended
up being not that great of a feat after all.<br />
<br />
Palapanis also coached in the lower leagues with Mounties Wanderers and St
George, but it remains to be seen what he can do for us at Sydney Olympic. We
will just have to sit back and see.<br />
<br />
On the signings front – William Angel. Zach Mackenzie, Peter Kekeris, Thomas Whiteside,
Niko Tsattalios, Alejandro Sanchez, Dimi Petratos, Darcy Burgess, Jason
Madonis, Nikola Kuleski, Hagi Gligor, Billy Patramanis, Jack Stewart, Giovanni
Panuccio (from the U20’s) – have all re-signed for season 2020.<br />
<br />
Paul Henderson will play on next season as the 2nd Goalkeeper, in addition to
his new role as Goalkeeper coach.<br />
<br />
In terms of new signings, Goalkeeper Anthony Bouzanis and Attacker Alexander Lopez,
who were Sydney Olympic juniors, return after playing with Sutherland last
season.<br />
<br />
The club has also added Raul Beneit Romero from Sutherland, Adam Parkhouse from
Manly and Fabio Ferreira from Adelaide City.<br />
<br />
We will have to wait and see if there are any more additions to the squad or if
that is it for this off-season. A quick look over all those players and there
are quite a few offensive-minded players among them and not that many with a
defensive mindset, but as I said, we will see what transpires over the next few
months.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-84950266694785008412019-08-12T14:05:00.001+10:002019-08-12T14:05:36.913+10:00Season Over – SFC NPL Team 1-3 Sydney Olympic<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">It is season over in 2019 for Sydney Olympic, as
an inconsistent and at time frustrating year wrapped up at Lambert Park on
Sunday Afternoon, as we defeated the SFC NPL Team in the final regular season game.<br />
<br />
Quickly on this particular match at Lambert Park, it seemed like all the air
was let out of the place before a ball was even kicked. Everybody was aware of what
needed to happen, what needed to go our way, for us to make the Top 5 and play
Finals Football but you’d have to say, not many were optimistic it was going to
happen.<br />
<br />
Anyway, we held up our end of the bargain as we dominated the match from start
to finish. Inside the first 5 minutes we had opened the scoring through Jack
Stewart. Not long after this we made it 2-0 as Alejandro Sanchez finished off
well, breaking his goal scoring drought in the process. Not long after this,
the opposition fluked a goal back totally against the run of play and at the
half-time break we were leading 2-1.<br />
<br />
Midway through the second-half, Alejandro Sanchez got his 2nd goal of the
afternoon, following some nice work from Jinya An, one of our best players all season,
who crossed it for him to finish and make the score 3-1.<br />
<br />
That is how the score remained at full-time, the positive was we ended the
season with a victory, the negative was hearing that Sydney United had beaten
Manly by the same score-line across town. Meaning it was season over.<br />
<br />
You would have to say that overall, this season has been a failure and a
massive disappointment for all concerned, supporters, players, coaches, board,
given we were Champions last season and we could not back it up this season.<br />
<br />
No doubt that this season, injuries have played their part in wrecking it. But,
after that poor start to the season, we were chasing our own tails for the rest
of it and it is just too even of a competition, to be having to play catch-up
for most of it.<br />
<br />
The World’s longest off season now begins, there is plenty of time between now
and the time the next season begins, which will be some time next March, to get
things right at least on the pitch.<br />
<br />
For sure, several players will be on their way out, if not already gone and
several others will be coming into the squad, we will just have to wait and see
who they end up being and lets all cross our fingers that the club brings in the
right players.<br />
<br />
We all hope that someone other than Stevie Wonder will be in charge of
recruiting during the off-season.<br />
<br />
A lot of question marks remain both on and off the pitch for Sydney Olympic.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship the 18s won 3-1 and the 20s lost 2-0. We have ended up
in 6th place. Thankfully, starting from next year, the Club Championship will
no longer count as part of any promotion or relegation.<br />
<br />
For the Sydney Olympic women’s team, they lost 1-0 to the Northern Tigers in
their Semi-Final, but by virtue of finishing 2nd during the regular season,
they will have another chance this weekend. They will play the Illawarra
Stingrays in an Elimination Final on Sunday.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-44332014717762907632019-08-05T13:04:00.001+10:002019-08-05T13:04:46.703+10:00Sydney Olympic 2-1 Sydney United<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Sydney Olympic kept its slim Finals hopes alive yesterday,
after recording a gutsy come from behind, 2-1 victory over rivals Sydney United
on Sunday Afternoon, at Belmore Sports Ground.<br />
<br />
We started the match off well and had a couple of great chances to open the
scoring, but once again, we could not capitalise on our good build up play. As
has been the case many times this season, after we fail to put away our chances,
we were once again sucker punched on the break. An opposition player was put
through on goal, it was questionable whether or not he was actually onside, but
nevertheless, we were punished on the half-hour mark and were now down 1-0. We
tried hard to get back into the game during the closing stages of the
first-half, but it was not to be and at half-time we were down 1-0.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, we did not have to wait too long in the second-half to get back on
level terms. As 5 minutes in, substitute Jack Stewart was found inside the box,
before slotting the ball away to bring us level at 1-1. 5 minutes after our
equaliser, we turned the match on its head as we were fouled inside the box and
earned a penalty, Jason Madonis stepped up and put it away with ease to put us
into a 2-1 lead. It was a lead that we would not relinquish and it was a well-deserved
3 points.<br />
<br />
Coincidentally, this match signified the first time this season, where we were
able to overturn a deficit after trailing at half-time.<br />
<br />
It was a good performance, a well-deserved victory and it keeps our slim hopes
of making the Top 5 alive.<br />
<br />
Next week is the final regular season game of the season, against Sydney FC’s
NPL team, on Sunday Afternoon August 11, at Lambert Park, Kick-Off is at 3pm.<br />
<br />
For us to make the Top 5, a couple of things need to happen:<br />
<br />
- Firstly we must take care of business and beat Sydney FC’s NPL team at
Lambert Park on Sunday and;<br />
- Somehow hope that Manly, who have nothing to play for next week, either beat
or at least get a draw away at Sydney United. Highly unlikely.<br />
<br />
There has been much talk, that Paul Henderson will hang up the boots at the end
of this season, if true, he has been a magnificent servant for the club. Only 5
players have played more matches for Sydney Olympic and he has won 2
Championships and 2 Minor Premierships with the club. <br />
<br />
This reason alone, should ensure plenty of Sydney Olympic Supporters head out to
Lambert Park on Sunday.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship the 18s lost 1-0 and the 20s won 3-0.<br />
<br />
On the women’s side of things, they lost to the NWS Koalas 3-2 on the weekend, but
after the 22 Rounds they managed to finish 2nd on the ladder and will play
Finals this year, in their 1st season in the NPL 1 competition. Well Done.<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-66100289523664479282019-07-29T11:23:00.001+10:002019-07-29T11:23:40.230+10:00Sydney Olympic 0-1 Marconi<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Sydney Olympic is limping to a meek surrender of
its NSW Championship. As a poor season was compounded even further, by losing
to an anti-football Marconi side on Sunday Afternoon at Belmore Sports Ground.<br />
<br />
We are entering territory where we now don’t have matters in our own hands and
we start needing “favours” and “results to go our way elsewhere” to even make
the Top 5, play Finals and defend our Championship. Which all things considered,
is very unlikely to occur anyway.<br />
<br />
I will not be going through all the same issues and wasting everybody’s time, especially
about things that I have been posting about all season, as it is getting all
too repetitive, I’m sure. Most people who have eyes and who have either been to
matches or watched the games on the internet throughout the year, know and
understand what has been dished up this season.<br />
<br />
Offensively, none of our supposed strikers have scored in any of the last 6 rounds.
Obviously, relying on your midfielders and defenders to score your goals every
match, is going to bring you nothing, and get you nowhere.<br />
<br />
Defensively, we haven’t conceded this many goals (31) since season 2010, when
we finished a pathetic 2nd last. Bear in mind that there are still 2 rounds to
go though, so there is ample time to match the 40 we copped that year.<br />
<br />
What a difference 12 months makes, we can’t score and can’t defend now and the
doom and gloom times have returned.<br />
<br />
We were on a hiding to nothing from the get go. Everybody involved at the club
have dropped the ball. I’m not sure what went through their minds at the end of
last year, we just rock up in 2019 and everything just happens like magic
again?<br />
<br />
Did they really think that was how it was going to play out?<br />
<br />
Don’t bring in any new faces, don’t replace the talent that left in the off-season,
don’t sign anyone of note, then sign players who are duds who were way passed
it.<br />
<br />
Good plan. <br />
<br />
We got what we deserved in 2019 and that’s nothing. Not to mention the Cup run
we had this season, where it was as if we were trying very hard to get
ourselves knocked out by some random park teams at the earliest point possible.<br />
<br />
People at the club instead have been too busy running around discussing
frivolous things like alleged National 2nd divisions and chasing agreements
concerning some sort of phantom promotion and relegation to the a-league.<br />
<br />
I only speak for myself here, others may agree or disagree, but I couldn’t care
less about any of it, our focus should be fixing our own problems and getting our
own house in order, both on and off the field.<br />
<br />
Speaking of which, there has still been no official communication from the club
over the Tempe debacle. Where’s the transparency? Whatever happened to those
CEO updates?<br />
<br />
The official end to the season can’t come quickly enough.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship the 18s won 2-1 and the 20s won 2-0. <br />
<br />
Next week is our final home match of the season, our home record in 2019 reads:<br />
4 losses, 3 draws, 3 wins, with 1 of those home wins coming at Lambert Park in
the match that was moved against Hakoah in Round 15, so it is 2 wins at home at
Belmore this season. Disgraceful.<br />
<br />
Next week: Sydney Olympic v Sydney United, Sunday Afternoon, August 4, Kick-Off
is at 4pm.<br />
<br />
On the women’s side of things, they have done very well in their first season
in NPL 1. They are sitting in 2nd place, after a 1-0 win over the Northern
Tigers on the weekend. In the final round, they face NWS Koalas at Peter Moore
Field this Sunday, Kick-Off is at 3pm. </span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-34900175785632444912019-07-22T12:20:00.001+10:002019-07-22T12:20:48.598+10:00APIA Leichhardt 3-1 Sydney Olympic<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Sydney Olympic blew a chance to cement a Top 5
position on Sunday Afternoon, falling to what was a fairly unimpressive APIA
Leichhardt side at Lambert Park. Sure, APIA have been and are a very good side once
again this season, but they did not play in a manner which signified anything
close to being levels above us or even dominant against us in the match yesterday.
<br />
<br />
In the first-half we were the better side, but that isn’t really anything to
get excited about, as both sides were not that great. Even still, we managed to
create a few openings, but when we did get ourselves in a position to have a
shot at goal, our players preferred instead, to try and be cute and lay it off for
someone else, instead of having a go themselves, this was all inside the box
mind you. This cost us a few times during the first-half yesterday.<br />
<br />
As is standard practice in this sport, if you fail to take your chances, the
opposition goes down the other end and punishes you and that’s what happened.
APIA hit us with a sucker-punch of a goal, when they really didn’t look
threatening at all up to that point and at half-time we were down 1-0.<br />
<br />
The opening stages of the second-half can only be described as a circus and
cost us from getting anything from the match.<br />
<br />
Firstly, everybody stood around as APIA walked the play inside our box, their
shot was initially well saved but the ball rebounded flukily off the APIA player
and nestled in the back of our net. Secondly, the same APIA player decided he
was going to try his luck and swan dive inside the box as if he had been bowled
over by a hurricane, the referee who was a prick all match decided yep, that’s
a penalty. APIA converted the penalty and we were all of the sudden down 3-0
and the match was effectively all over.<br />
<br />
We pulled a goal back but the players and the fans, never believed we could
perform any miracles and thus ended a disappointing day, a 3-1 loss and a near
fatal blow to our season.<br />
<br />
The players could not overcome their poor display, especially the period
between the last 10 minutes of the first-half and first 10 minutes of the
second-half, the lack of concentration in that time killed us, but also they
were never going to overcome that cheat of a referee which is what he was.<br />
<br />
I’ve seen enough sport personally to notice a Championship let down season when
I see one. The 2018 season swelled the heads of several players and many simply
do not give a toss this season, which is sad to see.<br />
<br />
The lack of motivation yesterday and all season has been extremely
disheartening. One swallow doesn’t make a summer, as they say.<br />
<br />
The board must take its share of the blame also, they simply did not rejuvenate
the team at all. Other than losing Max Burgess, the squad is pretty much the
same as last year. Standing still and resting on our laurels was never going to
get us anywhere in 2019, we had to freshen up the squad and the few signings
they did make, have been positively horrendous, atrocious, shocking.<br />
<br />
We lauded the coach last year and rightly so, but this year he has to take his
share of the blame and he showed that he could not adapt to a new season and a
change in circumstances.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship, the 18s won for the first time in a long time, 2-0, and
in the 20s we lost 2-0.<br />
<br />
Next week is absolutely the last roll of the dice, it’s must win now, as we
take on Marconi next Sunday Afternoon July 28, at Belmore Sports Ground,
Kick-Off is at 4pm.<br />
<br />
As for the First Grade women’s team, they smashed the Newcastle Jets 5-0 on
Sunday and moved into 2nd spot on the NPL 1 ladder. Next Sunday Afternoon they travel
to face the Northern Tigers, Kick-Off at 3.30pm.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-39889531723187731542019-07-08T10:13:00.000+10:002019-07-08T10:13:31.968+10:00Manly United 1-2 Sydney Olympic<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">Sydney Olympic have kept their season alive for
another week, after coming away with a very important and much needed victory,
away to an always difficult Manly United side on Sunday Afternoon.<br />
<br />
It was an intriguing first-half and had the feeling of a Finals match, given
how desperate both sides were. We played OK throughout, but there was not too
much to get excited about during that first-half. We did manage to create a few
openings but we did not create many clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities.
Defensively we were also fairly solid, snuffing out any Manly attacks.<br />
<br />
In the second-half it would be a different story, as we witnessed 2 goal of the
season contenders from a player in Nikola Kuleski, who just does not do tap-ins.
<br />
<br />
The first goal was a 30 metre volley giving the Manly goalkeeper no chance. The
second goal was a great freekick which once again beat the Manly goalkeeper,
who simply had no chance once again.<br />
<br />
In between these 2 bombs, Manly equalised, with one of my personally most hated
goals to concede. A cross come shot which alluded every player on the field,
bounced inside the box, confusing the goalkeeper in the process, to find the
back of our net.<br />
<br />
There was some nervous moments near the end as Manly aggressively chased an
equaliser, but we managed to hold on to record an important victory.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We somehow find ourselves still alive this
season by virtue of every other side also being crazily inconsistent, bar the
top 3 sides in Wollongong, APIA Leichhardt and Blacktown City.<br />
<br />
The win over Hakoah a few weeks ago, which was nothing to write home about
performance wise, was a turning point for this team. With 4 rounds remaining we
are in with a chance of defending our Championship.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship, the 18s lost 1-0, and in the 20s we won 1-0.<br />
<br />
An update on former player George Timotheou, who played with us last season and
then was transferred to Schalke in Germany. After spending most of the last
season playing for the Schalke reserves, he managed to feature in a few Schalke
1st team matchday squads and even played in the 1st team late in the season. He
has recently been sold to Belgian side Zulte Waregem, where he will continue
his career and we wish him the best of luck.<br />
<br />
Whether Sydney Olympic has inserted any on-sale clauses or anything of that
sort, nobody knows and it remains to be seen.<br />
<br />
Next week is a bye round as a result of the Waratah Cup Final taking place. So
we are next back in action in 2 weeks time, on Sunday Afternoon, July 21, a
huge match away to old rivals APIA Leichhardt at Lambert Park, Kick-Off is at
3.30pm.<br />
<br />
As for the First Grade women’s team, they beat the Bankstown Lions 2-1 on
Sunday Afternoon to remain in 3rd spot on the ladder in NPL 1. Next Sunday
Afternoon they themselves head to Cromer Park to face Manly United, this
Sunday, Kick-Off at 3pm.</span></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-55982329832395377342019-06-24T11:13:00.002+10:002019-06-26T13:58:09.270+10:00Wollongong Wolves 2-0 Sydney Olympic<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The win last week against Hakoah, was merely a
momentary blip of hope, on the disaster that has been Sydney Olympic’s 2019
season. The club has not handled the pressure of having to defend a title and
everything else is starting to come apart at the seams, even the respect for
the supporters. I will get to that later.<br />
<br />
In the first-half against Wollongong, we more than held our own and had a
couple of really good opportunities to take the lead but once again, as has
been the case for us all season, we failed to fire where it matters, in the
front third. The opposition for all their huff and puff and reputation, only
had 1 good chance in the first-half. So at half-time, we went in with the score
at 0-0 and had hopes we could do something special in the second-half.<br />
<br />
The second-half though, started in the worst possible fashion, as we copped a
cheap soft goal once again almost straight from the kick-off, when there was no
danger at all for us defensively. We once again panicked and we were punished. <br />
<br />
We picked ourselves up and started to play OK, we once again had chances but it
was not to be as at the other end, we conceded another cheap goal near the end of
the match to succumb to yet another loss. We have only won once in nearly 2
months now. Shocking stuff.<br />
<br />
With all the lauding about the Wollongong Wolves this season and the usual
clownery of clueless people coming out of the woodwork to proclaim they “should
be in the a-league”, after 1 good season in 10 years. The fact is they are very
average, they won’t win the Grand Final and are very likely to pull a Blacktown
Spartans from a few years ago. Overrated, Big Time.<br />
<br />
For Sydney Olympic, we gave away more cheap goals on Sunday and in all honesty,
we should never have lost that game. But a certain softness has creeped into
this team, which was nowhere to be seen last season, this team is mentally
soft.<br />
<br />
The less said about what happened at full-time the better. All parties let
their emotions get the better of them, but let it be known to those on the
board, the coaching staff and those on the playing field, this season has not
been good enough, wake up to yourselves and respect the fans who spend their time
and hard earned money to drive to places like Wollongong in the rain, to
support the team.<br />
<br />
Respect the supporters. Telling them to “fuck off”, “do you know who I am” and “I
will see you outside”, will only get you what you are after, and that’s a
flogging. <br />
<br />
The season is as good as over now, this is not about me being a pessimist or
whatever, this is a fact. If the club and board had any football nous or
smarts, they would be making hard decisions now, getting a jump on the rest of
the competition who are still fighting hard this season and start planning for
2020.<br />
<br />
Settle on who you want as coach now, leave sentiment out of that decision as it
is a big one to make and get all your recruitment done nice and early and dump
the players, who have proven to be a) not good enough, b) not playing for the
shirt and c) have their best years behind them.<br />
<br />
This season has been a total write-off and as disgraceful of an attempt at a
defence of a title, as I have seen anywhere in any sport for some time.<br />
<br />
I’m not sure what bringing in Riley Woodcock with 5 games to go was meant to
achieve either, leave it a bit later why don’t you.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship, the 18s lost 1-0, and in the 20s they drew 1-1.<br />
<br />
Our next match is against the Rockdale Kleftes, Sunday June 30 at Belmore
Sports Ground. Here’s the players chance to show some balls and do something
good for the fans this season. Kick-Off is at 4pm.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-871452168187628732019-06-17T11:52:00.001+10:002019-06-17T11:52:35.035+10:00Sydney Olympic 1-0 Hakoah Sydney City-East<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">We all rejoice in the experience and feeling of
winning a match for the first time since we beat Marconi away, on May the 4th,
43 days ago for those who are counting. It wasn’t pretty, but the 3 points are
what counts and hopefully we can mount some sort of a charge, in the final 7
rounds of the season.<br />
<br />
The match, a home match for Sydney Olympic, had to be moved from Belmore Sports
Ground after the downpour on Sunday Morning. Meaning we had to go to Lambert
Park in Leichhardt on Sunday, a Lambert Park that now has a condemned grandstand,
so even less people can actually go there these days. <br />
<br />
I don’t think many people minded, as Lambert Park has always been a happy
hunting ground for Sydney Olympic and in contrast, our home record at Belmore
this season has pretty much been abysmal.<br />
<br />
As you would expect from a match featuring 2 teams who are struggling and down
on confidence, the first 5-10 minutes of the match didn’t begin with any great tempo
or enthusiasm as both sides sussed each other out. Soon enough though, we got
ourselves into the match and would from then on dominate proceedings.<br />
<br />
Around 15 minutes into the match our quality showed as William Angel made a
nice run down the right and then crossed it into the box, where Peter Kekeris
made no mistake to finish from close range, to put us 1-0 up.<br />
<br />
For the rest of the first-half we were in the ascendancy and had a couple of
really good chances to extend our lead, but as has been the case this season,
our finishing let us down.<br />
<br />
The second-half was a bit more nervy and would be, so long as the score
remained only at 1-0. Hakoah who are really struggling this season, didn’t
really pose us too many problems defensively. Here and there they would mount
an attack but we managed to snuff it out pretty quickly.<br />
<br />
Our play was improving compared to recent weeks and we had yet, more chances
during the second-half to put the game away for good, but again, the final
product was just not there.<br />
<br />
There was a massive sigh of relief at the full-time whistle, as we picked up a
vital 3 points and finally got back into the winners circle. <br />
<br />
That victory puts a significant gap between us and Hakoah in the Club
Championship standings now and barring some sort of unmitigated disaster, we
should do enough to avoid being relegated.<br />
<br />
It was also only our 2nd clean sheet of the season, ironically, the only other one
coming in our 1-0 victory over Hakoah earlier in the season. They must really
be struggling.<br />
<br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Quickly on what I wrote last week about Tempe,
nothing has been refuted by anyone at the club, you can draw your own
conclusions from that. Added further intrigue, was the fact that the CEO in an
interview he gave last week to NEOS KOSMOS, mentioned nothing of it, I don’t
think he was asked, instead the interview focused on Sydney Olympic being interested
or involved in some sort of phantom future National 2nd division.</span><br />
<br />
In the Club Championship, the 18s and 20s were postponed for another day.<br />
<br />
Our next match is a difficult one, down in Wollongong against the Wollongong
Wolves, who have been scoring for fun all season and lead the competition by a
good margin. Sunday June 23 at WIN Stadium in Wollongong. Kick-Off is at 3pm.</span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-10765099124884320032019-06-10T13:02:00.000+10:002019-06-10T13:02:20.495+10:00Blacktown City 1-1 Sydney Olympic <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">The result in isolation, is one most Sydney
Olympic Supporters could and would accept in any normal circumstances.</span></div>
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">
<br />
We battled well, we stayed in the contest, we created our fair share of chances
and defensively we were not as calamitous as we have been, during the last 6
weeks. Some might even say that this team has “turned the corner”.<br />
<br />
But given the predicament we find ourselves in as a club in season 2019, it’s
another poor result, it’s yet more points thrown away, it’s yet another match where
we simply had to win to stay alive in the League and to keep us away from
relegation trouble via the Club Championship, and we once again didn’t.<br />
<br />
The goal we conceded to go behind, was once again amateur hour stuff and just
makes you want to shake your head at it all, a comedy of errors. It is not a
co-incidence that we have only kept 1 clean sheet all season.<br />
<br />
We did well enough to pick ourselves up quickly and find an equaliser, but that
was as good as it was going to get. <br />
<br />
The club and the board have been far too complacent, you can’t stand still in
this competition or in any competitive field and be successful, but in our
case, you certainly can’t go backwards and attempt to be successful and we certainly
have gone backwards, in every aspect in 2019.<br />
<br />
Recruitment to replace the departed players who did so well for us last season;
Max Burgess, Riley Woodcock, George Timotheou has been non-existent. That is a
lot of quality gone and those players simply, were not replaced. Recruitment
has been an absolute shambles. A major failure of the people at the club.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Did the club and the board think they could just
replace those quality players with fringe players from other clubs? If so, they
have learned a harsh lesson. Let’s just hope that the harsh lesson doesn’t
result in us being relegated to the NSW 2nd Division, which is a distinct
possibility at this point, with only 1/3 of the season remaining.<br />
<br />
Even in this mid-season signing window, the club have failed to strengthen.
When you consider that, the majority of the other clubs have strengthened and
have gotten better, it just goes to show how poor Sydney Olympic have been in
2019. <br />
<br />
It has gotten to the point now, where even if the club did try and panic sign
some players right now, it would be far too late and a waste of everybody’s
time, money and resources anyway.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As for the Sydney Olympic starting XI line-ups
that have been put out this season. Is some sort of game being played, to see
how ridiculous of a line-up can be fielded on any given weekend?<br />
<br />
There has been more tinkering then I care to comment about. Every week,
chopping and changing, players out of position, players out, players in, every
weekend without fail. Where is the continuity? How is that meant to make us
successful on the pitch?<br />
<br />
It has been a bizarre season and everyone must be hoping that there is no late
season sting at the tail end of it.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To add insult to injury, last Wednesday Night,
Sydney Olympic failed to progress to the Main Round of 32 Draw of the FFA Cup for
the 4th year in a row. Losing yet another match at home in the process in yet
another poor display, as we went down 3-1 to the Marconi Stallions in the Final
Round Qualifier.<br />
<br />
We have now not qualified for the FFA Cup since 2015, a 4th straight failure
for the club in a competition where we were promised and assured by the club,
that they were going to focus on and do everything to achieve that objective. That
turned out to be lies.<br />
<br />
When you actually look at the 4 FFA Cup Qualifiers we played this season; we
were awful in all of them and realistically, could have been knocked out
earlier by either of those opponents. Truly awful.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There is also a bit of news around regarding the
so-called Tempe Reserve redevelopment, as it appears to have been abandoned.
The exclusive dealing period between Sydney Olympic and the Inner-West Council,
which was an agreement between the 2 parties to develop the highlighted area in
the accompanying photo, has expired. Essentially this means that it will not go
ahead.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOj05BNQkua-AjQzZ83QHg4gaXagx6jS56334yXSAqWJTTSkqbqDoGMxqIFBBqI42GTesVvJU8eOhuieMCNIL68ob_xDLPeGUXXmZBeEyHVjNNHNkLzihceFqOs-wtvJjpFc0hRsrwGig/s1600/Tempe+%255B1%255D.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSOj05BNQkua-AjQzZ83QHg4gaXagx6jS56334yXSAqWJTTSkqbqDoGMxqIFBBqI42GTesVvJU8eOhuieMCNIL68ob_xDLPeGUXXmZBeEyHVjNNHNkLzihceFqOs-wtvJjpFc0hRsrwGig/s640/Tempe+%255B1%255D.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">There have just been way too many obstacles put
in front of the club and the money is simply not there from the club either, to
proceed and do anything.<br />
<br />
Ironically or call it what you want, at around the same time,
Canterbury-Bankstown Council and Sydney Olympic put out statements which
included a story in the local paper, announcing that Peter Moore Field No.1
which has a grass pitch, will be ripped up and replaced with a synthetic
surface.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7XxxWxiJ9eR_Ravof_vQNPgmJPMYWrTG_8dawGJzqWrvCC51PnSyqSMO5-BHjjXHxFqeC_9FUMy1jg-DwoYmocm3-hvbxeMpOypOOAhrnjc0t6fNljT1l8D6a3a_s5vfYWZO87ksqo6L/s1600/tempe+%255B2%255D.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1200" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7XxxWxiJ9eR_Ravof_vQNPgmJPMYWrTG_8dawGJzqWrvCC51PnSyqSMO5-BHjjXHxFqeC_9FUMy1jg-DwoYmocm3-hvbxeMpOypOOAhrnjc0t6fNljT1l8D6a3a_s5vfYWZO87ksqo6L/s640/tempe+%255B2%255D.png" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">No guarantees or timelines were given for when
this latest phantom Sydney Olympic project is supposed to happen. But if it’s
like the plethora of other promises during the last 62 years, I wouldn’t be
holding my breath.<br />
<br />
In the Club Championship, the U18s lost 1-0 and in the U20s we drew 1-1, more
fantastic results. To all those who have scoffed at relegation talk, we are now
in 2nd last place in the Club Championship. We need to wake up and start
winning some matches, otherwise it will be trips to Rydalmere, Northbridge and
North Turramurra next season.<br />
<br />
Our next match is perhaps the most important match Sydney Olympic will play
this season, against relegation rivals Hakoah Sydney City-East. Sunday June 16
at Belmore Sports Ground, Kick-Off is at 4pm. This is simply a must win.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7757593004159922887.post-34844193420543884852019-06-03T10:24:00.000+10:002019-06-03T10:24:11.548+10:00Sydney Olympic 2-2 Mt Druitt Town<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-AU; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">1 Win, 3 Draws and 3 Losses. That is the home record
of Sydney Olympic after 7 home matches so far in season 2019 and once again on
Sunday Night, we threw away more crucial competition points at home to another
lesser light of the competition, it is getting beyond the joke now.<br />
<br />
We currently have a double problem. <br />
<br />
We can’t put away enough of our many chances during matches to claim any
victories and every time an opposition team attacks our goal, we react like
frightened little schoolgirls and as a result, we are giving up way too many
goals to our opposition and far too easily.<br />
<br />
It is exactly how Sunday’s match against Mt Druitt Town panned out.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">We created enough chances to win 2 matches.
Alejandro Sanchez who continues to lead the way for Sydney Olympic, finished
off 2 great chances to pick up his customary goals for the weekend. But when
the rest were called upon, and in a position to contribute and put the ball
away, they couldn’t. <br />
<br />
In the end, that is what keeps on costing us, our poor finishing. It would cost
us again, as we copped 2 cheap goals to let slip a certain victory.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">The first goal we conceded was yet another “worldy”.
Call it bad luck or whatever, but we have been on the receiving end of way too
many of these flukey long range bombs and we fell victim to another one.<br />
<br />
The second goal we conceded was like watching a car crash in slow motion and
knowing the outcome before it happened. An opposition attacker beat our defence
and our goalkeeper to a lob inside the box, to prod it home.<br />
<br />
Adding to the frustration of everyone, especially the Sydney Olympic
Supporters, was that we managed to not only take the lead once, but twice
during the match, yet we crumbled and were pegged back both times.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">As I said last week, the players look scared and
the confidence of the entire joint is way down, and it is not something that
can just be picked back up at the flick of a switch.<br />
<br />
The games are running out, as are our opportunities to turn this season around.
We have some massively important matches coming up and we need to get out of
this funk we are in ASAP otherwise this season will slip away, which would be a
shame and a waste of this year.<br /><br /><span lang="EN" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">A team bonding session or whatever it may be
(strippers, piss-up?) something needs to be done to spark this group of players
to life. As our squad is far too good to be losing to and dropping points to some
of the junk we have done especially at home, and we are far too good to be as
low as we are on the ladder.<br />
<br />
We need to turn it around. Fast.<br />
<br />
For the Club Championship, the U18s lost 3-0 and in the U20s, they managed to somehow
come up with a 2-1 win.<br />
<br />
Our next match is an all-important Round 7 FFA Cup Qualifier on Wednesday Night
June 5, against the Marconi Stallions at Belmore Sports Ground. Kick-Off is at
7.30pm. With the form we are in, we are going to need some sort of heroic
performance to get through Marconi and finally get over this hump, that has
seen us fall at this stage of the Cup for the last 3 seasons in a row.<br />
<br />
Our next match in the League is on Sunday Afternoon June 9, away to Blacktown
City at Lily Homes Stadium in Seven Hills. Kick-Off is at 3pm.</span></span></span></span></span>Chris Stompahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07234388279636237910noreply@blogger.com1