Concerns - Blacktown City 4-2 Sydney Olympic

Gabbie Stadium is not a place you want to be heading to at the best of times. So having to travel there today without a win to our name this season, made it that much more worse. By the end of the match those concerns were justified, as we conceded 4 soft goals to lose 4-2.

In the 1^st half we started off well and looked OK out there, we were at least looking dangerous with the ball and we were creating chances. Harris Gaitatzis had two very good opportunities to score, but it was not to be. William Angel also had a good chance and Adrian Vranic in his first start for the team, was working hard and looking threatening. With around 10 minutes before half-time, it was with dismay to see Blacktown break down their right hand side and were allowed to deliver a simple cross, resulting in a tap-in goal for them. The rest of the half was fairly quiet and our play seemed to suffer a bit in the closing stages, we were slow with the ball and looked a little disjointed, we looked frazzled.

So, into the 2^nd half and things were definitely not all lost. We were down 1-0 but we didn’t deserve to be and we were creating enough chances to suggest that we could most certainly pull level, at the very least. So it was with bewilderment that only 5 minutes into the 2^nd half the coaching staff in their wisdom, decided to take off our only striker and bring on a midfielder. Within 5 minutes of this substitution we copped two soft goals, again from Blacktown’s right hand side. All of a sudden we were 3-0 down and the match was effectively all over. Defensive lapses had cost us. With around 20 minutes to go we got on the board via nice headed goal from Niko Tsattalios, we gave ourselves a sniff of a miracle. After the goal we made our last 2 substitutions, one of which included the removal of Harris Gaitatzis from the field, which bemused many. 5 minutes before full-time Blacktown scored their 4^th to kill the match off. In injury time we scored a tap in via Mark Cindric to make the score 4-2, and that is the way the match ended.

Firstly, I want to say that we definitely had the capabilities to win this match, in fact we should have. To come away with the score-line looking as if we had just copped a thrashing is concerning. Some of the things I saw from my view in the Grandstand at Gabbie Stadium in terms of tactics and substitutions were nothing short of mind boggling.

Hooking your striker who was having a pretty good debut when the score was 0-1 and replacing him with a midfielder needs explaining.

Taking off one of your main attacking threats when you have just pulled a goal back and looked like a comeback might be on was disillusioning.

Playing somebody at left-back who has never ever played there before and leaving him up against accomplished attackers in this league is puzzling.

Also the sight of people getting in each other’s way throughout the match does not fill people with confidence.

To add to the current negative vibes, we are also losing every week in the 18’s and 20’s, so all round it does not look good for Sydney Olympic at this stage. Yes we are only 3 rounds into the season, but as we all know, the team who finishes last on the Club Championship (a combination of the results of 1^st Grade, 20’s and 18‘s) gets relegated. Do I need to mention Marconi???

I know this blog will sound very negative to many, but I and many other supporters are very pissed off with what we’re seeing, especially what happened out at Blacktown today.

Next week, it does not get any easier with a trip to Seymour Shaw Park to take on the Sutherland Sharks next Saturday night, kickoff will be 6.30pm.

Sharing the Spoils - Sydney Olympic 1-1 Manly United

Indifferent weather greeted us on Sunday afternoon at Belmore Sports Ground for our first home game of the season, against Manly United. I don’t know what it is, but it seems that we always have trouble against this team and the weather added to the sense of gloom and impending doom. Manly were coming off a loss to a young Sutherland team, so you could bet on them coming out hard for the victory. Which is not something foreign, as when most teams come up against Sydney Olympic, they always put in that little bit extra to beat us.

To the game, the 1^st half was pretty even. Both sides showed endeavour to get forward and score with both sides having good opportunities to score. Once again, just like last week both keepers were instrumental in keeping the score at 0-0 and from a Sydney Olympic point of view, Paul Henderson was once again immense in goals, making some very important saves during the 1^st half to keep the score at 0-0. Just before half-time though, we had great chance to take lead, but the shot from Harris Gaitatzis was deflected wide by a Manly defender. So we went to the break with the score at 0-0.

The 2^nd half continued on from where the 1^st half ended, both teams got into their stride with both searching for the opening goal. We were looking dangerous and looked like we would be the ones to take the lead. But the complexion of the game would change around 10 minutes into the 2^nd half, Chris Triantis received his 2^nd yellow card and we were down to 10 men for the last 30 or so minutes. It was now, 11 v. 10 and advantage Manly. We continued to hold our own though and didn’t really look in too much danger. That changed 5 minutes from the end as Manly scored a header off a set piece and took the lead much to the dismay of the Sydney Olympic supporters. We now had to pick ourselves up, chase the game and look for an equaliser with our 10 men. We would get our goal deep into injury-time via substitute Jacob Boutoubia, who found the back of the net via a great shot, it really was a great finish. In the end it was a deserved point, as we no way deserved to lose that game.

So 2 matches in and we have 2 points via 2 draws to show for our efforts. We have played some good stuff in both of the matches. We could easily be on 6 points and conversely been on 0 points, but there is a long way to go this season and I’m sure that our first win is right around the corner.

Speaking to fellow supporters during and after the game, most if not all were in agreement that we were playing well, but that the lack of a recognised striker in the side is a problem. The answer could lie in the 20’s, as Adrian Vranic continuing on from his blistering form of last season, scored a hat-trick, in a match where in the end we lost 4-3. Something for the coaching staff to definitely think about.

It does not get any easier next week in Round 3 as we head to Gabbie Stadium in Seven Hills to take on the always tough Blacktown City, who are 2 wins from 2 and who this weekend, came back from 3-0 down to beat Sutherland 4-3.

So as mentioned, next weekend we take on Blacktown City on Sunday afternoon at Gabbie Stadium in Seven Hills, kickoff is at 3pm.

Steady Start - A.P.I.A Leichhardt 1-1 Sydney Olympic

It was back to Lambert Park on Sunday, the scene of our Semi-Final loss to A.P.I.A which ended our 2015 season. This time we were there for the Opening Round of the 2016 season.

It was the 96^th meeting between 2 Grand Old Clubs of Australian Football, a rivalry that began in 1961 and continues to this day. It might not be like it was in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, but that doesn’t diminish the desire to beat one another every chance we get.

Despite pre-season form you never know what to expect when the actual season starts. What we got was a fast start from A.P.I.A, they came out of the blocks fast and put pressure on the Sydney Olympic boys from the outset, they had a couple of chances early on and also hit the crossbar, by the 20^th minute they were ahead via it must be said a scrappy goal. It was after this that we started to get into our stride, our passing was better and it looked as if we had finally woken up. We finally started to create a few chances with Chris Triantis coming closest 10 minutes before half-time, he would admit that he should have put it away. We did not have to wait long for the equaliser though, as only a minute later Harris Gaitatzis smashed in a beauty from 30m to put us level. Both teams pushed for another but it was not to be for either and we went to the half-time break at 1-1.

The 2^nd half started rather cautiously and the match degenerated into a midfield battle. As the half progressed both teams had great chances to score and take the lead, William Angel came closest for us but great goalkeeping at both ends kept the score at 1-1. During the closing moments A.P.I.A had some big chances to score but were foiled on each occasion by our own Paul Henderson, who even copped a boot in the face for his troubles and in the end was a major factor in keeping the score at 1-1 as the referee blew his whistle for full-time.

So as the title of this week’s blog suggests, it was a steady start for us for 2016. We’ve gone to the home ground of what many reckon will be one of the main contenders for the title this season and came away with a point. Overall, there was a fair bit of rustiness in our performance, and we can only hope that the performances will improve as the season progresses. It was also good to see plenty of Olympic support at the ground.

Our Round 2 opponents Manly United, were defeated 2-0 at home by Sutherland, so it looks like this will be a tough match next week.

Our Round 2 match against Manly is next Sunday at Belmore Sports Ground, kickoff is at 3:00pm.

The Time Has Arrived.

After a long off-season, an off-season that has seen many issues brought to the fore, both on and off the field, the season finally begins next weekend. And what a way to start the season, at the scene of our Finals elimination from last season, against our old rivals A.P.I.A Leichhardt, at Lambert Park. A.P.I.A. are tipped to be right up there again and challenging for silverware this season, so it is a tough early examination for our Sydney Olympic in the 1^st round of the season.

During the pre-season, we’ve had quite a few matches to get the cobwebs out, to test out and get our combinations right, to see who will be important for us going forward this season and to see who won’t be. Overall, it is very difficult to make bold predictions and statements about where we will finish this season based on pre-season form, so I won’t. But it is vital that we get off to the best possible start this season, instead of having to chase our tails going into the business end.

What cannot be denied is that we have lost a lot of quality players from last season and with that, plenty of experience has gone as well. This year it will be a more youthful looking Sydney Olympic. There are advantages and disadvantages in such a situation, but at the end of the day, no matter what the age or experience levels are, whoever is good enough to play should play. Everybody must move in the same direction, work together and put their best foot forward for this season. The Sydney Olympic jersey is a heavy one.

In our final pre-season game, the team travelled down to the A.C.T. to take on Canberra Olympic. In a tough fought contest, Harris Gaitatzis got the goal that would ultimately prove the difference just before half-time, the match finished in a 1-0 win for us, whilst in the 20’s we also played well and won that match 4-0. Everybody in the squad got a run, bar the injured boys.

Also this past week, the club inducted 3 more Legends into the Sydney Olympic Hall of Fame, they were; Graham Jennings, Chris Kalantzis, and Pablo Cardozo, all worthy inductees. We’ve been privileged to have had some of the greatest names in Australian Football play for the Blue and White and all three men have provided the supporters with plenty of great memories. Congratulations to all of them for the honour.

Sticking with the Hall of Fame theme, my view is that whenever it comes time to announce the next group of inductees, the club should go back into the club’s past and honour the likes of; Comino Omeros, Sotiris Patrinos, Jim Hatzis, John Karagiannis, George Yangou, Brian Smith, Tony Maglis, Richard Bell, Johnny Thompson and others from that era. Then later come back to the modern era if you will and induct the likes of Peter Raskopoulos, Gary Phillips, Tony Spyridakos, Marshall Soper, Mark Koussas and so on.

The Hall of Fame is a great initiative and there are many people who have been involved with the club who are worthy of such an honour. It’s a very tough task deciding who to put in next, but I hope the people who are involved in the process take notice of my suggestion to honour players from the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. The club could even induct 2 from the Pan-Hellenic era and 2 from the Sydney Olympic era each Hall of Fame night, as an example.

So, another season is here, and it all kicks off again next Sunday afternoon against A.P.I.A Leichhardt at Lambert Park, kickoff is at 4:30pm. I hope to see as many Sydney Olympic Supporters out there.