Former striker Gary Ward has returned to the APIA Leichhardt Tigers aiming to replicate his successful time at the club in the late 1980s.
The former striker had stints in England and Canada, before coming to Australia to play for Preston, Brunswick Juventus, Melbourne Croatia and West Adelaide Hellas before ending up at the Tigers in 1987 which went on a 27-game unbeaten run to win the national league.
After retiring at 31, Ward took a step away from football but later turned to coaching youngsters.
“I was playing full time football when I was 16 so when people said I retired a bit early at 31 and I could have gone on, they don’t realise that that was 15 years,’’ he said.
“I had a problem with my hips, I couldn’t accelerate anymore.
“You got to be able to give 100% and I couldn’t give 100% so I retired early.
“I coached kids and then I had a family. My son Simon who scored the third goal for the 20s today is only 18 but he is a good player and that’s what got me back at the club here.’’
Ward took to the dugout for the first time in APIAs 3-1 loss to the Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
He is now eager to sign a few more player to make his side competitive for the season.
“We’ve got Daniel Zenneli who has been playing in Asia who is 6 foot 2 and fit,’’ Ward said.
“He played in the premier league two seasons ago, he has a fantastic CV, is only 23 and is a really good defender.
“I guess the way we defended (against Bonnyrigg) at times and with injuries to a couple of defenders and the sending off of Adel (El Jamal) I am glad he is arriving.
“I am also on the verge of signing Evan Berger. He was at the Melbourne Victory under Ernie Merrick and he is at the Perth Glory at the moment.
“I actually probably need another striker as well. But what do you do I’ve got Nik Taneski who is 18 years old and has been at Sydney FC.
“We’ve got George Khoury as a forward and he is only 20 years old.
“So at the end of the day I don’t think we will be swilling champagne in the cup at the end of the season but I do expect us to get into the finals.’’
-By Chris Georges
Archives for March 2013
Bonnyrigg flex their muscle against Tigers
Bonnyrigg White Eagles started their IGA NSW National Premier Leagues Mens 1
season with a convincing 3-1 victory over APIA-Leichhardt Tigers at Lambert Park on Sunday.
Attacker Alex Canak scored a brace with Adrian Ucchino rattling the back of the net from 25-yards, making a claim for an early contender for goal of the season to set up the win.
Bonnyrigg showed their intention from the opening whistle and scored their first goal in the 2′ minute of play. After Mitchell Long was fouled on the right, Alex Canak was found free on the back post to head towards goal. Tigers goalkeeper Ryan Norval saved the chance but a failed goalmouth clearance ended in Canak coming back to slam the ball into the net for the 1-0 lead.
The away side continued to show their eagerness and 5′ minutes later Long found space on the left but his cross could not find the oncoming Robbie Younis in the middle of the box.
Younis was at it again and had a shot saved in the 9′ minute. After a succession of first touch passes in the middle of the park between Long and Ken Chun the latter found Younis whose 20-yard shot was well saved by Norval.
APIA slowly came back into the game and in the 18′ minute could have equalised as Mark Byrnes sent a stinging shot just wide of the left hand upright from a failed clearance.
Chun almost scored only minutes later when he sent a curling free-kick from the right byline off the crossbar.
The home side finally started controlling a bit more of the midfield and had a half chance in the 30′ minute. Good work by Keith Shevlin out on the left hand side saw him cross the ball to Franco Parisi, with the latter only able to toe the ball wide of the mark.
With a minute to go before the break, APIA saw another chance go begging. Great work by right midfielder Brad Bartels saw his cross misjudged by White Eagles keeper Matthew Nash, leaving his goal open. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Shevlin could not get a shot away early enough as the teams went into the break.
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers coach Gary Ward showed his intention to get back into the game straight after half-time, bringing on youngster Nikola Taneski and Sean Symonds for Franco Parisi and Brad Bartels.
The changes almost paid dividends immediately when the Tigers had two chances to open their account in the 54′ minute. After Stephen Kayes sent a lovely through ball to Gerard Ouffoue, the striker had his shot saved by the oncoming Nash who saw the ball spill to Taneski out wide on the right. The former Sydney FC youth player sent a cross to the far post to find Symonds but the substitute could not find the net, heading over the bar.
The two missed chances came back to haunt the home side when Adrian Ucchino found space in the middle of the park before unleashing a fantastic shot into the top right-hand corner to give Bonnyrigg a 2-0 lead in the 65′ minute.
Conceding a second goal awoke the Tigers who were awarded a penalty 2′ minutes later after a mix up in defence saw Nash bring down an attacker. Shevlin stepped up to take the spot kick but could not convert as his shot down the middle of the goal was saved by Nash’s feet.
The final 20′ minutes of the match saw several raids by both teams eager to score.
APIA’s persistence paid off as they pulled a goal back with 9′ minutes remaining. Adel El Jamal sent through a great through ball with Ouffoue one on one with Nash. The striker got a soft shot under Nash and with the ball trickling towards the goal line Shevlin slid the ball into the net to make it 2-1.
But their hard work was undone a minute later when El Jamal received a red card for a studs-up challenge on Ucchino.
Five minutes from the end, Canak doubled his tally. Receiving the ball out wide on the left Canak dribbled the ball inwards across the 18-yard line before sending the ball into the top right-hand corner to finish the game 3-1.
Following the game Bonnyrigg White Eagles coach Brian Brown said he was extremely pleased to start the season off with an impressive win:
"I thought we started very well, in fact I thought the first-half was outstanding and 1-0 at the break wasn’t a real reflection on how well we played in the first-half,’’ Brown said.
"Our midfield did very well, our movement, our passing, our ball retention was excellent.
"(Ucchino’s) was a stunning goal, and Canak’s as well. I think that is the difference when the boys are scoring goals like that."
Out of the home dressing room Gary Ward slammed his troop’s poor start to the game:
"We gave them a free-kick in the first 30” seconds and they scored from it and that’s a really poor way to start,’’ Ward said.
"We were lunging into tackles which we had no right to lunge into, we were giving them free-kicks which they have obviously worked on and they scored straight away.
"It took us 20′ minutes to actually work out we were here to play today. The giving away of free-kicks by our players today was amateurish.’’
Bonnyrigg will hope to make it two from two next week when they host the Blacktown Spartans at Bonnyrigg Sports Centre while APIA host the Central Coast Mariners Academy squad at Lambert Park.
Match Stats
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Shevlin 81’)
Bonnyrigg White Eagles 3 (Canak 2’, 85’, Ucchino 65’)
Lambert Park, Leichhardt
Referee: Stephen Lucas
Assistant Referees: Nick Backo and Alex Long
Fourth Official: Nathan Roberts
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 1.Ryan Norval; 15.Bradley Bartels (Sean Symons 46’), 2.Mark Byrnes, 8.David D’Apuzzo, 3.Adel El Jamal, 7.Stephen Kayes, 9.Gerard Ouffoue, 10.Franco Parisi (18.Nikola Taneski 46’), 4.Brendan Reilly, 12.Keith Shevlin, 5.Michael West (14.George Khoury 60’)
Substitutes Not Used: 21.Anthony Costa (GK)
Yellow Cards: Mark Byrnes 10’, Michael West 23’, Brad Bartels 31’, Franco Parisi 39’
Red Cards: Adel El Jamal 82’
Bonnyrigg White Eagles: 1.Matthew Nash; 8.Alex Canak, 21.Bo Hyun Chun, 16.Howard Fondyke (15.Stephen Hesketh 86’), 10.Mitchell Long, 2.Alex Mansueto, 11.Ben Spruce, 5.Chris Tadrosse, 18.Adrian Ucchino, 9.Robert Younis (19.Aaron Peterson 67’), 6.Nikola Zonjic
Substitutes Not Used: 33.Nikodin Matic, 13.Nikola Stanojevic
Yellow Cards: Ben Spruce 65’
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3- Adrian Ucchino (BWE)
2- Ken Chun (BWE)
1- Alex Canak (BWE)
-By Chris Georges
IGA NSW NPL Mens 1 Round 1 Preview
The IGA NSW National Premier Leagues Mens 1 competition for 2013 kicks off this weekend with proceedings to commence on Saturday evening.
Bonnyrigg White Eagles will look to go one better than last season after falling just short of the double after clinching the Premiership trophy, though the verdict from the Pre-Season Cup was that Sydney Olympic are looking the goods to reclaim the successes of 2011.
New team Central Coast Mariners Academy will need to hit the ground running as the names joining the competition this season continue to lift the popularity, and standard, of Football NSW’s top-flight of football.
Exciting times ahead for the state’s Premier competition with some top class football expected over the next seven months.
Sydney Olympic v Central Coast Mariners Academy, Saturday 16th of March, 7:00 pm Belmore Sports Ground
At Belmore Sports Ground, fresh from their Pre-Season Cup triumph, Sydney Olympic kick-starts the 2013 regular season with the visit of Central Coast Mariners Academy. The Blues have looked sensational to-date with some blistering performances – most impressively the wins against Sydney United 58 FC and Blacktown City FC.
Peter Tsekenis has maintained a large chunk of last season’s playing group, and with the additions of midfielder Petar Markovic, striker Elsid Barkhousir and English midfielder Kingley Williams, the side looks very stable even at this early point of the season.
The departures of both Chris and Peter Triantis are certainly massive, however captain Phil Makrys has called upon all his experience, helping the new arrivals to fit in with last season’s playing group with minimal fuss.
The task at hand for the new boys from the Central Coast will be a difficult one, however rival teams would do best to not underestimate Mark Jones’ men this season. The former Perth Glory assistant coach is from the region, and he has an impressive reputation in nurturing young, local talent.
The Mariners Academy side boasts some experienced players who have played in the top-flight, including the likes of James Monie, Adam Biddle, Chris Payne and David Bradasevic. Joined with a good mix of youthful exuberance, the Mariners side will have nothing to lose when it takes to the field this weekend.
Despite the potential for first-up surprises on the opening day of a regular season, it would be a brave call for one to bet against Sydney Olympic this weekend.
South Coast Wolves v Sutherland Sharks, Saturday 16th of March, 7:00 pm John Crehan Park
Rivals South Coast Wolves and Sutherland Sharks lock horns on Saturday evening in the ‘gong’ with both sides eager to get their campaigns off to winning ways.
Wolves coach Richard Lloyd has the entire squad at his disposal, and he will be looking for his troops to make John Crehan Park a fortress of sorts in 2013.
The Wolves defence will need to bring its ‘A’ game as the likes of Panni Nikas and Brad Boardman come to town. Captain Jacob Timpano will be leading the line with new signing Sam Chapple, and the reliable Jack Keating, to assist.
In the front-third, Ricky Zucco will be the man given the job of causing Sutherland trouble. Zucco can count on the creativity and speed of both John Martinovski and Peter Simonoski to assist with the goals.
Sutherland has been one of the most consistent sides in recent seasons, however missing out on the finals in 2012 was heartbreak for the proud club. Coach Robbie Stanton will want to have an immediate win to kick-start this campaign, even though the Sharks have the daunting trip to Wollongong.
Sutherland lacked goals last season, and the return of Brad Boardman and Nathan Elasi gives the side more attacking prowess. Add to that the genius of Panni Nikas, and the marshalling in the middle of the park by Nick Stavroulakis, and the Sharks do appear to have made some big improvements to its squad.
Despite boasting a rather poor record on the road in recent seasons, a strong pre-season with some important acquisitions could start to reap reward from as early as Round 1.
Blacktown Spartans v Marconi Stallions, Saturday 16th of March, 7:00 pm Blacktown Football Park
At Blacktown Football Park, the Spartans will look to start its campaign in the best possible manner against 2012 grand-final winner, Marconi Stallions. Ben De Haan’s men have now a season of experience in the top-flight under their belt, and the players in this group could well turn some heads this season.
The side has added some impressive names to its playing roster – including the likes of Jordan Simpson and Bryan Soane – two players who have a big amount of experience to help lead Blacktown Spartans’ quest this season.
Standing in the way of the Spartans and an opening round win for 2013 is Marconi Stallions. The side shocked many last season with a late run to consolidate a finals spot before leaving Bonnyrigg White Eagles shell-shocked on grand-final day following an exceptional 90’ minutes of football to claim the title.
Coach Jean-Paul De Marigny has prepared his playing group for the task at hand of retaining the trophy in 2013, and the players are looking the goods for another positive season.
Expected to play a free-flowing style of football, synonymous with De Marigny’s football philosophy, Marconi will be out to get the season off on the right track and quash the doubters who cannot see the side go back-to-back this season.
Should the opening round jitters be eliminated early in this encounter, an entertaining 90’ minutes of football can be expected by two positive sides playing on the picturesque playing surface at Blacktown Football Park.
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers v Bonnyrigg White Eagles, Sunday 17th of March, 3:00 pm Lambert Park
An intriguing battle awaits at Lambert Park between APIA-Leichhardt Tigers and Bonnyrigg White Eagles on Sunday.
The feeling around the Tigers camp is one of confidence and tranquility under new coach Gary Ward. Despite some indifferent results in the Pre-Season Cup, the Tigers goal has been one of being ready for the opening round of the season, and the reaction from the playing group appears to suggest that this is exactly the case.
Franco Parisi is the playmaker with his fine touches, vision and ability to score goals, and once again he will be a pivotal part of the coach’s plans.
Defensively, the Tigers look sound with Michael West, Adel El Jamal, Mark Byrnes and Brendan Reilly forming a very interesting backline.
It will be in the middle of the park, however, where the Tigers will need to be on song against the intimidating Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
Bonnyrigg coach Brian Brown will be looking to wear the Tigers down in the middle of the park with the likes of Tynan Diaz, Mitchell Long and Adrian Ucchino all expected to figure.
Stephen Kayes and David D’Apuzzo will need to be firing from the opening whistle if APIA-Leichhardt is to stand a chance of ‘knocking off’ last season’s Premiers.
Up-front for Bonnyrigg, striker Robbie Younis returns to his former stomping ground, and the White Eagles number 9 has not had any problem finding the back of the net in recent seasons.
Expect a close encounter between these two sides, with the battle in midfield to decide the outcome on Sunday.
Rockdale City Suns v Blacktown City FC, Sunday 17th of March, 3:00 pm Ilinden Sports Centre
At Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale City Suns and Blacktown City FC start their season on Sunday. A fixture that traditionally produces goals, more of the same is expected this weekend.
The Suns, under the expert tutelage of Branko Culina, are really expected to take that next step this season and become a serious contender for finals football. Culina has brought some impressive names to the club, all in the while promoting young players. Brendan Gan and Richard Cardozo are two names that all Suns’ supporters will be eagerly awaiting to see, meanwhile last season’s revelation Alec Urosevski is expected to further showcase his abilities this season.
The opening round clash is certainly a difficult one with Mark Crittenden’s Blacktown City already showing its worth in the Pre-Season Cup.
Crittenden has his side already playing good football – the side showing a more direct approach in the off-season.
Expect the encounter on Sunday to produce a fiery Blacktown City with Sean Rooney leading the charge up front.
The Blacktown City coach has even more attacking talent to call upon including Rjuyi Miyazawa, Harris Gaitatzis and Matthew Mayora – a scary proposition for the Suns’ defenders.
The key in this match will be how the Suns cut off the supply to the Blacktown City strikers. Should Rooney & Co. be starved of the ball and good possession in the front-third, the Suns will feel comfortable pressing forward themselves via Urosevski and Sash Tirovski.
Manly United FC v Sydney United 58 FC, Sunday 17th of March, 3:00 pm Cromer Park
In the final match of the opening weekend, Manly United FC faces a tricky first-up tie at home against Sydney United 58 FC. Certain to have the backing of their supporters at Cromer Park, Craig Midgley’s men will be aiming to make 2013 the season that the club figures amongst the title contenders come the finals series.
Midgley has maintained a tremendous balance of youth and experience in his playing group, Graeme Forbes and Marc Richards to play the on-field leaders role for the likes of Josh Ward and Tonu Liband.
Midgley’s sides have been energetic though perhaps lacking in the front-third of the field, a responsibility that the likes of Jamie Gosling, Scott Balderson and Colin Iley may need to take upon themselves.
The visit of Sydney United 58 FC will be a big test as Mark Rudan’s men have already performed well during the pre-season. The side’s loss against Sydney Olympic would have only hurt on the scoreboard, largely because the majority of the ‘first team regulars’ were rested for that encounter in anticipation of their trip to Melbourne to face Melbourne Knights.
Rudan appears to have brought about a new mentality at the club he served at as a player, and the former A-League star has also re-found a fit Luka Glavas – the Reds striker in exceptional touch over the pre-season. Add to the mix the likes of last season’s Player of the Year, Chris Triantis and midfielder Glen Trifiro, the side is really shaping up for a big season ahead.
Sydney United arguably start the season as one of the title favourites, though facing the side early on may well be the tonic required for Manly United FC to deliver a big upset on opening day.
The Scouting Report: Rockdale City Suns 2013 Season Preview
The Team: Rockdale City Suns have proven to be a handful for all teams since its promotion into the Premier League and the side is likely to be even stronger this season.
With coach Branko Culina at the helm, the side is expected to play an attractive style of football with some of the state’s best young talent at the Suns boss’ disposal.
Rockdale City remains strong defensively with Askin Oygur, Michael Cindric and Paul Kohler carrying a huge load of experience across the backline.
The youthful exuberance of Giorgio Speranza down the left flank has been very impressive for the Suns, and the young talent is expected to further improve on the good he has shown in his short career thus far.
In the middle of the park, Culina will have Sash Tirovski to call the shots – the experienced campaigner has also been handed the captain’s armband following Peter Apolovski’s retirement at the end of last season – and he will have more weight on his shoulders this season.
The likes of Alec Urosevseki also return from Sydney FC NYL duties meanwhile Husseyin Jasli has been around the traps long enough to understand what is required at this level. Add to the equation new signing Richard Cardozo and the Suns may well turn a few heads this season.
Finally, the late inclusion of former NSW Premier League Gold Medal winner and Sydney FC midfielder Brendan Gan is sure to add more spice into the Suns line-up.
The Pre-Season Cup saw the side pick-up a win and a draw (and two losses) in its four matches, however the signs are there to show Culina’s influence on the team. Once again the side will be a thorn in the side of many opponents as Ilinden Sports Ground again promises to be a fortress.
The Coach: Rockdale City Suns landed the signature of Branko Culina to take the reigns as head coach for the 2013 season, a massive coup for the club that has made tremendous progress since gaining promotion into the Premier League in 2010.
Culina brings in a massive amount of coaching experience, including two stints in the A-League with Sydney FC and Newcastle Jets.
Teamed up with assistant coach Ivan Petkovic – another master tactician with loads of coaching experience – Rockdale City’s future appears bright.
Culina is an ambassador for attacking, attractive football, and the Suns’ revamped youth policy will certainly come into play with some very talented players at the coach’s disposal.
The Suns have constantly been a menace for their more fancied rivals since promotion into the State League’s top-flight, and adversaries can expect to face some very stern competition when lining up against Rockdale City.
Player to watch: Richard Cardozo joins the club this season and is arguably one of the side’s biggest signings to-date. The attacking midfielder/striker has an impressive ‘CV’, having played his football not only locally, but abroad.
Rockdale City’s main problem in 2012 was a lack of goals scored, something that was momentarily fixed with the guest stint of A-League striker Dylan Macallister.
Cardozo brings a wealth of experience, pace, skill and passion into a team that will surely benefit from his presence.
Expect Cardozo to figure amongst the best performers in the competition in 2013.
Rising Star: Following in the footsteps of his brother, and teammate Giorgio, Roberto Speranza looks set to play a big role under Branko Culina in the first team. Having come off a fine season with the Sydney FC National Youth League side, Roberto Speranza possesses strength and endurance, mixed with a fine ability on the ball including an exquisite touch.
The younger of the two Speranza brothers can play anywhere across the backline or in midfield, and most impressively appears equally comfortable in any of these roles.
Roberto also possesses a remarkable set-piece delivery, goalkeepers beware if this young gun lines up a free-kick in and around the penalty-area.
2013 squad: Diego Barcena, Tom Gollins, Giorgio Speranza, Michael Cindric, Takuya Murayama, Adam Casey, Paul Kohler, Alec Urosevski, Richard Cardozo, David Talevski, Husseyin Jasli, Sam Munro, Seiya Kawamura, Anthony Perri, Sash Tirovski, Jun Kato, Keifer Dotti, Roberto Speranza, Alan Kovacevic, Ryan Norval, Askin Oygur, Aaron Liddell, Brendan Gan
The Scouting Report: APIA Leichhardt Tigers 2013 Season Preview
The senior squad will have a new manager in charge with Englishman Gary Ward pulling the strings as the likes of experienced campaigners Franco Parisi, Michael West and Stephen Kayes will all look towards a strong finish this season.
The Team: APIA-Leichhardt Tigers start its 2013 campaign eager to commence right from where 2012 finished. The Tigers have in fact started both of the past two seasons slowly, however the second part of both seasons have been exceptional, the side twice falling, only just, short of finals football.
2013 sees a new coach at the club with a new philosophy, one that the playing group appears to have captured with open arms.
Senior players Michael West and Franco Parisi will again play major roles in assisting the new boss with his role, the latter very happy with the pre-season to-date.
A good mix of youth in the group, with the experience across the park of Adel El Jamal, Stephen Kayes, Michael West and new signing Keith Shevlin, the club and its supporters can have every hope of giving the season a good shake.
One player that will be sure to catch the eye of many is the big frame of French striker Gerard Ouffoue who has already been amongst the goals during the Tigers’ Pre-season Cup campaign.
Also, a late signing but former Rockdale City Suns and Sydney FC National Youth League keeper Ryan Norval will also strengthen the Tigers’ outfit at the back.
Despite the inconsistent run of results in the Pre-Season Cup – most alarmingly was the loss against Sydney United 58 FC – the Tigers did display some very positive showings against South Coast Wolves and Sutherland Sharks, auguring well for the opening round of the season.
The Coach: Englishman Gary Ward has been signed as head coach for APIA-Leichhardt Tigers this season. Boasting an impressive ‘CV’ from his playing days in England and the North American Soccer League, Ward vested the jerseys of Preston Lions, Melbourne Knights, Brunswick Juventus, West Adelaide Sharks and APIA-Leichhardt Tigers in the mid-80s.
A striker in his playing days, Ward is looking to implement a positive, attacking style of football at Lambert Park this season. The Pre-Season Cup has seen the Tigers collect some indifferent results, though the emphasis is strictly on being ready for the opening round of the season.
Player to watch: Apart from playmaker Franco Parisi and captain Michael West to lead the Tigers this season, midfielder David D’Apuzzo will be another talent to keep a close eye on. Returning from an injury that all but ended his 2012 season, the talented midfielder is ready for a big return.
A massive engine in the Tigers midfield, D’Apuzzo has a hunger to win the ball and an equally impressive ability on it. Speed and finesse, in addition to an ability to score goals, make D’Apuzzo one of the big talents, not only in the Tigers squad, but in the entire competition.
Rising Star: Right-sided defender Brendan Reilly made an impressive debut last season, and the 21-year-old is primed for more success in 2013. A very fit and aggressive defender, Reilly boasts a great reading of the game, matched with some fine man-marking skills.
In what is arguably an important season for the club – in anticipation of the works to take place at Lambert Park – expect to see Reilly figure prominently for the Tigers this season.
Also look towards the rise of striker Nicola Taneski who caught the eye of many during his season with Sydney FC’s National Youth League side.
2013 squad: Ryan Norval, Mark Byrnes, Adel El Jamal, Brendan Reilly, Michael West, Stephen Kayes,Gerard Ouffoue, Franco Parisi, Keith Shevlin, David D’Apuzzo, George Khoury, Brad Bartels, Sean Symons, Clayton Musumeci, Nikola Taneski, Adam Raciti, Joshua Symons, Anthony Costa