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Bilic gunning for Cup glory

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For Sydney United 58’s Matthew Bilic, lifting the TAFE NSW Waratah Cup would feel that little bit sweeter after his recent recovery from a serious knee injury.

The 25-year-old is United 58 through and through, having been a member of the club’s juniors since Under 12’s and representing the first team from the age of 17.

Despite having experienced a hatful of success with the Edensor Park club since then, the past couple of seasons have been some of his most challenging yet.

“The last 12 months have been a bit of a long journey for me,” Bilic reflected.

“I tore my ACL last year and have only started to work my way back into the team halfway through this season.

“It’s good to be back and this weekend there’s a trophy on the line so I’m looking to give it everything I’ve got.”

Despite his age, Bilic boasts an incredible amount of experience on the big stage.

The defender is a National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Premiership and Championship winner and has additionally taken home the National Premier Leagues Finals Series where he was a member of the United 58 outfit who defeated South Hobart to become the inaugural champions of the competition in 2013.

He also took part in the Reds’ glamour clash with Sydney FC in the 2014 FFA Cup Round of 16, and recently contributed to Sydney United’s last TAFE NSW Waratah Cup victory back in 2016.

Bilic is confident that drawing on these past experiences will inspire his teammates to success this coming Sunday.

“I think we definitely have the ability and desire to do it again, which I think is an advantage for us,” the left-back anticipates.

“If everything goes to plan and we can execute our game plan, we have the ability to beat any team on our day.

“We’ll take our experience and quality into the final to see if we can lift that trophy again.”

Standing in the way of United 58’s quest for silverware this Sunday at Lily Holmes Stadium is an old foe: the Marconi Stallions.

The combination of the two clubs’ historic rivalry, as well as recent league results this campaign has further boosted Bilic and United’s desire to emerge victorious.

“Growing up a United junior I’ve been familiar with the massive rivalry between Sydney United and Marconi for a while now,” he said.

“The first game this season (a 5-0 Stallions’ victory) was very uncharacteristic of us, and the last game we played (a 0-0 draw) we were unfortunate to not score and get the win despite them having ten men.

“We’ll be looking to get our revenge in the final on Sunday.”

Bilic revealed that Miro Vlastelica’s squad are well aware of the weight of recent and historical success that sits on their shoulders as the club look to add yet another trophy to the cabinet.

“Any time we’re given the opportunity (to win a trophy) the expectation is that we take it.

“All the boys are on the same page; we all know the history of the club.

“We know the significance not only to the club but to the fans.

“But it’s also important to us as players; we take every opportunity seriously and this weekend is one of them.”

By National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s Reporter Chris Curulli (Twitter handle @ChrisCurulli)

2019 TAFE NSW Waratah Cup Final

Sunday 14th July

Lily Homes Stadium – 2:30pm kick-off

Marconi Stallions v Sydney United 58

Click here to pre-purchase tickets

 

 

2019 TAFE NSW Waratah Cup Preview: Marconi Stallions v Sydney United 58

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A historic rivalry will go head to head once again on Sunday as Marconi Stallions and Sydney United 58 face off at Lily Homes Stadium this Sunday (2:30pm) in the final of the 2019 TAFE NSW Waratah Cup.

It will be more than just bragging rights on the line when the two former giants of Australian football face off as they both look to add more silverware to their collection.

The match also has the potential to be a major launching pad for each side coming into the final weeks of the National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s season.

The confidence gained from securing the Waratah Cup title could possibly be the boost they need to elevate their side to further honours.

It has been three seasons since Sydney United 58 last featured in a Waratah Cup final after they won it for the second straight year in 2016. It was their sixth ever Waratah Cup victory taking them to second on the all-time list.

Marconi has not had the same level of success in the competition with their one and only Waratah Cup title coming in 2010.

While it is fair to say United 58 and Marconi’s league form this season has been mixed at best, they have both shown the ability to get the win when the pressure is on in cup competition.

The Stallions cruised their way into the Waratah Cup final winning all six of their matches with relative ease, scoring 19 goals in the process.

It was a bit of a different story for The Reds who battled their way to the cup decider after some nail-biting and dramatic late wins, including an extra-time thriller against NPL 2 outfit Northern Tigers.

Their form against each other also makes for interesting reading with Marconi holding a bit of an edge over their local rivals.

In April the Stallions embarrassed Sydney United 58 5-0 at Marconi Stadium.

however, it could be their 0-0 draw in the reverse fixture two weeks ago which gives the Bossley Park based outfit a mental edge after they were able to hold out United for most of the match with only ten men on the park.

Attacking football is very much the modus operandi for the Marconi Stallions.

Boasting a squad featuring some of the league’s most dangerous attacking players, Marconi has shown flashes of what they can do when they’re in the mood.

One player that will not be taking to the pitch and has been deemed as a massive blow is that of former A-League winger Mitch Mallia.

Mallia was sent off in the club’s recent fixture against Sydney United 58 and this will be his second of four matches he will be serving on the sidelines.

There to carry the burden will be Marko Jesic.

Jesic’s clinical finishing skills can leave even the most disciplined defensive units searching for answers.

Along with Jesic, the fast paced James Andrew who has hit top form of late will be there to assist Jesic up-front.

The return to full fitness of Connor Evans is a massive plus for the Stallions while both Speranza brothers Roberto and Giorgio will also provide a key in keeping the defence tight along with Nathan Millgate.

It must be said that the Stallions in recent weeks have thrown in a number of rising young stars in gaining NPL NSW Men’s experience so expect cameo roles from Martin Fernandez, Yianni Nicolaou and Damian Tsekenis.

Goals have been hard to find recently for United 58 but they will be banking on their experienced and talented midfield unit to control the contest and starve their opponent of opportunities on the ball.

Lead by former Central Coast Mariners player Glen Trifiro, United 58’s midfield would be the side’s biggest strength.

The combination of Trifiro, wily veteran Matt Sim and holding midfielder Anthony Tomelic  is a perfect mix of experience and game changing skill.

Trifiro, who recently celebrated his birthday, especially will play an important role in turning defence into attack before feeding the ball into Sim and United 58’s strikers featuring Peter Simonoski and Patrick Antelmi as well.

Two players who could have a very big impact on the final result is goalkeepers Nenad Vekic and Thomas Manos.

Marconi shot stopper Vekic and United gloveman Manos have both played in their fair share of big matches throughout their careers and know what it takes to win when silverware is on the line.

Don’t be surprised if either of these two are in the running for man of the match honours if their team takes out the title.

Having faced off only two weeks ago, both Stallions coach Peter Tsekenis and United 58 gaffer Miro Vlastelica will have a good idea of what to expect from their opposite on match day.

Both teams play an attractive brand of football but rely on different techniques to break down their opponent.

Look for United 58 to try and unlock the defense with slick passing and crosses into the box, while Marconi prefer rapid ball movement and their speed up front.

On recent form, Marconi go into the final as slight favourites but they will have their work cut out for them if they are to lift the trophy on Sunday.

United 58 have a history of success in this competition and still feature a number of players from the club’s back to back Waratah Cup titles in 2015 and 2016.

With so much on the line expect nothing to be left in the tank in a match which is sure to go down to the wire.

2019 TAFE NSW Waratah Cup Final

Sunday 14th July

Lily Homes Stadium – 2:30pm kick-off

Marconi Stallions v Sydney United 58

Click here to pre-purchase tickets

Click here to view the TAFE NSW Waratah Cup 2019 Match Day Program

 Football NSW acknowledges Nike as the Official Ball of the 2019 TAFE NSW Waratah Cup.

Wellington Phoenix snap up Liam McGing

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Wellington Phoenix have announced the signing of promising young Australian defender Liam McGing from National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s side, Sutherland Sharks.

The 20-year old centre back was part of the Sydney FC squad in the 2018/19 season and has arrived from across the Tasman after agreeing terms on a one-year contract.

Having progressed through the youth ranks at Sydney United 58, he made his debut for the Sydney based side in the Asian Champions League back in May 2019 and McGing aims to force his way into Head Coach Ufuk Talay’s plans.

“I’m looking forward to coming to Wellington and working hard for a starting spot.

“There will be plenty of competition for places but I’m ready to step up and prove myself.

“It’s exciting to be part of the rebuild here at the Phoenix and with so many young, talented players, I think we will be an entertaining team to watch.”

Talay is excited by the young talent he has at his disposal ahead of the FFA Cup fixture in early August.

“We have a strong contingent of young players arriving at the club which gives us a great base to shape this squad heading into the season but also provides depth for the long campaign ahead.

“We are working hard on our import slots and those players will provide the leadership for these young players.”

McGing will join in with pre-season as the team head into their second week of preparations.

Wolves celebrate NAIDOC Week with special edition home strip

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National Premier Leagues NSW Men’s league leaders Wollongong Wolves threw its support behind NAIDOC Week as the first team squad wore commemorative jerseys in their 1-0 round 18 victory over Hakoah Sydney City East on Sunday at WIN Stadium.

The jerseys were designed by Trent Duffy of ‘Artistic One Indigenous Art’ and were a huge hit as the Wolves faithful got behind what was a great day for football in the South Coast.

Wreck Bay Sharks’ Bernie McLeod was thrilled with the Wolves’ Indigenous engagement at WIN Stadium.

“I am extremely proud that coach Luke Wilkshire and the Wollongong Wolves FC embraced the idea to acknowledge the First Nations Peoples of Australia by wearing an indigenous jersey to commemorate this leading into NAIDOC Week.

“The artist for the shirt was Trent Duffy (Artistic One Indigenous Art) who did a fantastic job.”

Bernie McLeod and the Wreck Bay Sharks have been massive advocates for Indigenous Football in NSW.

Keep a look out for information surrounding the annual National Indigenous Football Championships held in South Nowra in November.

Please contact Charlotte Ercil for more information – [email protected] 02 8814 4459

Manos playing for keeps

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He may only be 23 but Sydney United 58 shot stopper Thomas Manos has the big game experience of a player ten years his senior and the number one shotstopper is looking forward to this Sunday’s TAFE NSW Waratah Cup Final against the Marconi Stallions.

Now in his fourth season as United’s first choice goalkeeper, Manos has played in grand finals, cup finals, finals series as well as FFA Cup knockout matches.

He will add another huge moment in his career on July 14 when he lines up between the sticks for Sydney United 58 at Lily Homes Stadium as they take on Marconi Stallions in the final of the 2019 Waratah Cup.

A youth star for the Western Sydney Wanderers, Manos burst onto the scene at Edensor Park in the 2016 season as a precocious 19-year-old before making his name as one of the National Premier Leagues most exciting up and coming glovemen.

Four years on from his debut Manos reveals a wake up call in his second season at United 58 changed his approach to football and taught him a valuable lesson which has helped him get the most from his experiences in the game.

“My first year at the club we had so much success and I was playing great which had me on a massive high ,” he said.

“However, the next year was a struggle with the team suffering through a rocky season and it hit me really hard.

“Having achieved the highest of highs to then only a year later failing to perform at a level I knew I was capable of made me realise how important it is to make the most of every moment and always give it everything.

“While I wasn’t taking things easy before that point, it was more a case of understanding what was required of me to consistently perform and become the best player I could.”

As well as a change in mindset, Manos admitted his time in the league has also played a big part in the evolution of his game.

Earning a reputation as a risk taking sweeper keeper when he was first on the scene, the young shot stopper has taken a different approach in recent times which he believes has made him a better player.

“When you’re a young player you are always trying to make a difference and cement your position on the team by taking more risks.

“While I had a lot of success initially, I realised I needed to find more consistency in my game which I feel I have done over the past two years.

“Once where I would’ve launched myself over my own defender to punch away a ball into the box, I now know to trust my teammates more and not put myself in positions which the opposition can take advantage of.”

Manos will need all of his new found poise against local rivals Marconi in the Waratah Cup final.

United 58 have struggled against the Stallions in 2019 including a shocking 5-0 thrashing in April as well as a 0–0 draw against a ten-man Marconi team only a little over a week ago.

However, the one time Sydney FC player believes his team shouldn’t be written off with the dream of cup glory driving United 58 ahead of the final.

“We set a target at the start of the year to reach the final 32 of the FFA Cup so now that we’ve achieved that we want to finish off our Waratah Cup campaign in style,” Manos said.

“While it has been a bumpy few weeks in terms of league results, the team is still in the top four, in the final of one cup competition and the last few rounds of another. For most other clubs that is seen as a success but because of who we are more is always expected of us.

“This is a good team and even though we were unable to get the win against Marconi in our most recent game I think we have taken a lot of confidence from that result.

“As they always say, anything can happen in a cup final so I don’t think they will have any real advantage going into the match.”

Against the Stallions’ high profile attacking stars Manos is ready to lead his team from the back.

“I’m really looking forward to playing in the Waratah Cup final. I’ve been lucky enough to play in a number of big matches and finals so i know how important it is to make the most of these opportunities,” he said.

“It will be important to keep a cool head and just focus on the game as it happens in front of me instead of worrying too much about making a game changing play.

“It could be a season defining match for the club so we are determined to be the ones holding the trophy after full-time.”

Away from football, Manos has been busy putting together the finishing touches to his personal clothing luxe sporting label, ‘Thavy World’, alongside some of his peers in the hope of getting it off the ground on a positive note.

Launching their Instagram page recently @thavyworld – Manos sees this venture as a passion of his in getting it right due to his love for sports and casual wear.

“The brand came about around mid 2018.

“I came up with this idea of trying to push myself through the sneaker game.

“As my best mate and I buy pairs of sneakers constantly, I called him and we spoke about it.

“We were both fairly excited thinking about it, but we knew it was going to be tough to find a supplier and all that.

“Fortunately enough, not long after we came up with the idea, my mate met a supplier in Melbourne, and it really kicked off at that point.

“We managed to go to a SneakerBash event in Melbourne with over 100 pairs of rare sneakers to sell.

“We came in as the new kids on the block but I’m pretty sure everyone knew who we were after that event.

“Sneakers were our main focus but we definitely knew there were other avenues we could exploit.

“The clothing idea didn’t really creep into mind till we were invited to the SneakerBash event.

“We thought, the best way to not only get shoes out, but our own personal brand out is to have our logo be seen.

“Simplest way was to go through clothing.

“We did a test run for the SneakerBash and we were definitely under stocked for that even.

“Countless amount of people were wanting to buy and unfortunately we couldn’t provide.

“From that point we knew clothing was definitely the next avenue for us to go through.

“It was pretty cool to get that feedback and that many people wanting out own personal logo on their chest.

“Once we were able to get the top quality materials we wanted, we started production.

“And that’s now lead us to here – Saturday the 13th of July is the start of Collection One. It’s all about high quality, and simplicity.

“Where to next on this venture?… is just to see how the start of Collection One sells. If it gets a great reception, then we plan on bringing out more pieces to our first collection, which will then lead us to experiment a bit more I guess.

“Experiment with types of materials, designs, and different types of clothing. We don’t want to stray away from simple, but we want to add our own twist on things too.”

2019 TAFE NSW Waratah Cup Final

Sunday 14th July

Lily Homes Stadium – 2:30pm kick-off

Marconi Stallions v Sydney United 58

Click here to pre-purchase tickets

“Be a Game changer”, get involved with TAFE NSW now as TAFE NSW offers over 1,200 courses with a wide range of study options from online courses to diplomas and degrees, training and full-time education – click here for more information