This program is broadcast on 2xxfm (98.3mhz) on Tuesday, 30 November 2010 at 7:ooPM across the Australian Community Radio Network.
Tonight’s interview is with the ACTAS Mens Head Coach – Miko Milanevic (Milo as his is known in football circles). ACTAS is about to depart on its annual overseas football tour, this time to England and Holland. It’s a fantastic itinerary, with a game very second day. The overseas tour, and integral part of the ACTAS program is planned 12 months in advance. This is usually followed by ACTAS’s participation in the FFA’s NTC Challenge held at the AIS in late January. Unfortunately, the FFA decide to change the timing for the NTC Challenge in August this year, rescheduling it from January 2011 to December 2010 - far too late for ACTAS to withdraw from the Overseas tour without heavy financial penalty. By agreement with the FFA, ACTAS will proceed on its tour and the NTC Challenge will go ahead without ACTAS. The ACTAS program will be adjusted for 2011, assuming the FFA doesn’t change the dates again. On return to Australia, the ACTAS squad will loose some players due to age and invite new players to join the squad. The process never stops. The question that worries us all is what can be done for those players too old for ACTAS, not accepted for the AIS and no further development opportunities in the ACT beyond the local Premier League which as a rule trains twice a week. It worries the ACTAS coach. John Mitchell correctly described this as a “tragic vacant space”. And so it is.
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There is a lot going on in football and futsal in the ACT at the present time.
Canberra United play Adelaide this Saturday at Deakin Stadium, commencing at 5:00PM. A Game not to be missed and a game that must be won. Its a short competition and another draw would be only marginally better than a loss. So get there and give your support.
The ACT Futsal teams to contest the Nationals are now in training and preparing for the Nationals in early January. Training frequency will intensify as soon as the holidays commence. It’s a good opportunity for local community coaches to get a few clues – look up the training times for the age group you are interested in, on the CF website, and go and watch the training. If you get a chance, take a day’s leave and go and watch a few games at the Nationals. There are some good players and coaches at the Nationals.
The National Training Centre Challenge is being held next week at the AIS. The best 15-17 year old boys in the Nation are on display, as each State or Territory Academy or Institute of Sport fields a team. This is the cohort of boys who are aiming up on that first serious step toward a career in professional football. They have all trained long and hard for this competition. Some will make it through to the AIS and some will be selected for Australian age representative teams. For many, this will the last serious, continuous football development they experience in their lives. Points are awarded for a team’s technical performance as well as the match result. This is a competition really worth a look at. You get to recalibrate your football compass around youth football and get a clearer understanding of the talent you see in your club. Some of the talent at the NTC Challenge is amazing. Just get there, one day for your football education and enjoyment.
The Summer 20s are trundling along, close to a finish and then the semis and final. Done and dusted by Christmas. For the clubs involved it has been a very useful opportunity to further develop players for next season. I have spoken previously about the disappointment many feel, because all the PL clubs did not field a team in the competition. Capital Football entered the Summer U17 HP squad in the Summer 20s (to make it an even number of teams and avoid a Bye each week).and that’s been a mixed blessing for all concerned. They are a young team with players predominantly 15 / 16 years of age. They are well coached, but its obvious that it has been difficult to find enough players to fill a match card some weeks. The reason appears simple enough – the CF Summer HPP U17 lads are for the most part, overmatched, the level of resistance is too high for many of them for this to be an experience that delivers good individual football development outcomes. Its surprising that the CF techncial assessment of this group of players did not reveal this prior to enterring the team. MAtters came to a head last Sunday - the CF Team forfeited their game. No one was happy about that. I regret to say that this reflects very poorly on CF. If some parents are unhappy with their boy(s) playing in this competition, as part of the HPP they should make thier concerns known to CF, which I guess at this time is the CEo, as we have no Technical Director. Is it likely the CF HPP U17 team will play either of the two remaining games? If not, CF should make it known immediately. If this is not working for the boys in this squad, stop it now. The canteen was not operating – again!
CF have not done a good job with the 2010 Summer 20s.