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Official South Melbourne Hellas thread 🔵⚪

So this is where I am completely baffled.

If A League players have been let go, why do THEY have to wait for another 4 weeks to be able to join an NPL team?!!!
 
SMFC1959 said:
That’s great to hear that the drive and determination to succeed is strong in the player squad.

Hume City can be the first target of our come back in the NPL Victoria competition. Smash them and make a statement to the other NPL clubs that Hellas is back.
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It is one thing for the players to want to play ASAP .... it is another thing for the club and it's medical staff allowing it.

The Medical staff now have immense cred having overseen one of the most incredible performances in world football.

If they state that the starting 11 need an extra week off, will the club go against them?
 
Why would they need a week off? Most of them were adequately rested in the Auckland hub. Did Mikkola ever play more than a half? We were making heaps of changes at half time in every game bar the final.

The team would have been more buggered when they returned mid week from PNG to play Avondsle back in round 1 compared to now. Our bums got heaps of minutes in Auckland.

We have an 8 day break after Hume. This is one we have to try and win to make a statement considering Hume has pretty much beaten all the big guns at home.
 
southmelb said:
Sabit Ngor is the one and the absolute perfect replacement for Bonada out wide. Strong, fast and will lead the league in assists by far.

Him, Manny, Hilton and another mid would be an incredible haul.

Problem is Hilton likely goes back to Marconi, Ngor back to Bergers, Tevere to Preston etc.
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In theory yes, in practice though money talks and the south shirt has more pull... so no harm in trying i say!
 
Son of Sam said:
If they state that the starting 11 need an extra week off, will the club go against them?
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The Medical Team have done a brilliant job in managing player workloads and ensuring injuries were kept to a minimum. The fact we were able to get through so many matches without any major injury is a credit to the great work they have done.

southmelb said:
Why would they need a week off? Most of them were adequately rested in the Auckland hub. Did Mikkola ever play more than a half? We were making heaps of changes at half time in every game bar the final.

The team would have been more buggered when they returned mid week from PNG to play Avondsle back in round 1 compared to now. Our bums got heaps of minutes in Auckland.

We have an 8 day break after Hume. This is one we have to try and win to make a statement considering Hume has pretty much beaten all the big guns at home.
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Agree. Players have a 5 day break between OFC Pro League grand final and Hume City match. The flight from Auckland to Melbourne is only about 3.5 hours. It is not that taxing on their bodies, so they will be perfectly ready by Saturday. The fact they have 8 days after the Hume City match means they will be fully rested by the Altona Magic home match. We have no cup fixtures until late July in the Australian Cup, so the players will be playing far few matches. No need to rest anyone.
 
SMFC1959 said:
The Medical Team have done a brilliant job in managing player workloads and ensuring injuries were kept to a minimum. The fact we were able to get through so many matches without any major injury is a credit to the great work they have done.


Agree. Players have a 5 day break between OFC Pro League grand final and Hume City match. The flight from Auckland to Melbourne is only about 3.5 hours. It is not that taxing on their bodies, so they will be perfectly ready by Saturday. The fact they have 8 days after the Hume City match means they will be fully rested by the Altona Magic home match. We have no cup fixtures until late July in the Australian Cup, so the players will be playing far few matches. No need to rest anyone.
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Auckland to Melbourne was 4 hours and we had a nearly 45 minute delay prior to departure. And yet, some of the players were keen to get to Lakeside in case they could play..... Saturday will be a full compliment baring Eliopoulos for Sinisa to pick a squad from... the season starts NOW.

My prediction, top 3... if a few results go our way, top.....
 
Monoethnic Social Club said:
Saturday will be a full compliment baring Eliopoulos for Sinisa to pick a squad from... the season starts NOW.

My prediction, top 3... if a few results go our way, top.....
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Likewise, I am anticipating a full strength starting XI except for Eliopoulos against Hume City.

Our next 5 matches are: Hume City (A), Altona Magic (H), Bentleigh Greens (A), Green Gully (H), Dandenong Thunder (H). Those 5 matches are gettable, and should boost our goal difference in the process.

We just need to keep winning, and hope the other top 5 teams take points off each other.
 
Focus is now on the NPL Victoria season. Apart from the Eliopoulos injuiry, we should have a full strength starting XI on Saturday. The players would have had 1-2 days break from training to see family and friends. I think the players will come out with purpose against Hume City wanting to get a win and move on from the OFC Pro League grand final loss.

Sinisa has 2 options: either start Inglese in defence and keep Giannakopoulos in central midfield, or move Giannakopoulos to defence and play either Leech or Menelaou in midfield. If he moves Giannakopoulos to defence, then Menelaou would be better suited to that DM role.

Hume City this year have shown they are a very good team, and they will trouble us. Just need to get an early goal and then control the tempo of the match. Important to send a message to the league that we are back.
 
SMFC1959 said:
Focus is now on the NPL Victoria season.
Sinisa has 2 options: either start Inglese in defence and keep Giannakopoulos in central midfield, or move Giannakopoulos to defence and play either Leech or Menelaou in midfield. If he moves Giannakopoulos to defence, then Menelaou would be better suited to that DM role.

Hume City this year have shown they are a very good team, and they will trouble us. Just need to get an early goal and then control the tempo of the match. Important to send a message to the league that we are back.
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We cant control the tempo of the match vs Hume with giannakop in defence. He has to be at DM.. problem remains Inglese who doesnt stay central but drifts right constantly opening a gap that cant be covered by a slow Janko.. they doesnt allow for the needed confidence at the back but we have no other option...

My worry is how we will go upfront, been a bit stale there lately and if our attacking midfielders dont fire as needed then we find it difficult to score.
 
Hellenic_blue&white said:
e has to be at DM.. problem remains Inglese who doesnt stay central but drifts right constantly opening a gap that cant be covered by a slow Janko.. they doesnt allow for the needed confidence at the back but we have no other option...
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Spot on. This is where we need Menelaou to step up and be effective in that role to help Pasquali move the ball forward.

If we were playing a bottom half team, then you'd play Inglese but not against Hume City. We'll need Giannakopoulos to play CB.

These are the types of matches that are decided by strong defensive performances.
 
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