Back from the dead!

Some of you may have been wondering what has been going on for the past month or so. To cut a long story short I cracked the screen on my laptop just before Round 1 and have been out of action since then. If I didn't break it then, I would have a week later, purposely. I've only managed to get around to buying a new one this week which why there has been no activity up until now. 

Quite a bit has happened since I reported on the Friendship Cup. Some of the bigger things you may have noticed at Knights Stadium this year are the new fence and the new car park. Even without going to Knights Stadium you more than likely would have seen or heard about #FenceGate with the coverage it got on social media. 

Melbourne Knights Car Park

Cosmetically not too much has changed at Knights Stadium in the past 10 years, which makes these improvements look and feel even better. When I heard about the new car park I was expecting it to be asphalted to match what the majority of the existing asphalt looks like, but boy was I in for a surprise. We have gone from crushed rock and recycled asphalt plagued with puddles and pot holes to not just one of the best car parks in the sport, but in the country world. It kind of felt weird that for once the club had actually done something properly. Full credit to Tony Karlusic, his board and all others involved for getting this and the fence done.

As good as the car park, it's hidden away from most people that don't have the privilege of parking there like sponsors and players/officials. Which is why the new fence is rightfully more impressive and important. Gone are the 'dark days of the NSL' where players and supporters were separated by barbed wire. Whilst I do admire the intimidating feel of a nice tall wire fence, nothing looks neater that a nice short fence that you can lean on while telling an opposition player what you really think of them.

More Somers St fence. Taller than I expected. Almost Chaplin Reserve height. Plus two Gully fans. #PS4NPLVIC #MKvGG pic.twitter.com/jWxaJ0eAWz

— Les Street (@official_lesdog) February 19, 2016

So impressive is the new fence it even prompted Les Street to come down and take a few snaps. It seems to have had such an impact that I even overheard people still commenting on it at the game last night.

The last and most recent change to the venue (which I don't believe was at the hands of the football side of the club) was the removal of the trees between the South end of the ground and the club rooms. It's not that I liked the trees that were there, but it kind of just feels too empty now.

So onto our opening match of the 2016 NPL season against overrated and talked up Green Gully. The first thing I noticed after the car park and fence was the new and improved match day programme. Like with the car park and the fence, it is a massive leap forward compared to the black and white edition that was photocopied in the clubs office up until now.

Don't forget to pick up your program at tonight's match! #MKFC #OneLoveOneClub #MKvBL #PS4NPLVIC pic.twitter.com/QqDHi7Yy8m

— Melbourne Knights FC (@MelbKnights) March 24, 2016

I'm not going to claim to know what an A-league match day programme looks like, but I somehow doubt that any of them would be better. Full credit to the Knights media team and anyone that has contributed to the quality content that has gone to print so far.
As far as the match itself goes. I don't think anyone would have turned down a point if it was offered to us pregame. I mentioned a lack of preparation for the season and it clearly showed in the first half. Fortunately for us we only managed to concede once and a returning Jacob Colosimo was on hand to level the game to send us all home satisfied with the result. It's a shame the same thing couldn't be said about the next game!

In my 20+ years of supporting the club, I cannot once recall contemplating leaving a match early because of the result. The opening 20 minutes against Heidelberg were an absolute disgrace. Without a doubt the worst opening to a match I have ever witnessed, with the overall result not being too far off what South Melbourne did to us the year Adrian Cagalj came off injured early in the first half at Bob Jane Stadium. I don't think we can put this down to a lack of preparation, rather a lack of desire to want to even play. Our half hearted attempt of playing the game coupled with Heidelberg coming out with a point to prove after being embarrassed by South Melbourne led to a perfect storm. As I mentioned earlier, If I hadn't already broken my laptop, I would have then. Perhaps it was better I didn't have an avenue to vent after the events that took place that day.

Our first victory of the season in our third match against a Northcote side that many will tip to go down this year. While our performance was much better than the week before, it's safe to say that Northcote were no where near the standard of Heidelberg. I was pleased with our first half and thought we should have punished them even more, but was left quite frustrated when we let them back into the game in the second half. Even though I felt that we still weren't playing quite as well as we should be, it was an improvement on the first two games. Fraser Chalmers made his debut and looked comfortable from the get go. And again it's a shame I couldn't say the same about the next game!

I wasn't quite sure what to make of our fourth game at Port Melbourne as I don't know too much about their squad. The only thing I do know is our record has been fairly good there in the past few years, which I guess counts for something. We didn't make the best start to the match with Port being in control from early on, and it didn't get any better when Chalmers kicked the ball straight out to Port Melbourne leaving captain Milan Batur with little choice but to take the man down in the area awarding them a penalty and himself a couple of weeks off. Luckily though Chalmers redeemed himself by making a save and keeping us level. It seemed luck was on our side from then as Port Melbourne continued to waste any opportunity they had in our area, whilst we took our chance up the other end with a penalty of our own, as Jacob Colosimo made it 3 goals from 3 appearances. Seemed though that luck didn't want to stay on our side with Port being awarded yet another penalty that they weren't going to miss this time. Even though we didn't take our chance to snatch all 3 points in the end, I think we were all content with the point and proud of the way the boys (majority of them very young) fought for each other and gave it there all. It felt like we had gone from a side mixed with new individuals to a team.

Once again the FFV fucked up royally with the commencement of the FFA Cup for NPL sides. Not only did they have the draw 3 days before the first game, but made a 'catch up round' in the league to accommodate for the fixtures. As much as they like to label it as the FFA Cup this early on, no one really gives a shit for these rounds, especially when you draw Eltham Red Backs. So rather than scheduling the matches over the Easter weekend when no one goes to the games anyway, they do it a week before when clubs could have maintained healthy early season crowds. Great job guys (thumbs up).
Regardless of which lower league team we draw, it's always good for the boys to get a bit of a confidence boost. Was also great to see us not take them for granted and put out a full strength team from the first minute. Not sure when the next fixtures will be drawn but you would hope it's more than 3 days in advance.

And finally we are back to last night, which brings me back up to date. With the courage we showed against Port and the confidence booster last week, I felt quite confident going into this match. Always difficult going up against a newly promoted side early on as they are still unknown. The addition of 3 of our former players (Alinejad, Colosimo, Covarrubias) as well as Griffin McMaster in goals suggests that they can't be too bad, but results so far wouldn't suggest they are excellent either (despite drawing to the mighty South Melbourne, more on them soon). Thought we started well and had the better of the play in the first half and deservedly took the lead through Hicks who get's more impressive each week. Even sweeter that he left South for us who said they didn't need him when they found out he left, but talked him up when they first signed him. Fraser Chalmers also pulled off a killer save in the first half which is becoming the norm for him. I'm going to put it out there now and say he is better than Chris May (who is looking for somewhere to buy metal studs because of something about all the grounds being no good, didn't have a problem when you were keeper of the year with us last season? Hmm.) The second half should have seen us 2-0 up with Hicks missing a clear cut chance. And former player Covarrubias could have leveled at the death when he blasted over the bar from inside the box. Would have really hurt to concede in the 95th minute when there was meant to be 4 minutes added on even though there was barely 2 minutes of stoppages? Anyway overall I was pleased with the way we played and obviously the result. Seems like we are starting to gel nicely now and should only keep getting better each week as we have been up until now.

Next week we take on the other newly promoted side in Richmond. Looking forward to getting back to their ground for a good feed. Always liked them as a club and felt very comfortable and welcome whenever we have played there. Got a funny story about them actually, not too funny because we face them next but funny because of who they did it to.

@RichmondSC1953 defeat @smfc by 6-3 after trailing 3-1 at h/t A 5 goal second half gives the 3121 boys 3 points pic.twitter.com/pGZyDlRKnn

— Chanoz79 (@Chanoz79) March 24, 2016

Trailing 1-3 to world beaters South Melbourne at half time, they came out in the second half to smash 5 goals past the Oceania Super-Club of the Century to take their first 3 points in a 6-3 romp. That's pretty funny, right?


Back in about a week provided I don't break my laptop again.

Wishing you all a very safe and Happy Easter!

What to make of the Friendship Cup?

Not too much really. But what better way to kill some time during the flight back to Melbourne than another blog entry?

This year was the 10th instalment of the Friendship Cup which began in early 2005 after the demise of the old dark violent ethnic NSL. Some of you may have done the math and figured out that 2005 to 2016 is more than 10 years, and you are right. The reason for the difference is a 'breakdown in communication' which halted the event for a couple of years, that's not entirely true but we will just leave it at that. 

Knights media team view before the match 

Despite the unpleasant weather, the arrival at the club was a rather pleasant one, seeing many familiar faces and catching up with friends made along the way of the 10 year journey. You could say that things have changed quite some bit since the event first came to Sydney back in 2006. From the club undergoing a few makeovers, to older faces moving on and younger ones emerging.

Knights Fans in 2010

The presence of Knights fans I must admit was also not what it once was, with 30 odd fans making the trek over by bus in 2010 in what was to date the most exciting match in the cups short history, which saw United run out 3 - 2 winners with a goal in the dying minutes. Apart from the scoreline, not too much was replicated this time around, with crowds getting smaller every year and the event maybe, just maybe, not serving the purpose it once did.

For most part of the 90 minutes I wasn't too impressed. The first half didn't see us produce much more than a Jason Hicks free kick which hit the crossbar (more on him later). And we only really got back into the game in the latter stages due to combination of our younger players coming on trying to prove their worth, combined with United either doing the same or being worn out from the heat. To be honest I didn't give the match my 100% attention as I was a little preoccupied trying to swallow my warm can of Toohey's New. Warm because I had to walk half way around the ground in the sun with it, and because I had to get more than one in case they sold out of them like they did with the Corona. I guess serving beer out of a minibar for the whole stadium doesn't help.

Although I wasn't impressed, I'm not overly concerned. Last year saw us go down to them 5 - 0 at home only to go on and win out opening 5 games of the season. But maybe I should be concerned, as we had a very favourable fixture last year and although we didn't have an excellent pre season campaign then, it can't be any worse than the one we had this year. As far as I am aware we are yet to have a hit out against a decent or even any side with our full starting 11. I guess having a few small injuries doesn't help that, but either does not playing anywhere near enough serious opponents, nor does still signing players. Which brings me back to Jason Hicks. I must say it feels rather sweet to have him on our roster. A man that was once hailed as a great signing and exactly what was need in the middle of the park by South Melbourne fans, has now been deemed surplus by the same group of people who act like it's no big deal. Cry me a river, you guys are full of shit. But hey, what's new? 

Hicks joins SMFC

The arrival of Hicks you would assume is the end of our transfer window campaign, however a little birdie may have told me that it ain't other yet. But whether or not another player is brought in or not doesn't really phase me too much. We might not have replaced the quality that departed at the end of last year but that's ok. I think we had an exceptional team then, and for our budget I can't say I expect us to maintain that level of quality every year.   

Mid flight snack

The parmesan paprika bikkies were OK but nothing special. I didn't have any of the tomato salsa dip because it's not my type of thing. Drinks being offered more than 10 minutes later didn't enhance the experience at all. Would much rather have enjoyed the usual cheese and crackers I was served on the way up, where I received a drink at the same time mind you. 

Not sure if it is because I have been quite busy in the off season and haven't had a chance to attend any club events until the Friendship Cup, but this off season seems a bit longer to me than the last few years. In saying that, I cannot wait for Friday nights game. Where win lose or draw, I'll just be happy to be back where I belong.

Why aren't you a member?

After reading the call to arms a few weeks ago, and more recently HNK Hajduk Split explaining why it is important to become a member of the club it really made me wonder why we don't have a lot more members than we currently do. Is it that people don't understand what comes with being aa member, or is just that interest in our club is genuinely that low?

Fans of many clubs around the world would die for what we have. Something perhaps our community can better understand is the ongoing struggle of Dinamo Zagreb fans. A club that has been hijacked by one family for their own financial benefit, and there is almost nothing any of the members can do about it. Something that at our club would not have lasted, because the members hold the power.

How many A-league fans would like to have what we have? I bet there is a fair number of them that would pay any price to own a share of their club. To be able to put their hand up and have their say on what goes on at the club. To decide who should run their club. But they can't. There isn't one person that can walk up to an A-league club, buy a membership of the shelf, and with that own a share of the club and be eligible to vote at general meetings.

Melbourne Knights Back to Back NSL Champions

WE CAN DO THIS! THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE! But for some reason it's like we just don't want it. People don't seem realise how lucky we really are. Our club is at least for me, and may be for a lot of fans, the club that you dream of. A club that through the blood, sweat and tears of it's members and volunteers was built from nothing, was twice crowned the best in Australia, is 100% member owned, and is worth more than most A-league clubs (even with their guaranteed 2.whatever million a year in TV rights).

For as little as $60 a year, you can own your share of the club. The same share as every other member in the club. You can put your hand up and be heard. You can have your say on the future of the club. You can decide who will run the club. The club is in our hands. So why aren't we jumping at it?

With talk of promotion and relegation increasing each day, the chance to return to the top fight and once again be crowned the best in Australia get's closer and closer. If and when that time comes, it is important for the club to be in a strong position, and one of the greatest measures of a club's strength is it's number of members. 

Don't allow our club to die a slow death. Don't wait until it is too late. Stand up, buy a membership, own a part of Australian football history, and most of all be proud to call this club your own. Because that is ultimately what it is!

Pre-season Update

Well I'll be stuffed. Seems that I was a fair way off with some of the things in my last piece. 

Starting with Chris May, who I thought the club would have retained at all costs, has parted ways after not getting the pay rise he was after. I can understand him wanting a pay rise and definitely understand the club not being able to afford it, but what I struggle to understand is why you would make a move like that before securing another club that is willing to pay you more? Who knows, maybe I'm a fair way off again with my prediction, but with the stupid systems in place in the league, it's not so easy for a visa player to pick and choose where he wants to play and how much he wants to play for.

Moving along to Tomislav Uskok who was off to Sydney United for a year before returning to the club, who has pleasantly surprised us all by securing his first A-league contract at Central Coast Mariners. I say surprised because after a few unsuccessful trials, it seemed like he was never going to be given the chance he deserved to prove himself in the nations top division. Will be disappointed if he doesn't return in 2017, but glad he will be playing at the highest level available to him.

Farewell Anth

But perhaps the biggest surprise for me is the departure of Anthony Colosimo. Playing more than 100 games over 7 odd seasons, he was the longest serving player at the club who remained loyal throughout. I'm devastated that the club has decided let him go, but at the end of the day I am sure whoever has made the decision has their reasons. I would like to wish him all the best in the future and he will always be welcome at Somers St.

Oddly enough, one goes and another returns. After getting some much desired game time and finding the back of the net a few times, Jacob has returned to the club for the 2016 season. Let's hope he can hit the same form he was in prior to his latest injury.

I'm not going touch on the other signings for now as to be honest I don't know too much about them. I guess time will tell whether they are up to it or not.

In other news;

Some much overdue improvements are being made around the stadium with the car park behind the grandstand being asphalted, as well as the fence around the pitch being torn down and replaced by a much more attractive shorter version. 

Memberships are out. Not too much has changed with the usual Corporate/Gold/Silver/Bronze staying the same. Should be available for purchase immediately after the new year.

Friendship Cup has been confirmed for Valentines Day weekend up in Sydney. I'll see you all there with your wives/husbands! We haven't done to well in the last couple of years so would be nice to take the trophy back for a change.

And finally, the Knights media team has three new additions for 2016. I'll be eagerly anticipating what Donald and the crew will have in store for us next season.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Stay safe and see you all in 2016!

Call to Arms - Rant!

In a future not too long from now, you come across an old VHS tape marked ‘NSL Grand Final 1995’. Instantly you re-call the old Olympic Park stadium, the smell of flare smoke fills your nostrils and somewhere in the background someone is blowing that long red annoying horn.

Melbourne Knights 1995 NSL GF

You gather your children around, blow the dust off the old video player and tell them about this story of a once great giant of Australian football, Melbourne Croatia.

This scenario scares the living day lights out of me, and mainly because it’s a plausible future for our club. I always envisioned my boys growing up supporting and playing for their local club, a club they could call their own.

When your children ask what happened to this club, what will you say? Will you blame the break-up of the NSL? The changing of the name? or the establishment of the A-League?

There really is only one answer to that question. And it’s YOU.

Yes, I’m being blunt, but it’s absolutely true. What has stopped you from attending games and buying a membership? What is your excuse?

Melbourne Croatia/Knights has been around for generations, it was built by our grandparents not just for a place to gather as a community, but for their children and grandchildren to have something to call their own.

Will you just stand aside and watch this once famous club disappear into a distant memory? Are you happy to just watch and do nothing?

If this club has ever given you an ounce of joy, it’s time to show that you care. Memberships cost as little as attending one A-League game, and ensure the stability and survival of the club. Even if you can’t make it to a game, you can still show your support.

There is no reason why this club can’t stick around for another 60 years, a club you can call your own, a place that feels like home. However it is completely up to you to ensure the future of this club isn’t limited to an old VHS tape. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

#ONELOVEONECLUB

What will be of Melbourne Knights in 2016?

With pre season not too far away and clubs announcing their new arrivals, some might be asking how we are looking for next season. Seems like for whatever reason we like leaving it late or are just a lot more secretive than everyone else. Let's start with looking at last years side.

2015 Keeper of the year Chris May (Photo: Melbourne Knights)

Chris May - Goalkeeper of the year for good reason, had his best season since joining us in 2013 and most will never forget South Melbourne at home. Should be retained.

Ben Surey - Been at the club longest together with Anthony Colosimo, over 100 games and still just as good as ever. Definitely worth retaining.

Milan Batur - Solid in the backline. Grew up with the club, wouldn't expect see him playing anywhere else.

Tomislav Uskok - Already in Sydney and returning in 2017, will be missed in the middle of the park. Do we look for a 1 year replacement? Probably.

Christopher Talajic - Struggled with injuries prior to this year, performed well enough. Should be pushing for a starting place every week if he can stay injury free.

James McGarry - Quality player. Recovered well after his injury in 2014. Will be useful in the middle of the park next year.

Marijan Cvitkovic - Has proven he can be the best player in the state when injury free. Will be an asset if he can stay fit for most of season.

Anthony Colosimo - Longest serving player with Ben. Been pretty consistent over the years. Doesn't belong anywhere else.

Ivan Grgic - Worked his way to the top pretty fast. Will be a long term player unless he takes the next step.

Rodrigo Covarrubias - Will unfortunately struggle to get a starting position with Stipo as the preferred lone striker. Good to have as a back up.

Alex Dao - Can't see him as a regular starter. With a few signings might not even make the bench if he is still around.

Rob Zadworny - Great mid season pick up and good replacement for Alinejad. Look forward to him running a muck next season.

Josh Brekalo - Did very well after the switch from the lower state leagues. Should be pushing for a starting place most weeks if he can keep the same form and injury free.

Michael O'Farrell - Don't get to see much of him, always hard with a second keeper. Not really a position I am too concerned about.

2015 Melbourne Knights B&F Stipo Andrijasevic (Photo: FFT)

Stipo Andrijasevic - Worthy winner of the club B&F. Took the piss most weeks and frequently found the back of the net after Barisic departed. Would definitely have him as number 1 striker for 2016.

From what I can gather everyone that we want to retain will more than likely be retained, which is a good start. 

There some to be a few disgruntled people down at North Geelong who are claiming that we have swooped for more than one of their players in the off season, which is fair enough considering we already snatched Zadworny mid season. But I guess it's better that they are coming to us rather than going to any other NPL side, especially if they have already spent some time at the club as juniors. Ideally we would send a couple of fringe players down to help them out, but it's not easy to convince someone to leave the Knights and head out to Geelong 3 or 4 times a week to play a division lower. But judging by the depth of the squad last year and the injury plague the year before, it doesn't seem like a luxury we can afford at the moment anyway.

And in coaching news, I would suggest Stabba and Frank are hanging around as I haven't heard otherwise.

Let's just hope we start seeing some good news popping up in our news feeds in the coming weeks, as with the addition of a couple of quality starting players, we should definitely be up there again in 2016.

Melbourne Knights 2015 AGM Wrap

Thanks to our newest contributor Nemo for this write up. 

The old 'Batcave'

Last Friday, the Melbourne Knights held their Annual General meeting in the now known Knights Gym. For me though, it will forever be familiar as the ‘ Batcave’. A gathering venue for the more passionate supporter to wet their whistle before and after the game, talk about the glory days and wait for the opposition bus to arrive/depart, to wish luck to our opposition in our more colourful language. 

The new gym

Those days are a distant memory now, and the disappointment of walking into the ‘Batcave’ and discovering only 35-40 people in attendance is disheartening. Scanning the room, you recognise everyone by name or by face, the same people that rain, hail or shine are there at every game, supporting their club…true supporters. 

The first main talking point of the night, Melinda Cimera announcing that after six long years, she has decided to step down from her role as Secretary.  We should all be thankful for her commitment and dedication to the club, volunteering many hours to a role which give so little back. 

Ange Cimera gave his take on the season, citing that he believed despite the disappointment of the game against Hume, and South Melbourne in the cup, it was a successful season. Our home form was magnificent this year. Ange posed the question what more could the supporters ask of the team, only 2 losses at home all year and still a bare stadium week in week out. He was right. What excuse do the fans have? The irony being that our lowest attendance of the season was for our biggest win of the season (5-1 v Werribee). 

He may have his doubters and some critics, but those who pay attention can see the passion he holds for the club. Like in previous years, Ange has offered his role to anyone that was willing to take it, stating that he would love to see some new young faces on the board, but if no one steps up he won’t leave the club in the dark. One thing he said has been stuck in my head since that night, out of all the eligible voting members we have, it is left up to the minority of approximately 10% to decide the future and direction this club is to take. Do 90% of our members not even care to hear how our club is truly performing, are these the same people that bemoan our on pitch performances, coaching/player selections and committee members? Unsurprisingly, no-one in the room questioned Ange… 

Next on the agenda was finances, and whilst I won’t mention the specifics (attend the meeting if you want specifics), what is clear is how well our season went on the pitch. We compete in a league where player wages are highly inflated and the Player points system is abused. Out of all the clubs in the top 6, my guess is we were paying the least, probably the bottom four in the league would be closer to the mark. Andrew Marth and co have done well considering. 

The topic of player retention was brought up, and if you have been hiding under a rock you wouldn’t have heard that Tomislav Uskok has departed for Sydney United. Uskok’s absence will be felt, as it was in the elimination final. Rumours have been doing the rounds about several star players being courted by opposition clubs, some deja-vu with a gun striker being linked to a greek-cypriot club for triple wages may remind you of the Visevic saga last year. Ange stated that those rumours were exactly that, and he was more than confident that the core group of players were staying. Ideally I would be more confident if I saw some official news on player retention/signings, as actively as Bentleigh, Port Melbourne and South Melbourne. 

The topic which finally got a rise out of the ‘oldies’(pardon the pun), was Friday night home games this season. The board stated that despite the crowd numbers staying around the same, gate takings for home games was significantly higher when we played on Friday nights as opposed to Sunday afternoon. Obviously the older generation dislike Friday nights, stating that it’s too cold and late to be watching soccer at night, again the irony this time being that this very meeting was on a Friday night. Although the Sunday afternoon game is a historic tradition for our club, I can see the need for change. Sunday’s are littered with family events and house chores, we also compete in a time slot against other local clubs (most notably Dinamo) and even our own juniors. Friday night allows for a greater atmosphere, downing some whiskeys without hesitation, and boy does it set up the weekend when we win on a Friday night. The new board will be tasked with attempting to please everyone when it comes to home game fixtures. 

Talking about new boards, we see a familiar face return to the President’s role with Tony Karlusic being nominated and voted in unopposed. Tony last held the role during our NSL season 2000/2001, a season which we knocked Perth Glory out of the finals (following a minor incident). During his short stint, he also had the hard task of removing club legend Joe Biskic as head coach. Majority of the existing board members retained their positions with some new additions which will be formally announced in due time.  

The clear message of the night is one that I will repeat and reiterate, if you support the Melbourne Knights in any way or form; show it by buying a membership! Attend the AGM! This club cannot survive alone on the generosity and commitment of the few. It is time for the next generation of supporters to ensure this club survives another 60 years. Regardless of how many games you can attend, the club relies on its Membership for a sustainable future, sign up your partner, sign up your kids, and show your support. This is our club…our home…our heritage, and nobody can take it away from us except ourselves.