Heyman hat-trick gets United off to winning start Sunday, 7 November 2010 by Russ Gibbs, CanberraUnited.com.au
A hat-trick to new signing Michelle Heyman was the highlight as Canberra United kicked off their Westfield W-League Season Three campaign with a thrilling 4-1 victory over Perth Glory at 6PR Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The 2009 Julie Dolan Medal Winner and Westfield W-League Golden Boot continued where she left off last season with a devastating display of clinical finishing to which the home team simply had no answer as United got their season off to a wonderful start. The margin of victory means that Ray Junna and his team lead the way after the first round of action in the national women’s competition and will head into next weekend’s blockbuster showdown with Brisbane Roar in confident mood.
Some feedback from thse that have spoken to me in the last few days (and there has been plent of it!):
One thing is clear thus far, from those that have approached me to discuss the matter (on this Blog and on the sidelines - futsal and football) - many, many people resent the idea of having to work hard in a voluntary capacity to raise money to pay players for players who train twice a week and play on Sunday. These same people see it as a waste of time and effort, something that does not "develop" the game. Most of the same people, seem to also be of the view that once you get into "serious" football (they use the Canberra United players and a representative Mens team from Canberra in the NSW or Victorian Premier League as examples), then we should expect to give players some remuneration. Our local Premier League doesn't qualify they say, for that sort of consideration. They have been unanimous in one comment thus far - Capital Football doesn't do enough to "develop" football, they make Clubs and players pay for just about everything to be part of Football and playing Football is an expensive business now for every player at every level of the game and by that they mean parents as well as young adults with full or part time jobs.
However, its worth remebering that when we talk to "Clubs", that is club officials with their "Club" hat one, they are more cautious. Every Club wants the best players they can get and most club officials are hard headed enough to know that players will shop around to get what they can by way of match payments - if they are on offer.
Its importnat in this discussion not to demonize the players - if some one offerred you $150 a match to play what you love doing, in good company, with a better chance of a premiership, you'd probably take the money too. Players wont change this situation - only Clubs can do that.
Some further observations on player payments by me:
This is a tough subject. I admire Belconnen United and Canberra FC because over many years of effort by many, many people, they have built an incredibly solid structure to support football. They are where the rest of us want to be. And they do demand good football as an outcome.
I have no interest in any Club that get a big handout from a large sponsor every year and have nothing to show for it and no interest in Junior Football. A Club official in a junior club a few weeks ago told me that he had been approached to allow a PL CLub to store equipment in the off season in their shed. "This Pl CLub didn't even have a shiiping container to their name to store their gear and they are going to help us?" he said in disbelief. They have no place in Premier League Football.
The status of "Premier League Club", should be held in high regard, because with it goes some serious community football responsibilities - not just the winning of a Premiership. Both Belconnen United and Canberra FC have the football power to do great good for Football in the ACT - they are / have been involved in some terrific community / charity works. And so they should. A much better use of funds than sticking dollars in players pockets at our level.
My difference of opinion is over the need to pay players to play at the Captial Football Premier League level. It brings a lot of unpleasant stuff with it. I guess the explanation for its happening is simple enough - if you have the money to spend on player payments, to secure a stronger playing roster and win a Premiership, then its an easy step to take.
But its still a very dumb thing to do in my opinion.
Better to have players who want to play, because they want to play, and want to play for your Club and stay with your club. Money, by way of player paments gets in the way of everything - most importantly - Club loyalty. Once it starts at community level football, you can never be sure that the players are with you because you pay them or because they like football at your Club or both. Players' attitudes change and not for the good.
If you want to pay anyone, pay the Coaches a little something and the person in every PL Club who does what might be called the PL manager / Coordinators job - you can bet this will be a net positive investment, because they never stop working for the Club and players, and nearly always put their hands in their pockets to cover off on little expenses and cost during a season. They are worth every penny you pay! There are equivalents in every football club at every level. They are the real football heroes in my book.
The Capital Football MSAC (Men's Standing Advisory Committee) has met with Premier League CLubs in recent weeks to discuss concerns arising from the 2010 season and requirements for the 2011 season.
The outcome of the meetings is among others things - to settle the form and structure of the Men's Premier League Competition for 2011.
All good so far. Its always nice to talk, but far more important that we get outcomes that provide good opportunities for our players, ensure that all games (PL to Pl16) are played on first class playing surfaces, that costs are reduced to particpatiing Clubs, Clubs remain in a helathy financial state, ensure that PL Clubs make robust efforts to develop junior pathways to the Premier League, and that we build the game and all the Clubs within the Premier League. These few things come immediately to mind because they are the ones that get talked about most often on the sidelines and at training among Clubs officials, players and supporters.
Now you may recall that there is also a "Mens League Review" also underway, which is due to report soon.
You would expect the MSAC's advice on the 2011 season and the Review outcomes / recommendations to be consistent, at least in so far as the 2011 season is concerned. But does the MSAC advice for 2011 indicate the "Review" recomendations? I guess we wait and see.
In the meantime, how did the lads on the MSAC do at this years exam?
The advice from the MSAC does little to fill the hearts of some Premier League Clubs with joy. Not sure how they all feel about it. The competition remains at two rounds (Womens PL is at three), so we have less PL competition football than last season, The Federation Cup continues in its tired old form and is offerred as the substitute for a lack f a third round in the PL Competition (there were workable alternatives to include the awarding of the Fed Cup in the PL competition). There is the dubious priviledge of increased entry fes for the Fed Cup (amount not known, just that its going up), which is news Clubs did not need. Start and finish dates and that's it. Wow, the lads had to really work hard for that outcome! I guess the rest is in the review.
What really annoys is that we could have had a longer Premier League competition and that is something we really did need.
These were the options put to the Clubs:
Further to the PL cubs meetings held over the last two nights and the brief overview (details below) of the 2011 competition options discussed, I am seeking your clubs position on the proposals by Wednesday 6 October 2010. Both options are made on the assumption that there will be nine teams in the Premier League in 2011 and there will be no football over the Easter weekend. The options are only aimed at assisting the short fall in fixtures for 1st Grade.
Option 1: 1st Grade will play three rounds of Home and Away 27 rounds-24 matches and 3 byes 1st round will begin on 12 March and will be completed the Wednesday after Easter. (This round will include 3 mid-week double headers). The round would utilise the grounds normally available for the Federation Cup and will therefore not be strictly Home/Away Lower grades will then join in on the first Saturday after Easter and play two rounds on normal club competition. There will be no weekends off for the remainder of the year apart from the two byes. Federation Cup may be taken up as a midweek FA cup knock out style competition.
Option 2: Federation Cup will begin 12 March and will consist of twelve teams (PL clubs plus ANU. Queanbeyan City & White Eagles). It will be split into two pools guaranteeing each club five matches and will be completed prior to Easter. The two pool winners will play off for the Cup Final. Competition will begin after Easter with two Home and Away rounds 18 rounds (16 matches and 2 byes). There will be no weekends off. One club may have three weekends off if they do not play in the Cup Final and draw a bye in the 1st round of the competition. This option will guarantee 1st grade teams with 21 matches over the season.
This is what the MSAC advised yesterday to all PL Clubs:
Thank you to all for your feedback in regards to season 2010 through the recent Premier Clubs meeting.Capital Football Board met on Monday 25 October and the MSAC met on 1 November and I can now confirm the following: · All existing clubs have had their Premier League licences confirmed until the end of season 2012. · The Board has accepted the withdrawal of ANU FC and the Premier League competitions will continue with the remaining nine clubs until season 2012 has been completed. Every effort will be made by Capital Football to alleviate any issues in regards to the bye which has been created by the withdrawal of ANU FC.
· The MSAC can now confirm the following in regards to competition structure and dates for season 2011: Federation Cup will kick off on the weekend of 12 March 2011 and will continue for five weeks for all teams. The final will be on 17 March 2011. The Federation Cup will consist of 12 teams (9 PL plus 3 from SL1). Please note that currently the Federation Cup is not sponsored and there will be no prize money, but the winner will receive a rebate on their entry fee. Capital Football is also reviewing the costs for the Federation Cup and there will be an increase in the entry fee (details will be made available soon). The Premier League competition will kick off on weekend 30 April 2011 after the Easter weekend. There will be no free weekends unless one of your teams has a bye. PL competition will finish on 21 August 2011 with the Grand Finals on 17 September 2011.
There will be further news covering off on the results from the Mens League Review in the next week.
Coach Junna had some hard decisions to make around the last couple of positions in his Cnaberra United squad. At the launch recently, two young Wonden Valley WFC players were jointly listed and it seemed that it woul dbe one or the other. The players concerned play in very different positions. Both had outstanding seasons at Woden Valley under Coach Hollis.
The players concerned were Sally Rojahn and Grace Field. Now how do you pick between these two players?
The good news is that Coach Junna found a way to have both young players join the Canberra United squad. Outstanding!
And there are maore waiting for the call in our Premier League Clubs.
The Capital Football presss release covers all the detail.
Local youngsters given United chanceTuesday, 2 November 2010 by Russ Gibbs, CanberraUnited.com.au Woden Valley youngsters Grace Field and Sally Rojahn have been officially drafted into the Canberra United squad for the start of Westfield W-League Season Three following some exceptional displays in training. Both Field and Rojahn played a part in Canberra’s 3-0 win over the Illawarra Stingrays at Hawker Football Centre last month and, with news that potential US international recruit Natasha Kai was unable to sign for the club due to last minute obligations, Ray Junna had no hesitation in placing his faith in the duo.
Our Canberra United play their first game against Perth Glory in Perth on Sunday.
Canberra United has two Captains - Brush and Williams (Defender and GK). WE don't do things by have here in the Nations's Capital!
"Captain Brush" is pictured below:
The Capital Football media release says the following:
Co-Captains hoping for ideal start Both Ellie Brush and Lydia Williams are hoping for the ideal start this weekend as Canberra United kicks off their Westfield W-League campaign with an away fixture against Perth Glory at 6PR Stadium on Sunday. The jointly appointed team leaders are looking forward to finally getting into the thick of the action following an intensive build-up that has seen Head Coach Ray Junna putting the team through some extensive fitness exercises as well as forging a team bond that should stand the squad in good stead come Sunday afternoon. “There’s a real buzz about the training field over the past week especially with the return of the Matildas’ players which has given everyone a lift,” Ellie Brush said. “We are really excited about this weekend’s game and want to come away with a win.” “We are aiming to play an attacking formation that we have been working on, with an offensive looking side, with the aim that attack will be the best form of defence. It was a great help to have a hit-out and get out a few cobwebs out against the Stingrays, especially with the new players in the team, in order to get an understanding before the season gets underway. It’s been invaluable to do that.” Brush has scored seven goals in two seasons for United from her position at centre-back and is keen to add to her tally in Season Three. “There’s plenty of attacking talent in the team this season but I’ll certainly be looking for some goals myself! It’s always nice to get a few so hopefully I can get on the score sheet again this season,” she commented. Goalkeeper Lydia Williams meanwhile has finally found her feet after an exhausting tour overseas with the Westfield Matildas. Having been selected for the squad that travelled to South Korea for the Peace Queen Cup and the subsequent European friendly with Germany, Williams has only just arrived back in the Capital. However, the Canberra custodian is confident that preparations are progressing nicely. “Our preparation has been going well. Caitlin (Munoz), Sally (Shipard) and myself have just returned from our overseas tour but have fitted back into Australian time pretty well and all’s looking good on that front. Everyone is looking sharp,” Williams confirmed. In a short ten-game season the onus is on racking up points early to give the team the best possible base for a finals assault, something that isn’t lost on Williams. “We definitely need to get the ball rolling and get some early results under our belts, especially in the opening three matches, and that would be a real boost for us and put us on the front foot. We don’t want to be over-confident as we don’t know what the other teams have in terms of recruitment yet from other countries. Last year you could predict who was going to be the top teams whilst this year it’s anyone’s game. “ Canberra United starts their Westfield W-League season with an away trip to Perth Glory on Sunday. Kick-off is at 3pm local time, 6pm EST.
You can follow the match through our LIVE SCORING section on the Canberra United FC website (www.canberraunited.com.au).
Why do Clubs pay players in the Premier League? Why?
The answer is simple enough some would say - so that you can get the best playing roster and become a strong chance to win the competition.
But where does that money come from - the money that goes into the players pockets?
Well for most Clubs in the Capital Football Premier League it comes from a few sponsors, donations, raffles, canteen takings, sale of gear, Club functions, not to mention reigstration fees for each player (and what do clubs get of that) and the like. Every dollar is counted and counted upon to keep the Club afloat. Its all hard graft for a few motivated people in the Club.
The Clubs with a licence to play in the Capital Football Premier League must satisfy Capital Football that they can meet the costs of campaigning in the Premier League. Easy for them to say, but do they have their collective fingers on the pulse? What does it cost a Club to run four teams in the Men's Premier League? Good question. A little bird told me that some were surprised when told by a Club that had a good season, that it was just hanging on by a thread and faced the same daunting challenge again to find the money to go around again. What planet are some of these people on? How many Board members go to PL games (mens and womens) in season or the Summer 20s (another cost to Clubs and one that should have been absorbed by Capital Football, but that's another story and I'm easily distracted) and so on? You don't even get a shoulder to cry on, much less an ear to bash!
I know some things for sure - its costing more each season, the money is getting harder to find and more and more players are looking for a pay day. Out here in Clubland, we are all getting a bit worried. Player payments are a pox on our game.
At the end of every season in the Premier League, Clubs with money eye of the emerging talent and make offers. One young player told me four weeks ago that he had been approached to go to another PL club for $260 a game and another for $170 a game. If you were young and offerred this moent would you (or I) move - I guess so. This causes lots of problems for some PL Clubs.
Another aspect - that small group of Club officials and supporters that make it all possible for players to play, go looking for a minimum of $40,000 per season for a Premier League Club licence per season. Some officials argue the figuer is now closer to $70,000 per season if you want to cover all the contingencies and that's before you get to player payments of any significance.
Now we are not talking Manchester United type payments to PL players. What is said to be paid (and this is hard to verify with real precision) is not big, big money, but try finding $100 per player per game a season. And that's before you cover off on the training costs - we train (and play sometimes) on absolutely crap playing surfaces and when we try to relocate to good ones such as Hawker enclosed or the AIS, it costs Clubs money. You don't get any help from the FFA, CAPital Football or anyone else in solving this basic football problem.
So why on earth would most of the Clubs in the Capital Football Premier League, without a huge sponsor or a licenced club behind them, get entangled in the business of paying players to play? It can only lead to the Club collapsing and leaving the Premier League. That's the history for every code of football, including our poor, but not so old A League competition. The Youth League players don't get a living wage and the our very own Canberra United plays for the love of it. And yet, we think its a good idea to pay players in the Capital Football Premier League?
I'll tell you why - because the few clubs with money / resources put together the best playing rosters. These few Clubs can pay per game, and they pick and choose the players they want from across all the clubs that are prepared to go to them (and not all do). Well that's there good fortune, but it reeks havoc on the competitive nature of the teams across the competition and the survivability of those other Clubs. That should worry Capital Football and Capital Football Board because it worries the hell out of the other Clubs that are not well resourced and float on unpaid volunteers.
We have a variety of structures among our Premier League Clubs - some have a junior club based, others make arrangements to get it from elsewhere. This structural difference raises many questions, but I'll confine myself to one releveant to the issue of paying players. Why would a big Junior Clubs form a united "super Club" if there was a real risk that the revenue earned via the junior football contributions (and thats where the real money is people), could be consumed by player payments to Premier Legaue players, who play for no more sunstantial reason than a boy or girl in the Div 3 Under 13s within the same Club? Well, you would have to mad to get into that sort of arrangement.
Paying players robs the game of resources at Club level necessary to grow the game and develop all the players. We are not a professional football environment where player payments are concerned, but all Clubs do their level best to make it so in every other way - with less and less each season. That too should worry the Capital Football Board.
This week I interviewed the President of the Goulburn Strikers, Graeme Welsh about rumours I had heard about the Strikers.
The usual Club stuff - playing roster, coaches for next season and so on. They started well in 2010 and fell away and we all know how that feels. Its always accompanied by a certain amount of finger pointing, blame shedding and if onlys. Things change all the time at Club level. I was struck by the "statesman" like approach of Graeme Welsh (as I was by his predecssor Shane Wilson), very experienced bloke, not easily fooled or flustered was my impression. When we got to the subject of Clubs poaching players with offers of match payments and he made more sense than I have heard in a long time. Four things he said hit home for me when it comes to paying a player in our league (I would summarise as follows):
The money you take is money from your club and your mates
If you want more money, get another job
We are not really professional (in terms of paying players) until the players start bringing in gate receipts (we have A league clubs that can't do that).
Don't ask your mates to pay you for doing something you enjoy.
If it was me, I would stamp out player payments now. Capital Football needs to sort out the ever widening gap between the haves and have nots in the Mens Premier League, and do a lot more to reduce costs to PL Clubs. Clubs that are successful right now against all the financial odds, will fall if we don't find a way to contain the costs associated with playing football. Start with player payments - its a good start.
This program was broadcast on 2xxfm (98.3mhz), through the Australian Community Radio Network at 7:00PM on Tuesday 2 November 2010.
Tonights program is a bit special. Football is life and life is Football. Football crosses every boundary in our society and across every nation state, gender, race, ethnic group and religious belief on the planet. Football is so inclusive. Football's capacity to build "community" is limitless.
One of the most joyful and thoroughly decent things to accompany the Football is the game’s capacity to help people in need.
The game floats on masses of volunteers, people who take on coaching, managing and refereeing, those that work tirelessly and unpaid to assist running Football Clubs. Ordinary people from every walk of life, often putting their hand into their pockets to help get something for a Club to benefit those that play. The battalions of parents who work behind the scenes for young players (and not so young) to ensure they are there able to play, set up the grounds, run the BBQ or canteen, sort out the lost clothes, make sure the water bottles are full, organise transport to and from and find the money necessary to register them to play. The list or description is endless. A lot of people buy into Football when one young player asks to play Football. The "community" gives a lot to Football!
Football is such a wonderful example of “Community” and we are a very big "community" in the ACT Region. There is only one price of admission - that you are interested in Football. Football Clubs are a social hub for parents and players and supporters. So much important information is exchanged between parents at the games on the sidelines. The things you find out! It knocks Facebook and Twitter into the dustbin. It's so much better to meet and talk to people. Football Clubs are vitally important, as our society becomes more insular and we, far too self aborbed or obsessed.
What is that our "community", particularly our young players, do in return for the "community"?
As I watched out training for the Summer 20s last week, I reflected on our "community". I watched the coaches giving it their full attention and the football co-ordinator running around like a lunatic fetching balls and doing a hundred other things. All this was accompanied by the usual symphony of player noise and occassional bursts of self interested behaviour. You get used to it if you coach or work with a Club and young players long enough. But sometimes you wish you could just stop the training and tell the lot of them that are so bloody lucky, and don’t take it all for granted, and ever now and then think of some one other than themselves. The odd player sees it that way instinctively, but most need to be reminded and seldom are. But as I watched our training, I wondered, not for the first time - did many really know how much voluntary work was being done on their behalf? And again I concluded most were bloody clueless. And who's fault is that I thought?
Now I am close to tonights theme – Football is more than the game!
I am always knocked over by the charitable endeavours of some of Football Clubs. Just a couple to illustrate the point – Tuggeranong United FC are running a dawn to dusk football game to raise money for Epilepsy ACT, while Capital Football, Belconnen United, Belnorth and Western Creek are running the Football Connect program for children with disabilities. Then there is the Steve Arnott Challenge to raise money for the Canberra Hospital Oncology ward. There are plenty of other activities we never hear about and should. I recall that some time ago, Canberra FC running an exhibition match with the Melbourne Knights to aid the Victorian Bushfire Appeal. The people in our "community" are the real Football heroes.
Wouldn’t it be terrific if the players took it upon themselves to do something as a team for others. Some sort of community work. And if they wanted too we should help make it so. Why couldn't this be a formal part of the Capital Football Season draw and why not start with the Premier League?
Now to sharpen the pencil onthis program's theme.
Some time ago I interviewed a bloke called George Huitker. He’s known to many in football and futsal. He is definitely known to many generations of young citizens in his capacity as a teacher and coach at Radford College (he is in his third decade there). He is a poet, a writer, playwright, musician, actor, player, coach and thoroughly decent human being. At Radford he is simply knwn as “H”. What a glorious understatement - a bit like Bradman's batting average. His two books on Junior Football are recommended reading for every parent with a child playing football and should be compulsory reading for every coach in junior and youth football in Australia. Nothing else comes close.
George Huitker formed and organisation called teamSUPPORT at Radford College, initially around his football players and they set out to do charitable works in the wider community. His teams were playing the game in its widest and most productive context in our community. Football was the vehicle for the development of the human being, not just a football player. They gave up practicing "stepovers" away and stepped in to to help those less fortunate than themseleves. One experience benefited the other. The program has grown enormously, gone well beyond Radford College and too resounding acclaim.
So tonight, we listen to an extract from George Huitker’s book launch for latest book “Little Life”. George reads a passage from the book on a team SUPPORT activity that involved some of his players. The story in this book is so much more than this, but I’ll leave it to you to read the book. The limk between George Huitlker's philosophy on developing players and developing young citizens is inspirational. So we continue with a part of an interview I did with George Huitker for the NPL some time ago.
This program is for listening and thinking. Football and "community" in its widest sense is at the core of the program.
