Mariners v Malaysian National Team

[DJ]

marinermick said:

djgrounsell said:

Hutcho will be on the left.

Will we be sitting in the usual stand in between the 2 benches?

mmm, wonder if he'll start tommy ahead of gumps or vice versa

I think the will both be in the middle to start with

[marinermick]

djgrounsell said:

marinermick said:

mmm, wonder if he'll start tommy ahead of gumps or vice versa

I think the will both be in the middle to start with

with mile on the bench?

if not tommy will replace kwassy or he will go to 3-5-2

maybe to replace kwassy as he is going to hong kong and lawrie would hate to have an injury

[dibo (pron. "DIB-OH")]

marinermick said:

djgrounsell said:

I think the will both be in the middle to start with

with mile on the bench?

if not tommy will replace kwassy or he will go to 3-5-2

maybe to replace kwassy as he is going to hong kong and lawrie would hate to have an injury

i don't want to see the 'i' word. after last season i am tempted to propose that it get censored, like f*** is...

[brett]

I would second that proposal dibs.

I think it'll be 4-4-2 with Tommy on the right.

I think we'll see some goals tonight. Both those boys up front are arrogant marksmen whatever way you look at it and their eyes will light up at smaller opponents who they can physically destroy.

[dibo (pron. "DIB-OH")]

wyomingtiger said:

I would second that proposal dibs.

I think it'll be 4-4-2 with Tommy on the right.

I think we'll see some goals tonight. Both those boys up front are arrogant marksmen whatever way you look at it and their eyes will light up at smaller opponents who they can physically destroy.

i want to see two strikers who are walking around with absolute 'you can get f***ed' confidence and swagger. i want to see them running at defenders just to see the terror in their eyes. i want them chasing down balls and making runs like the last thing they will ever do is play this game and they want to go out with a goal or three. sadly, i will see none of these things because i'm out of town this week (correction - further out of town than normal) and will rely on post-match reports from my good comrades who will attend.

[marinermick]

wyomingtiger said:

I would second that proposal dibs.

I think it'll be 4-4-2 with Tommy on the right.

I think we'll see some goals tonight. Both those boys up front are arrogant marksmen whatever way you look at it and their eyes will light up at smaller opponents who they can physically destroy.

what struck me at the mariners medal night was how small saso actually is

despite this he has a huge physical presence in games and looks bigger than he really is

[marinermick]

Lobb to line up against Malaysia

Central Coast Lightning midfielder Jamie Lobb has been included in the Central Coast Mariners’ 19-man squad to face Malaysia at Pluim Park this evening.

Lobb, 19, is a key member of the Lightning’s NSW Winter Super League squad, who currently occupy fifth place in the state’s second tier competition.

The Doyalson junior has made an appearance at many of Pluim Park’s marquee matches in recent years, all of which for sides opposing the Mariners.

In June 2006, Lobb played ninety minutes against the Mariners in the second annual Central Coast Football Charity Plate, while in April of this year, Lobb started for the Lightning at the inaugural Central Coast Challenge Cup.

Aside from Lobb’s inclusion, Mariners fans will also see new signing Sasho Petrovski make his first appearance in yellow and navy.

Fellow new recruit Greg Owens will miss tonight’s match with a minor back strain, but his brother, Ty, will make an appearance off the Mariners’ bench.



"Jamie’s been doing well with the Lightning and he was on standby to come to Hong Kong, we thought it was a good opportunity for him to come on for last twenty or thirty minutes," said Mariners Football Manager Lawrie McKinna.

"He does a good job at left back or left midfield - it’s good experience for him, he’s only 19 years old and he’s been doing very well and should be rewarded.



"Sasho will start the game, hopefully the combination with he and Nik Mrdja will go well, he’ll just play half a game and we’ll rest him after that."



Meanwhile, Matthew Osman has filled the tenth and final spot of the Mariners’ squad that is bound for Hong Kong, where they will take part in the Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s.

Osman, who has made 41 competitive appearances for the Mariners in all competitions over two seasons, has been included alongside fellow foundation Central Coast squad members Adam Kwasnik and Alex Wilkinson.

Osman, along with Kwasnik, was a member of the Mariners’ line up that defeated European football giants Manchester United and drew with Scottish heavyweights Celtic at the 2005 edition of the Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s.

The aforementioned three, along with current squad members Mile Jedinak, Bradley Porter and Matthew Trott, Central Coast Lightning players Nigel Boogaard Matt Simon and Neil Woodcock and Academy talent Ian McAndrew, will depart for the Hong Kong Football Club tomorrow.

"We were trying to get James Holland up from the AIS but they’ve got a few injury problems down there, so we couldn’t get him up, so Matthew Osman comes into the squad." said McKinna.

"As it happens, Adam Kwasnik pulled a swifty, because when we asked for ages, Kwas actually said that he was younger than Matty Osman was and that’s why Kwas was in the squad.

"Ossie’s actually a month younger than Kwas, so Kwas stitched him up a bit, but at the finish up it’s turned out alright for Ossie."

The Mariners will host 2007 Asian Cup hosts Malaysia at Pluim Park tonight, 22 May. Kick off is at 7pm, gates open at 5pm.

Tickets can only be bought at the gate and are $5 for adults, $2 for concessions while admission for children under the age of 16 is free. Car parking is available at the venue for $5.

Following Tuesday’s match, Football Manager McKinna will lead a squad of ten players to Hong Kong, where the Mariners will contest the Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s.

The Mariners have been placed in Group D with local sides Hong Kong FC and City University of Hong Kong, with the biggest challenge facing McKinna’s charges likely to come from English Premier League side Aston Villa.

The Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s kicks off on Saturday, 26 May - www.ccmariners.com.au will feature exclusive and extensive coverage of the tournament.

Following their Hong Kong sojourn, the Mariners will return home to contest the third annual Central Coast Football Charity Plate against a local selection made up of the best players from the Central Coast Premier League. Kick off at Pluim Park on Saturday, 9 June is at 5pm.


Ends

[marinermick]

heard that Ty is a gun

will be good to see what he can do

[Pete]

marinermick said:

heard that Ty is a gun

will be good to see what he can do

Gun: as in hotshot player, and not sprays them all over the park like a 12 guage?! ;D

[Coastie]

Will we be getting any coastfm live commentary?

[Foriegnmariner]

www.ccmariners.com.au/default.aspx?s=ccfc_club_featureitem&id=17862

Harimau MalayaTuesday, 22 May 2007
Nicknamed Harimau Malaya, which translates to the Tigers of Malaysia, the Malaysian national team are preparing for their biggest international appearance in nearly three decades.

Not since 1980 has Malaysia qualified for Asia’s most prestigious tournament and, as co-hosts in 2007 along with ASEAN neighbours Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, Malaysia have been presented with a genuine opportunity to improve upon their flagging international reputation.

In January of this year, Malaysia’s FIFA World Ranking slipped to an all time low – 157.

While football remains Malaysia’s most popular sport, support for their national team has been almost apathetic following a series of indifferent performances in recent times.

Tonight at Pluim Park, Malaysia will be aiming to take the first steps towards convincing their local audience that they are on track for July’s tournament.

Mohammad Hardi Jaafar

An attacking midfielder, 27-year-old Jaafar was responsible for one of the national team’s most celebrated goals in recent times – a spectacular long range strike from the touch line in the ASEAN Football Championships first leg semi final encounter against Singapore in front of 25,000 spectators at Malaysia’s Shah Alam Stadium. The match ultimately finished 1-1 and after an identical score line in the return leg in Kallang, a penalty shoot out was required to determine who would progress to the final. Jaafar’s spot kick was successful, but not enough to ensure Malaysia’s progression, with Singapore trumping their local rivals 5-4. Jaafar was the only Malaysian squad member to find the back of the net at the 2006 Asian Games in Qatar – scoring against both Oman and China PR at the group stage. Domestically, Jaafar is captain of Melaka Telekom, who currently occupies ninth spot in Malaysia’s 13-team Super League with seven games to play in regular season.

Norhafiz Misbah

One of two captains of coach Norizan Bakar’s line up, defender Misbah has been a mainstay of Malaysia’s defensive set up in recent years. Though Malaysia have failed to qualify for an Asian Cup since 1980, Misbah’s influence in qualifying in 2003 so nearly earned Harimau Malaya a place at Asia’s quadrennial showpiece in China PR one year later. Misbah’s last minute strike against Bahrain in the third round of qualifying saw Malaysia in a strong position ahead of their final three qualification matches, though his non-appearance in Malaysia’s next outing against Iraq was telling – with Iraq inflicting Malaysia’s biggest defeat of the campaign, 5-1 at Manama’s National Stadium. At the recent ASEAN Football Championships, Misbah was one of a few players to play every minute of Malaysia’s campaign. Locally, Misbah wears the number three jersey for mid-table Pahang.

Hairuddin Omar

Hairuddin Omar plies his trade locally with current Malaysian Super League outfit Pahang, and is one of the lynchpin attacking members of the Malaysian national team. Most famously, Omar netted Malaysia’s solitary goal in the 4-1 defeat to Chelsea in FA Premier League Asia Cup 2003, an invitational tournament hosted by the Malaysian Football Association. Omar has only recently returned to Malaysia’s national set up after a two-year hiatus. His first match under new coach Norizan Bakar was a highly successful one – Omar scoring a brace against the Philippines in the opening match of the 2007 ASEAN Football Championships. Omar’s goals were crucial in securing Malaysia’s semi final berth, at which stage they were ultimately eliminated from the tournament. The 27-year-old came closest to scoring Malaysia’s only goal at Edensor Park recently, where Malaysia suffered a 2-0 defeat to the Mariners’ southern rivals Sydney FC. Omar launched a strike from distance in the 43rd minute that beat Sydney FC custodian Clint Bolton, but unfortunately for Malaysia, not the crossbar.

Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli

25-year-old striker Rakhli is one of an exclusive few Malaysian footballers to have played professionally in Europe. Signed by French Ligue 1 side RC Strasbourg in 1999, Rakhli failed to make an impression in France’s top flight and was subsequently loaned out to Racing’s sister club FCSR Haguenau, who occupy a place in France’s fifth tier competition. In two seasons spanning between 1999 and 2001, Rakhli scored ten goals for FCSR Haguenau, whose opponents in the Championnat de France Amateurs 2 league are mostly amateur. Rakhli’s return to his hometown club, Kedah, was made amid much fanfare in 2002. Ever since, Rakhli has been one of the more dominant local strikers in the Malaysian Super League - a league where import marksmen frequently top the goal scorers charts. Rakhli has since joined Selangor, where his time has been interrupted by a series of knee injuries

Veeran Thirumurugan

Currently with the former club of Mariners defender Andrew Clark, Kedah, Thirumurugan is one of Malaysia’s most highly prized emerging defenders. The 24-year-old is an integral member of the Malaysian national team, despite his tender years, as exemplified by his start in all but one of Malaysia’s five matches at the 2007 ASEAN Football Championships, where Thirumurugan netted one of Malaysia’s four successful spot kicks in their 5-4 penalty shoot out loss to Singapore at the semi final stage. Thirumurugan has been a key contributor to Kedah’s highly successful Malaysian Super League campaign this season, where the Malaysian Peninsula club has won 12 of their 18 matches to sit atop the league with six matches to play.

[razza]

how did we go?
how did Petrovski look?

[nutmeg]

razza said:

how did we go?
how did Petrovski look?

we won 3-0

[tez]

how did we go?
how did Petrovski look?

Petrovski didnt look that great.. he played ok - we wasted a few opportunities, and DAMM it was Freezing! Gah!

[brett]

I missed the first 20 minutes, but here is a brief report.

We played a tight, solid game as you might expect in an early trial. Nothing too ambitious. Malaysia made a game of it which was good, as when teams sit back on the bumpy Pluim surface it can be hard to pass it through them.

Between Nik and Sash it felt like we had a lot of presence up front which was a new sensation! Neither set the world alight but each had their moments.

I think goalscorers were Tommy after a sleek run from Sasho, Neil Woodcock after a keeper fumble and Ty Owens with a neat finish. My eyes aint so good though, am I wrong?

We lined up like

Trott
Clarky Wilko Viddie Browny
Kwas Gumps Tommy Hutch
Sasho Nik

The thing that struck me about this game was that the players that came off the bench gave you confidence. Mile, Ossie, Porter, Simon...Ossie and Mile are established A-League players and the other two have already had their initiations now. They start this season as genuine options. Boogaard has been playing for Lightning and fitted in beautifully for Cpt Wilko, he looked as sharp as anyone. We've done the tough times but we now have the depth to excel.

A Sydney FC that was surely more match-fit and sharp than us beat them 2-0 and we did them 3-0...its not clever to make comparisons like that but I'd still say it's a good sign nonetheless.

[marinerbhoy]

excellent night. definately potential there between mrdja and sasho.
porter and osman impressed, no one really had a bad game, was pleasing, although the score would have been very different if the malaysian strikers could shoot

[~Floss~]

I thought Hutch picked up the scraps to put away the first goal??? (could be wrong).
Not sure how strong a side Sydney would have fielded. But nonetheless we certainly did give everyone a run and stil achieved a reassuring result

[bobandbill]

According to reports Hutch scored after tommy shot/passed to him.
Sounds that we did a good job.

[Jeff (LouMacari)]

Promising signs but also a little dissapointing in areas. Lucky Malaysia can't shoot huh Mick?!

[DJ]

Mariners put Asian Cup hosts to the sword

The Central Coast Mariners have defeated Asian Cup hosts Malaysia 3-0 at Pluim Park this evening, in the landmark first appearance of a men’s national team on the Central Coast.

All of the Mariners’ goals arrived in the second half, with John Hutchinson joining training squad members Neil Woodcock and Ty Owens on the score sheet.

The match, watched by an audience of approximately 2,000 spectators at Lisarow’s home of Central Coast Football, was the Mariners’ first since returning to full pre-season training last Tuesday.

The touring Malaysian line up, boasting a gallery of players set to feature later this year at Asia’s showpiece quadrennial event, was simply no match for a sharp looking Central Coast outfit, who came into the match minus injured or unavailable squad members Paul O’Grady, Greg Owens and Danny Vukovic.

"Overall, there were very good performances around the park, Boogaard was outstanding when he came on, Brad Porter did well, Gumps and Tommy did well in the midfield and Kwasnik was causing problems, Hutch done well, overall I was very happy with the performance, considering we’ve only been in training for a week," said McKinna.

"There was a great crowd, Central Coast Football put on a great night and there must have been close to 2,000 people who got right behind the teams, especially when some of their local players came on, it was even better."

New signing Sasho Petrovski was prolific in the first half, testing Malaysian custodian Azizon Kadir on numerous occasions from distance and from close range.

Complemented by Nik Mrdja up front, Petrovski showed glimpses of his capabilities against a disciplined Malaysian back line.

The visitors were not without their chances however, with diminutive attacker Mohd Ivan Yusoff threatening on the break, forcing Mariners goalkeeper Matthew Trott to make one particularly telling stop.

Hutchinson netted the match opening goal ten minutes after the break – inching home a goal bound effort from Tom Pondeljak.

Pondeljak burst through the Malaysian defence and rounded ‘keeper Kadir before firing a shot at goal from an acute angle, which was neatly turned over the goal line by Hutchinson.

From this point on, Football Manager McKinna introduced a host of new faces to the Mariners’ line up, including Central Coast Lightning players Woodcock and Jamie Lobb, Mariners Academy member Ian McAndrew and 16-year-old Ty Owens, the younger brother of recent Mariners recruit Greg.

Woodcock, one of the ten-man Mariners’ squad bound for the Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s in Hong Kong tomorrow, ensured a dream debut just four minutes after taking the pitch by heading home the Mariners’ second with literally his first touch of ball.

Woodcock was quickest to react to Kadir’s spill from fellow Lightning player and substitute Matt Simon’s cross, and made no mistake with his looping header into an empty Malaysian net.

Owens also celebrated his debut in yellow and navy with the final goal of the match with just four minutes to spare.

Simon was again integral to proceedings, delivering an inch perfect cross for Owens, who showed great maturity in guiding his first time effort past the well beaten Kadir.

"We put on nine young boys and they all done well," said McKinna.

"The first half was really good, Trotty made one great save, another in the second half and really that was all he had to do.

"Their ‘keeper was outstanding apart from one snap at the ball he had in the second half where young Woody scored, but it was good that Woodcock scored and young Ty Owens, he’s only 16 years old and he slotted his goal like an old experienced head."

The Mariners are now headed for Hong Kong, where they will contest the Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s.

The Mariners have been placed in Group D with local sides Hong Kong FC and City University of Hong Kong, with the biggest challenge facing McKinna’s charges likely to come from English Premier League side Aston Villa.

The Philips Lighting Soccer 7’s kicks off on Saturday, 26 May - www.ccmariners.com.au will feature exclusive and extensive coverage of the tournament.

Following their Hong Kong sojourn, the Mariners will return home to contest the third annual Central Coast Football Charity Plate against a local selection made up of the best players from the Central Coast Premier League. Kick off at Pluim Park on Saturday, 9 June is at 5pm.

Match Details

Central Coast Mariners Matthew Trott (gk), Andre Gumprecht (Bradley Porter 68’), John Hutchinson (Neil Woodcock 74’), Nik Mrdja (Ty Owens 81’), Tom Pondeljak (Mile Jedinak 65’), Damien Brown (Jamie Lobb 78’), Tony Vidmar (Ian McAndrew 81’), Andrew Clark, Alex Wilkinson (Nigel Boogaard 56’), Adam Kwasnik (Matthew Osman 46’), Sasho Petrovski (Matt Simon 60’)

Yellow Cards None
Red Cards None

Goals Hutchinson 55’, Woodcock 78’, Owens 86’

Malaysia Azizon Kadir (gk), Ahmad Fauzi Saari (Norhafiz Zamani Misbah 53’), Ronny Harun, Mohamad Kaironnisam, Mohd Safee Mohd Sali, Shahrulnizam Mustapa (Mohd Fauzie Nan 53’), Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli, Mohd Hamzani Omar (Eddy Helmi Abdul Manan 53’), Kaliappan Nanthakumar, Mohd Ivan Yusoff, Muhammad Shukor Adan

Unused Subs Veeran Thirumurugan, Mohamad Hardi Jaafar, Mohd Norfarhan Muhammad, Mohd Fadzli Saari, Nazrulerwan Makmor, Mohd Saffian Ab Rahman (gk), Rezal Zambery Yahya

Yellow Cards None
Red Cards None

Goals None


Referee James Lewis