Footballsouth Premier League

 

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Rab Smith

Caversham’s senior coach Steve Fleming’s decision to step down this season  may open the door for other Footballsouth Premier League aspirants.

Fleming, with manager Andy Deeley at his elbow, has guided Caversham to a decade of domination for that club, and frustration for the many ‘also rans.’

Modeled on Arsenal’s pattern of play, Caversham has delighted purists for many years with attractive attacking football, and its no wonder since Gunners fan Fleming spent time with Arsene Wenger on a coaching trip to Highbury several years ago.

Fleming intends to do development work with younger players for the club this season.

Heir to the hotseat is new coach Richard Murray, a steady centreback with limited coaching experience, and his assistant Andy Duncan who had stints in charge of Roslyn-Wakari.

Coach Murray will inherit a useful squad of players, with centreback Tom Schwarz offsetting the loss of reliable Tim Horner, who has been at the bedrock of recent Caversham success, but now carries a long term injury.

Dunedin Technical came second last year, and senior coach Mike Fridge has had massive defections playerwise, claiming that nine of last years squad are not available.

Certainly the sight of Richard Smith back in harness during pre-season matches, suggests that Technical’s squad is a bit thin, but the Flaws brothers Justin and Mike always add pace and flair in attack.

Also Tristan Prattley has matured into a steady defender to partner Matt Joy, and in midfield George Milne, Hayden Gunn and Matt Bruin will need to be full of running to compensate for the missing Andy Coburn. Inevitably, veteran Aaron Burgess has another Golden Boot in his sights.

Placed third last year, Mosgiel might be the bookies choice with former All White Mike McGarry and sister Sal at the tiller.

Mosgiel’s group of homegrown talented young players, such as Morgan and Curtis Day, Reg Coldicott, Tom Bekkers and the impressive Andrew Brook are an exciting group.

Supported by older heads, Pat Howell, Phil Kelly, Shayne Danielson, the placid control of Mike Abbott plus those McGarry cameos, the Plainsmen could be contenders.

Roslyn has also appointed a new coach, Colin Thom. For long an advert for longevity as a top player the popular clubman will aim at rebuilding his young side round the Cunningham brothers Mike and Aajay, Sam Mepham, Tim Mather and evergreen keeper Peter Evans.

Spirit FC coach Barry Gardiner aims to improve on last year’s fifth finish, and has the facilities to encourage skills with the new turf at ILT Football Turf, formerly known as the Turnball Thompson Turf.

Steve Brook returns to Northern with a similar squad to last year’s which earned a mid-table finish. Brook will utilize his extensive coaching experience and a large amount of training cones to stabilize a Northern team that perennially under achieves.

Queenstown as usual will generate class and calamity, but coach Jamie Whitmarsh’s team is always entertaining, with its eclectic mix of exotic players who finished fourth bottom last year.

Grants Braes is developing into an exciting club full of new ideas such as hosting Coaching Courses by Wynton Rufer, but coach Allan Laidler faces life without his star player Liam Lockhart, and will find it hard to maintain recent years improvements.

University’s C minus performance finishing second last is one of life’s anomalies. In pre-season there were about 40 big strapping lads who looked like they could play, but University holidays can eventually cripple the students huge potential.

Luke Macris has the Varsity clipboard this year, in conjunction with Brazilian Luiz Uehara, who will have to spread his energies between the club, and his new appointment as Footballsouth Development Officer.

Green Island has doubled its “Fleming’ factor with Malcolm moving upstairs, and brother Rodney taking over as senior coach. His new broom may be just what the Island needs to get off that bottom rung.

Saturday's FPL 2.45 pm matches, Round 1

Caversham v Green Island Tahuna Park 1
Mosgiel v Grants Braes Tahuna Park 2
Spirit FC v Northern Turnball Thompson
Queenstown v Roslyn Wakari Queenstown
12.45 pm University v Dunedin Technical, Tahuna

Top Club scorers last year were :

Golden Boot winner Aaron Burgess Technical 20. Mark Caldow Spirit 11. Phil Kelly Mosgiel 8. Sean Brand, Northern 7. and on six goals, Sam Mepham, Roslyn. Ant Hancock, Caversham. Dan Rutter Green Island. Luke Macris, University. Ashley Hodges, Grants Braes, and on four goals Marvin Masso, Queenstown.

 

ODT Premier Table 2010

Caversham                                        18   17   1   0     72   13   59    52

Dn Technical                                     18   16   1   1     59   8     51    49

Mosgiel                                               18   11   2   5     43   29   14    35

Ros. Wakari                                       18   7     2   9     37   35   2      23

Spirit FC                                             18   6     4   8     35   49   -14   22

Northern                                             18   6     2   10   29   45   -16   20

Queenstown                                      18   5     1   12   24   42   -18   16

Gr.  Braes                                           18   5     1   12   23   46   -23   16

University                                           18   4     3   11   21   43   -22   15

  Gr. Island       18       4          1          13       18       51       -33      13