Official South Melbourne Hellas thread 🔵⚪

[Hellenic_blue&white]

There is nothing wrong with a second team made up of younger players playing the NPL VIC, if its whats needed and benefits us finacially, as long as they are competitive and getting games under their belt, with the goal to feed through to first team.

We would need a huge squad depth to do all comps at full strength, even in their current formats so realistically, they cant all be top tier.. Au Champ and OFC should have our full first team squad without age exceptions etc, bc thats where our greatest revenue stream theoretically is, so it should be priority. Im not naive, as this is all weighed up on what revenue that actually is, ultimately.

We shouldnt exclude ourselves from any comp in theory, without clear direction as to what they genuinely offer us; but we can prioritise what lineups we play where dependent on the rewards! All clubs do that!

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

There is nothing wrong with a second team made up of younger players playing the NPL VIC, if its whats needed and benefits us finacially, as long as they are competitive and getting games under their belt, with the goal to feed through to first team.

We would need a huge squad depth to do all comps at full strength, even in their current formats so realistically, they cant all be top tier.. Au Champ and OFC should have our full first team squad without age exceptions etc, bc thats where our greatest revenue stream theoretically is, so it should be priority. Im not naive, as this is all weighed up on what revenue that actually is, ultimately.

We shouldnt exclude ourselves from any comp in theory, without clear direction as to what they genuinely offer us; but we can prioritise what lineups we play where dependent on the rewards! All clubs do that!

The only clubs that do that successfully though have depth in the squad and a clear directive around the type of player and system they are wanting to play.... thats NOT us at the moment. ....

If we ARE to play Oceania Super league AND a full H and A Championship in 2026 then I agree an NPL squad with our u23s is perfectly acceptable and a valuable asset to both the club and the NPL ... but we ALWAYS put the cart before the horse lately ....

 

[southmelb]

We barely have depth to compete in 1 league as it is lol

If we are gonna do the ofc/championship double and use the npl for our under 23s we should be dropping down a few divisions. Our current under 23s are bang average, the clubs brand will suffer if we are throwing average kids into games where the oakleigh, hume and dandy thunder types smash them every week.

In any case more pressing matters at hand cos 4 in a row is likely coming on Friday and the club cant keep playing dumb.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

We barely have depth to compete in 1 league as it is lol

If we are gonna do the ofc/championship double and use the npl for our under 23s we should be dropping down a few divisions. Our current under 23s are bang average, the clubs brand will suffer if we are throwing average kids into games where the oakleigh, hume and dandy thunder types smash them every week.

In any case more pressing matters at hand cos 4 in a row is likely coming on Friday and the club cant keep playing dumb.

Why so much doom and gloom?? I honestly doubt our brand takes such a great hit if we play our under 23 side (average as it may well be) in a comp we are only in bc its the highest we are allowed to compete in currently!!

If we are playing elsewhere why do we care if the boys lose to an oakleigh or a hume exactly as long as they get game time? Any feed through to the senior teams will attract the best under 23.....

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

If the club hasnt already put its feelers out then we have no hope!
Hoping a loss wakes them up bc a win for him, will be the worst thing that can happen to us now!

 

[southmelb]

Its hard not to view our club as a bunch of hypocrites if they were to play a bunch of kids in the Victorian top flight when we've complained for a long time about the franchises doing the same thing.

We dont have to worry about a win on Friday, will be lucky to create a chance.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Its hard not to view our club as a bunch of hypocrites if they were to play a bunch of kids in the Victorian top flight when we've complained for a long time about the franchises doing the same thing.

We dont have to worry about a win on Friday, will be lucky to create a chance.

Im with you in that respect, but you play your best were the revenue is pure and simple, it doesnt have to be kids team but a mix of reserves and younger fringe players and your best sides in the main comps ideally. That way you have players ready to fill voids as needed. We will need 2 strong sides to cover every comp either way!

No dillusions, that will require things we lack, a complete football structure off the park, a harmonious footballing style across all the teams, stand out coaches and much more as others have also pointed out.... we cant be flying blind into all these comps and hoping for the best.. like we are doing with Esteban!

 

[Takaki]

Nick Marinos is no chance of going back to South, absolutely zilch.

Left on bad terms thanks to Daniel Giradi an ex TD - who’s stint resulted in all of Souths successful junior coaching staff who had won titles with the younger sides all leaving.

Tolios content at Dandy, as is JA at Heilderberg. Katsakis would never take the reigns so good luck finding an Esteban replacement

 

[KostaV92]

Nick Marinos is no chance of going back to South, absolutely zilch.

Left on bad terms thanks to Daniel Giradi an ex TD - who’s stint resulted in all of Souths successful junior coaching staff who had won titles with the younger sides all leaving.

Tolios content at Dandy, as is JA at Heilderberg. Katsakis would never take the reigns so good luck finding an Esteban replacement

I’m sure we could tempt Tolios

 

[southmelb]

Nick Marinos is no chance of going back to South, absolutely zilch.

Left on bad terms thanks to Daniel Giradi an ex TD - who’s stint resulted in all of Souths successful junior coaching staff who had won titles with the younger sides all leaving.

Tolios content at Dandy, as is JA at Heilderberg. Katsakis would never take the reigns so good luck finding an Esteban replacement

Marinos left 7 years ago, he also attends a lot of South games as a guest of the club up in the vip balcony.

He went back to Heidelberg last year before Port offered him the gig and he didnt exactly have the best relationship with the ppl there either, granted Giraldi had already left Heidelberg.

This would be an opportunity hard to pass up to get back into senior coaching and he appears to be on good terms with the current board.

JA and Tolios not worth discussing until seasons end, if the club splashes the cash they can get it done.

If it was up to me i'd bypass a local and bring Ben Cahn back to Victoria.

 

[southoftheyarra]

Marinos left 7 years ago, he also attends a lot of South games as a guest of the club up in the vip balcony.

He went back to Heidelberg last year before Port offered him the gig and he didnt exactly have the best relationship with the ppl there either, granted Giraldi had already left Heidelberg.

This would be an opportunity hard to pass up to get back into senior coaching and he appears to be on good terms with the current board.

JA and Tolios not worth discussing until seasons end, if the club splashes the cash they can get it done.

If it was up to me i'd bypass a local and bring Ben Cahn back to Victoria.

Sadly I don't think Ben Cahn is coaching at the moment.

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Nick Marinos is no chance of going back to South, absolutely zilch.

Left on bad terms thanks to Daniel Giradi an ex TD - who’s stint resulted in all of Souths successful junior coaching staff who had won titles with the younger sides all leaving.

Tolios content at Dandy, as is JA at Heilderberg. Katsakis would never take the reigns so good luck finding an Esteban replacement.

Then they are not for South, pure and simple if the ambition to be the best isnt there! Who would say no to exposure on a national and possibly international (as limited as it is) stage, are we serious? They saving themselves for the aleague?

Something tells me though that each and everyone of them would put ambition above any past grievence!

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

isnt Cahn at Hirakata currently??

 

[southmelb]

I dont think its a matter of ambition. I just dont think JA and Tolios are the type of people to drop a team 6-7 rounds in. Its also pointless because they'd struggle to get us playing the way their teams do, Esteball needs to be coached out of the team and it probably needs months of work. Most of our players have genuinely forgotten how to play football under the current clown.

As far as i know none of the 3 mentioned have grievances against the club.

Probably best thing for us is if we can finish mid table and have our season end early, then lure a quality coach that can do a mini pre season to prepare for the championship. Should never have reached this point though.

 

[southoftheyarra]

isnt Cahn at Hirakata currently??

Sorry yes you are correct (signed for them 3 months ago, 4th tier Japanese side).Cahn's Wikipedia page it out of date, the most recent bit of info saying that he left roar for health reasons, however people are saying its a cover story for something else?

Could we tempt a coach out of the Japanese 4th division? Sure, however I feel as though the job security / opportunity is a little better over there...

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Marinos left 7 years ago, he also attends a lot of South games as a guest of the club up in the vip balcony.

He went back to Heidelberg last year before Port offered him the gig and he didnt exactly have the best relationship with the ppl there either, granted Giraldi had already left Heidelberg.

This would be an opportunity hard to pass up to get back into senior coaching and he appears to be on good terms with the current board.

JA and Tolios not worth discussing until seasons end, if the club splashes the cash they can get it done.

If it was up to me i'd bypass a local and bring Ben Cahn back to Victoria.

Great call on Ben Cahn ...... I agree.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Its hard not to view our club as a bunch of hypocrites if they were to play a bunch of kids in the Victorian top flight when we've complained for a long time about the franchises doing the same thing.

We dont have to worry about a win on Friday, will be lucky to create a chance.

Only partially agree with this... If pro/rel from NPL to Championship is implemented then yes I think any Championship's reserves team should only be allowed to compete 2 division lower, but as it stands no link between the two comps, why shouldn't South (and the other foundation clubs) enjoy the same perks as the franchises?

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Why so much doom and gloom?? I honestly doubt our brand takes such a great hit if we play our under 23 side (average as it may well be) in a comp we are only in bc its the highest we are allowed to compete in currently!!

If we are playing elsewhere why do we care if the boys lose to an oakleigh or a hume exactly as long as they get game time? Any feed through to the senior teams will attract the best under 23.....

Guys what "Brand" are you exactly talking about here? Who the hell do we think we are for the past 20 years?

We can't even attract the best NPL players to our club are we worried about some suburban minnows celebrating getting a win at Lakeside like they've just won the FA cup ?

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Guys what "Brand" are you exactly talking about here? Who the hell do we think we are for the past 20 years?

We can't even attract the best NPL players to our club are we worried about some suburban minnows celebrating getting a win at Lakeside like they've just won the FA cup ?

You attract what you pay for! The bigger the revenue and the exposure outside NPL, the bigger the draw card!

We are enough of a brand, where despite it being 20 years away from top flight football we are still talked about, threatened by, fought against... who else can claim their brand has remotely lived up to that?

 

[Hellenic_blue&white]

Περασμένα μεγαλεία and illusions of grandeur perhaps.... but nothing wrong with feeding the narrative of our history and stature there in!