Midweek Friendly Games

[RIMB]

Thinking about the cohesion and teamwork benefits to CCM and any other club playing midweek ACL games, is it too far out there to wonder why our aleagues teams don't play midweek friendlies against, say, NPL opposition? Particularly through the early weeks of the season.

We do not have a Reserve grade, which would allow fringe players to gain vital experience and help a club have more match ready players.

Sure there are injury risks (no small risk), but the squads teams have would allow players to play midweek and still have enough in the legs for matchday. Other leagues have bigger squads and midweek matches built in - but it is not too harsh to have the core of team play twice each week. We do it over Christmas usually anyway within the league. In fitness terms it may be no more than training anyway - but just the benefit to young or second string keepers playing 'real' games has to be a possibility worth considering.

To start the season, when clubs like the Roar are struggling to be cohesive and effective, playing real matches midweek would have to improve understanding of each others' games.

Anyone heard of it being done and useful?

 

[LFC]

Ofcourse it’s done world over having pre season games.
Div1 Prem clubs have something up to 8 pre season games that I’m involved with.
Obviously very beneficial and to blood in new players.
As you may know even the epl travel around pre season having Mickey Mouse games again good for new signings and Jnrs having runs so the gaffa sees how they are progressing.

 

[RIMB]

Ofcourse it’s done world over having pre season games.
Div1 Prem clubs have something up to 8 pre season games that I’m involved with.
Obviously very beneficial and to blood in new players.
As you may know even the epl travel around pre season having Mickey Mouse games again good for new signings and Jnrs having runs so the gaffa sees how they are progressing.

I was thinking more about friendlies during the start of the actual season.

Teams would gain by having both aleagues matches and competitive fixtures for the bulk of their first team over the first few weeks of the season. After that, they would gain by having their second string players in proper competitive fixtures throughout the season.

A Reserve Grade competition would see all teams interested having more games for their squaddies, but in its absence that is where I was wondering about weekly midweek friendlies against non-aleagues teams.

 

[LFC]

am I understanding your first sentence right ? having friendlies during the start of the season ? say a friendly between comp game 1 and 2 for eg ?

 

[RIMB]

am I understanding your first sentence right ? having friendlies during the start of the season ? say a friendly between comp game 1 and 2 for eg ?

Yes - exactly what I am pondering.

For the first 5 weeks of the season a lot of teams are scratchy. I am wondering about the usefulness of playing midweek games early in the season to sharpen up skills and build more understanding between new players in place of normal training routines. It is no different to having ACL, Australia Cup, or catch up games in terms of the workload other than they usually happen later in the season when everyone is match fit.

Roar can wait for five weeks or so to hopefully get some rhythm or they could be playing twice each week (against something like an NPL side) to speed up their cohesion.

Managers like Mike Mulvey had the team playing a lot of small sided games - but that does not help a right back knowing when a striker might run or stay put. Only game time can give that.

 

[LFC]

well this is where having a reserves squad or U23's for eg today come to help.
Don't BR have a squad of Jnr's playing in the NPL like down here and Vic ?
They should arrange games against them.

As for asking NPL Clubs its out of season, they need a rest and many Clubs start Trials etc, some have already done so for eg.

Besides the relationship is not good RIMB as you would know, this is one of the major issues at hand thinking to ask for co operation..

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

well this is where having a reserves squad or U23's for eg today come to help.
Don't BR have a squad of Jnr's playing in the NPL like down here and Vic ?
They should arrange games against them.

As for asking NPL Clubs its out of season, they need a rest and many Clubs start Trials etc, some have already done so for eg.

Besides the relationship is not good RIMB as you would know, this is one of the major issues at hand thinking to ask for co operation..

BR U23 squad is now the Footbal, QLD centre of excellence squad no?

And to answer RIMB initial question, plenty of NPL clubs play early season Aleague friendlies down here... Preseason training for the NPL clubs and a a mid week squad drill for the ALeague clubs....

 

[LFC]

you talking Jnr's MSC re NPL and AL Clubs involved ? yep for sure agree that happens but RIMB is talking about the Snr APL team having friendlies between early match rounds last few weeks.

 

[RIMB]

Playing within the club would have benefits, but it also breeds too much comfort in how opponents play as I imagine it. The idea of having senior teams playing - in the unlikely spirit of co-operation as you say LFC - is exactly what I am talking about. Surely there are clubs with eyes on improving against 'friendly' competition - off season or not.

Mono - is that aleagues clubs playing during NPL season or during aleagues season?

 

[LFC]

TBH RIMB as the competitive Jnr Rep I was and later in Snr Div ranks nothing was worse than playing against the ressies.
One as a Ressie you want to beat the regular 1st grader and visa versa.
The juices do flow - this also is how the manager handles and approachs the attitude as well.
IF they are not doing this already ? maybe the Pro's are being treated too precious ???
Maybe they need more incentive considering they have enough numbers for 2 squads, let alone pull in more U23's to fill the holes start up players still on lonnng leave.

Look what we saw regards to start up APL line ups late in the Aus Cup, some with hardly any key players, there's more evidence lack of team sync, match fitness prep, touch, giving the start up players more time out already having the longest off season in the world.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

you talking Jnr's MSC re NPL and AL Clubs involved ? yep for sure agree that happens but RIMB is talking about the Snr APL team having friendlies between early match rounds last few weeks.

Thanks mate, yes I understood that but what I was asking is if I understood correctly that the Roar's "ressies" are now not run by the Roar

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Playing within the club would have benefits, but it also breeds too much comfort in how opponents play as I imagine it. The idea of having senior teams playing - in the unlikely spirit of co-operation as you say LFC - is exactly what I am talking about. Surely there are clubs with eyes on improving against 'friendly' competition - off season or not.

Mono - is that aleagues clubs playing during NPL season or during aleagues season?

Usually in the later part of preseason for NPL so Aleague well and truly off and running.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

TBH RIMB as the competitive Jnr Rep I was and later in Snr Div ranks nothing was worse than playing against the ressies.
One as a Ressie you want to beat the regular 1st grader and visa versa.
The juices do flow - this also is how the manager handles and approachs the attitude as well.
IF they are not doing this already ? maybe the Pro's are being treated too precious ???
Maybe they need more incentive considering they have enough numbers for 2 squads, let alone pull in more U23's to fill the holes start up players still on lonnng leave.

Look what we saw regards to start up APL line ups late in the Aus Cup, some with hardly any key players, there's more evidence lack of team sync, match fitness prep, touch, giving the start up players more time out already having the longest off season in the world.

The one good thing to come out of this pretend NST next year as that the NST clubs will be in season come the pointy end of the Australia Cup....

 

[someguyjc]

Look what we saw regards to start up APL line ups late in the Aus Cup, some with hardly any key players, there's more evidence lack of team sync, match fitness prep, touch, giving the start up players more time out already having the longest off season in the world.

Curious, does anyone know how much time off the A-League players get in the off-season? Regular season usually finishes around the last week of April. How long before they actually return to work? Obviously like any workplace, a few weeks off at the end of the work year is important, but when do they actually go back to training and prep for the season? They are full-time professional players after all. I'm no athlete but if I had 2-3 months off at the end of the year at my job, I'd be pretty damn rusty when I returned. It just seems strange that squads are as rusty as they are, given that it's a very close league where any small advantage can be the only thing separating you from your opponent.

 

[LFC]

Curious, does anyone know how much time off the A-League players get in the off-season? Regular season usually finishes around the last week of April. How long before they actually return to work? Obviously like any workplace, a few weeks off at the end of the work year is important, but when do they actually go back to training and prep for the season? They are full-time professional players after all. I'm no athlete but if I had 2-3 months off at the end of the year at my job, I'd be pretty damn rusty when I returned. It just seems strange that squads are as rusty as they are, given that it's a very close league where any small advantage can be the only thing separating you from your opponent.

yep agreed.
This whats very baffling re the APL Club/s.
Like they say preparation is the key to success.
Maybe they really don't respect the Cup for eg ?

I watched prepartion is key to success season before last for a Club I know very well and we are talking not NPL but Prem Div1.
Most if not all are ex NPL players but the point was the coach had them training (1st/ressies) from late Oct to be ready for late March start incl 8/10 pre season games.
They swept the floor of the season/finals/mid week Cup games and went through in Champions Champions not deep enough but what a steller season with silverware.

Your bang on about being a small close league for them, plus the $$'s owners spend, I'd be squeezing the lemons on my investments to be ready and on the pulse for the first koff.

 

[Keeper66]

Thanks mate, yes I understood that but what I was asking is if I understood correctly that the Roar's "ressies" are now not run by the Roar

That's a big question up here mate. Following the recent announcement from FQ, a majority of NPL clubs believe that it the case. Whereas FQ say that Roar will be running the team, but FQ will be doing the "administration" for them (whatever the fuck that means).

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

That's a big question up here mate. Following the recent announcement from FQ, a majority of NPL clubs believe that it the case. Whereas FQ say that Roar will be running the team, but FQ will be doing the "administration" for them (whatever the fuck that means).

hmmm if it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck.... odds are if you put it in the oven it will taste like one too

 

[LFC]

Only in Brisvegas and you can't even say that being they are run offshore haha

 

[Hillbilly55]

Curious, does anyone know how much time off the A-League players get in the off-season? Regular season usually finishes around the last week of April. How long before they actually return to work? Obviously like any workplace, a few weeks off at the end of the work year is important, but when do they actually go back to training and prep for the season? They are full-time professional players after all. I'm no athlete but if I had 2-3 months off at the end of the year at my job, I'd be pretty damn rusty when I returned. It just seems strange that squads are as rusty as they are, given that it's a very close league where any small advantage can be the only thing separating you from your opponent.

For those that play European visitors, they seem to start pre-season training at the beginning of July, so have fully 3 months of it, though they seem to take a lighter approach after the Euro fixture. It makes a mockery of the late start to the season. There are no excuses for not being ready to go come season opener.

 

[Monoethnic Social Club]

Only in Brisvegas and you can't even say that being they are run offshore haha

As per APL Rugari its ALL being run from offshore:

"The APL held their AGM on Monday. Gino Marra, Simon Pearce and Rob Morrison were all re-elected to the board. So for those of you playing from home, the board currently consists of those three, plus chair Stephen Conroy, Ebru Köksal (FA appointee) and Stephen Evans (Silver Lake).: