Daily Australian News 2012

[Pico]

Striking similarity between Jets frontmen
BY JAMES GARDINER
01 Aug, 2012 04:00 AM


REFLECTED GLORY: The Jets hope new signing Adam Taggart can emulate the goal-scoring feats of Joel Griffiths. By JAMES GARDINER

HE has a mop of blonde hair, poster-boy looks, plays at the point or on the wing and is all power and pace.

Sound familiar?

No, it’s not Joel Griffiths.

But Jets fans could be forgiven for mistaking Perth Glory recruit Adam Taggart for the former golden boy and Johnny Warren Medal winner.

They could pass as brothers. In fact, Taggart looks more like Joel than twin brother Adam and younger sibling and Jets teammate Ryan.

But that is not where the similarities end.

Both boast explosive speed, are powerful finishers and have that all-important predator instinct.

Of course, Taggart is only starting his A-League career and has a long way to go to match the feats of Griffiths, who after leading the Jets to the 2007-08 championship was rated second only to rugby league great Andrew Johns in the popularity stakes in the Hunter.

Jets assistant coach Craig Deans was reluctant to make comparisons at this stage of Taggart’s career.

‘‘You don’t want to put that type of pressure on a kid,’’ he said. But Deans admitted they did share similar traits.

‘‘For a 19-year-old kid he has all the attributes to be a good striker,’’ he said.

‘‘He is quick, he can finish, he gets into good areas, he is positive, he makes good forward runs ... there are elements of Joel in that, but it is only early days.’’

Born and bred in Perth, Taggart holds the record as the youngest player to make his A-League debut for Perth, aged 17 years and 229 days, and is the club’s youngest goal scorer.

He made 10 appearances in two seasons at the Glory.

But with prolific Kiwi Shane Smeltz and the experienced Billy Mehmet in front of him, Taggart decided to reunite with former AIS coach Gary van Egmond at the Jets.

Van Egmond was also integral in getting Griffiths to Newcastle United for the final two seasons of the old National Soccer League.

Griffiths then spent three years in Europe before returning to Newcastle for the 2006-07 A-League season and teaming up with van Egmond again.

Taggart announced his arrival in Newcastle with a brace before being replaced after 25 minutes with a groin strain in the Jets’ 3-1 win over Broadmeadow Magic in the opening pre-season trial.

The injury forced him out of the Australian under-20s side for a tournament in Indonesia and the Jets’ 9-1 thrashing of Canberra.

He returned off the bench against Northern NSW select and scored a second brace to complete a 6-0 victory.

He was again used as a second-half substitute and went close to scoring an equaliser for the first XI in the 2-1 loss to the youth team a week ago. Back to full fitness, the tearaway forward is expected to start when the first XI and youth team go head to head again at Ray Watt Oval today at 10am.

Barring injury Ryan Griffiths, last season’s equal leading goal scorer with nine, is assured a place in the Jets three-man strike force.

Another is expected to be filled by an as-yet unsigned import, leaving Taggart vying with Michael Bridges, James Brown, James Virgili and Marko Jesic for the other.

‘‘His timing and instincts are good,’’ Deans said.

‘‘It is nice to have people like that to work with. He wants to get better and works hard to get better.

‘‘He is one who hopefully at some point in the season really puts his hand up.’’

● The Jets trial against Northern NSW next Wednesday has been moved to Adamstown Oval due to issues with the lights at Jack McLaughlan Oval.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/loc...px?storypage=0

The real question is will GVE get his man a third time.

[Pico]

Western Wanderers members to have say in direction of young club

Tom Smithies
The Daily Telegraph
August 01, 2012 12:00AM


Western Sydney Wanderers chairman Lyall Gorman (R) alongside coach Tony Popovic. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: The Daily Telegraph

FOUNDATION members of the Western Sydney Wanderers will be given the chance to elect two members of the club's board and influence the new boys' strategy directly.

The Wanderers' first membership packages go on sale today, with prices starting at $195 for an adult season ticket and $390 for a family, taking in all 13 home games and youth and W-League fixtures.

All members will have the right to nominate two members of the board, to be elected each year possibly at a club AGM, out of seven directors, including executive chairman Lyall Gorman.

It's believed no other A-League club has such direct fan representation, though Adelaide have three member-elected representatives on a management committee that reports to the board.

"What we're doing with the elected members of the board is consistent with our philosophy that the club is powered by the people," Gorman said. "It's an indication of our absolute commitment to the people of west Sydney, that they get a say in the running of the club."

Memberships come in red, black and white - with red the most expensive at $312 per adult and $799 for a family. There is also facility to secure a seat in the Red and Black Bloc, an emerging fans group that aims to rival Sydney FC's Cove.

Good initiative something that we should have had with the advisory board, not that that matters now

[Pico]

Bulldogs do dirty to end code share

August 1, 2012

Michael Cockerill


Training session … the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground.

CANTERBURY clearly don't want Sydney Olympic at Belmore Sports Ground now that they've got what they wanted out of them. The Bulldogs are an NRL powerhouse with more than 20,000 members. Sydney Olympic no longer play at the national level, and have a membership base that has shrunk to 600 now they are playing in the part-time NSW Premier League. It's the law of the jungle out there.

But here's the rub. Sydney Olympic have a lease at Belmore until 2032. There are about 20,000 registered football players in the local electorate, Watson, of the federal MP Tony Burke, a Bulldogs fan who was the driving force behind the $8.7 million grant to upgrade the stadium, supposedly for the benefit of both clubs. It's no surprise it's the football club that's getting shafted. It usually happens whenever there is a co-tenancy with rugby league. Rugby league clubs need football partners to justify government-funded upgrades, but as soon as they get the money any semblance of a partnership goes out the window.

But after decades of copping it on the chin, football is starting to stand up for itself. Look what happened with the Birchgrove Oval fiasco. Balmain District Football Club used their greatest strength - their playing numbers - to win a cross-code stoush with Leichhardt council. Sydney Olympic intend to do the same. They aren't going anywhere. And they aren't staying quiet as an unofficial alliance between the Bulldogs and a compliant Canterbury council tries to squeeze them out of Belmore.

Burke's apparent lack of
Advertisement

impartiality in what's becoming a drawn-out dispute also warrants closer scrutiny. The minister has a lot more football voters in his electorate than rugby league ones. But that's a story for another time.

The story now is what's happening to Sydney Olympic. In mid-June, they were told they could no longer play there because of the condition of the ground. Theoretically, the Bulldogs were also told they couldn't train there, except on the perimeters, until the surface was repaired. The Bulldogs have been training with impunity there, and there are pictures and video to prove it. One of those pictures you can see here. They were taken between July 18 and 24. On July 17, Canterbury council general manager Jim Montague said in a letter to both clubs ''no use of the field would be permitted until at least August 21''. Somebody forgot to tell Des Hasler. Or he simply didn't care. The secret was out on July 18, when Kieran Loveridge was arrested at a Bulldogs training session by detectives after the high-profile murder of Thomas Kelly at Kings Cross.

Last Tuesday, Sydney Olympic officials met Montague to see if they could return to Belmore for last weekend's NSWPL match against APIA Leichhardt. Montague said yes. The next day council officials told Sydney Olympic that as long as they shifted their youth leagues games on Saturday, everything would still be OK. On Thursday they were told the field would be marked and set up 24 hours before for the Sunday first-grade game. Despite the short notice, Sydney Olympic shifted their juniors to Hensley Athletic Field at a cost of $4000. On Friday, just before close of business, they were suddenly informed they couldn't play at home after all. They hurriedly had to shift their game to APIA's ground, Lambert Park. The change of venue came too late for many. Former Socceroos midfielder Peter Katholos was one of hundreds of fans who turned up at Belmore at kick-off time only to discover the shift.

That's the fifth NSWPL fixture in a row Sydney Olympic have had to move. It's cost them about $60,000 in lost signage, canteen and gate revenue. That's a decent whack out of an annual budget of about $300,000. Bulldogs football manager Alan Thompson denied they'd been flexing their muscles to shut out Olympic, telling the local newspaper yesterday: ''I think it's a good decision [to close the ground at weekends] by the council.'' Thompson then claimed the Bulldogs trained only on the edges of the ground. Pictures don't lie.

Sydney Olympic president George Giannaros has had enough. ''I keep hearing how Belmore is the spiritual ground of the Bulldogs, but eight years ago they abandoned the ground [to move to ANZ Stadium], and we've been there ever since, meeting all our obligations,'' he says.

''Since they've come back, everything's changed. We have no issue with rugby league, and plenty of our fans also support the Bulldogs. But we don't disrespect their game the way they've disrespected ours.''

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/l...#ixzz22EwxSgtH

Not really surprised, as if a semi-pro team was ever going to be treated equally.

[Blackmac79]

what is shit about that is that olympic just signed the long lease on the stadium at the start of last NSWPL season and then were shafted for the majority of that season as well. This year they set up their office and club shop at the stadium and now they are shafted again. They should invest in facilities of their own, but in that part of the city its hard to find the property that isn't too expensive or owned by the council.

[q-money]

unlucky greeks, just like back home really

[Retro Jet]

Football f***ed in the rear again by Drugby League.
Bharstards butter up to Football clubs to get what they want (our Eastern Stand for eg)
then screw Football when the $$'s come through and ground improvements are done.

Des Hassler: Not the sharpest tool in the box...just a tool.
P!ssed myself when he and another boofhead were trotted out by Sh!tneys pro Rapeby League media
a few months back for their regarded opinion on whether Western Sydney Wanderers would have an effect on League.
Dumb and dumber.

[longshot]

Stupid bloody game anyway. Like wrestling, but with a ball thrown in. They have the audacity to call it FOOTBALL. LOL. When do they kick it. It is like calling tennis, Football, because they kick the ball once a game. The sleeping giant in the real Football is here. A real big year for the Jets this year. A good feeling about this squad. Hope it is like 2007/08. Great year, especially over the coasties. Cmon, join up and get behind the team this year. After the crap in the off season with the licence issues, the club has fought hard to turn all the politics around. This year the club has some great players who can play multiple positions which give us great coverage for injuries etc. Cannont wait for round one. !!!

[Hamma12]

Newcastle Jets trump youth in intraclub trial

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/loc...l/2641718.aspx

2036547.jpg






RYAN Griffiths and Adam Taggart continued their impressive form in pre-season as the Jets First XI restored order with a 2-0 win over the Youth team in an intraclub trial at Ray Watt Oval this morning.
It was the second time in a week the Jets have gone head-to-head.
The youth team triumphed 2-1 at Hunter Valley Grammar School last Wednesday but there was no repeat today.
The First XI controlled the mainstay in a high intensity, high quality hit-out which was played over 30-minute thirds.
Griffiths converted from the spot after Craig Goodwin was brought down by Josh Brillante inside the box to put the First XI ahead in the closing stages of the second period.
Goodwin was also heavily involved in the second goal, beating two defenders with some fancy footwork before cutting the ball back for Taggart to dink a shot over keeper Jack Duncan.
Taggart, who played wide on the left and at the point of the attack, could easily have had a hat-trick to go with the braces he scored against Broadmeadow and Northern NSW Select.
Ben Kennedy turned a looping header around the post, Mark Birighitti tipped a stinging shot over the bar and Taggart missed with a free.
Griffiths was also dangerous.
Jets coach Gary van Egmond experimented playing Brazilian Tiago as a holding midfielder in the first period and made several changes to personnel and formation as the game progressed.
The Jets’ next hit- out is against Northern NSW Select at Adamstown Oval on Wednesday, followed by NSW Premier League club Rockdale City in Sydney on August 15 and Wellington Phoenix in Weston on August 18.

Wasnt this supposed to be played at Edgeworth?
Anyone know why it isnt ?

[Jeterpool]

Last paragraph of herald article today says we are close to signing an attacking mid too. No mention on striker

[Pico]

Gary van Egmond considers midfield move for Tiago
BY JAMES GARDINER
02 Aug, 2012 04:00 AM



FORWARD SHIFT: Tiago playing in the midfield during yesterday’s intraclub trial at Ray Watt Oval. Picture: Darren Pateman

BRAZILIAN defender Tiago has emerged as an option in midfield for the Jets.

The 31-year-old Botafago product played 21 games last season in the heart of the Newcastle defence.

With centre-back partner Nikolai Topor-Stanley released to Western Sydney Wanderers, it was expected that Tiago would assume the senior role at the back.

But the addition of Josh Mitchell and Dominik Ritter and the progression of tyros Connor Chapman and Taylor Regan has allowed coach Gary van Egmond to experiment. Tiago was pushed forward into a holding midfield role, a position usually filled by Ben Kantarovski, for the first 30 minutes of the first XI’s 2-0 victory over the youth team in an intraclub trial at Ray Watt Oval yesterday.

‘‘We’ve got plenty of cover as far as the back is concerned and it’s another option that I thought we’d have a look at,’’ van Egmond said of Tiago’s switch.

‘‘I thought he did OK.

‘‘What he does is provide a lot of leadership and is a good talker in regards to the information he gives to the other midfielders and forwards ... when and when not to press.

‘‘That side of it was really good. He’s obviously very comfortable on the ball. All in all he did well.’’

Kantarovski started in a more advanced role in a 4-1-2-3 formation before shifting back to his preferred spot for the second of the 30-minute thirds. Tiago dropped back into defence.

The former Young Socceroos captain struggled for consistency last season. Too often he put his defence under pressure with turnovers when playing out.

‘‘For Kanta it’s about getting into position and making sure his touch is where he wants it,’’ van Egmond said.

‘‘Sometimes the ball is going in the air, it is two or three touches to get it down.

‘‘By then opposition defences are in a position to close him down.

‘‘He has to be a lot cleaner with his touches and passing. ‘‘He has to ensure the position he gets into gives him more time on the ball.

‘‘He is getting a lot better in regards to knowing his next pass and playing forward.’’

The workload in midfield requires a different fitness to that at the back. Tiago has trimmed down noticeably but does not have the same mobility as his younger teammate.

‘‘I want to have a look at the video and we will see where we go,’’ van Egmond said.

‘‘Tiago played 30 minutes but we are yet to see him over 90. Whether we try him again will depend how we feel things are at the back as well.’’

Ritter sat out yesterday’s hit-out with a minor quadriceps strain.

The Jets’ front third stocks are set to be bolstered with van Egmond confirming they were very close to signing an attacking midfielder from overseas.

‘‘I won’t say it is a fait accompli but negotiations are at the final stage,’’ van Egmond said.

http://www.theherald.com.au/news/loc...px?storypage=0

Wonder if that means the Striker is now off the radar.

[pv4]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=define%3A+fait+accompli&l=1

[pv4]

former jets third keeper & toronto boy ben mcnamara has signed with english blue square bet premier club nuneaton town

[seldom]

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=define%3A+fait+accompli&l=1

done deal...thanks

[Muswellbrookian]

Wonder if that means the Striker is now off the radar.

There was a comment on the Herald article this morning suggesting that the AM we're looking at is Karim Ziani, a 29-year-old Algerian international who has played for Marseille and Wolfsburg. The comment has disappeared now. No idea whether that means there's substance to the rumour or somebody was just taking the piss.

[OmeletteDuFromage]

Hes currently with Qatari club El Jaish.

Doubt we will be going for anyone with a transfer fee needed. He signed for 3 years back in 2011.

[pv4]

or somebody was just taking the piss.

hitzlsperger/cole is going to happen!

[GazFish35]

I'm getting a shirt with "fait accompli" on it.

Either that or "6-8 weeks"

[au revoir]

I'm getting a shirt with "fait accompli" on it.

Either that or "6-8 weeks"

make multiples of both, advertise them in the jetstream, make squillions.

[sammydog]

Bridges is on leave and heading back to England for family reasons. Hopefully everything works out for his family.

http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/...-matters/48385

Bridges on leave for family matters Thursday, 2 August 2012 1:09 PM


Newcastle Jets forward Michael Bridges will take personal leave from the Club and return to England to be with his family.

“The Club have been kind enough to let me go home to be with my family,” Bridges said.

“When you have family matters and you are this far away from home, it can be difficult.

“So I will head back to England this weekend, just to be there for my Dad and the rest of the family.”

The Jets' best wishes are with Bridges and his family.

Meanwhile for his teammates, they have a three day break before returning on Monday August 6. The Jets next trial game is against NNSW Select on Wednesday August 8 at Adamstown Oval.

[Thomas477]

former jets third keeper & toronto boy ben mcnamara has signed with english blue square bet premier club nuneaton town

Was wondering what the **** happened to him.....

Also, hope everything is alright for Bridgey.