Just learnt from the FFA Cup draw that Elwood City is a club in Melbourne of Portugese heritage.

Confirmed rumour. 

#WelcomeRonaldo

We lost 2-1 to Sydney Fc (NPL1) last night, decent game, Sydney much fitter and it showed. They will be a mid table side I feel, we looked decent in patches and I think Lopes up front will be a good signing.

Thanks mate. I'll have to pass the message onto the football committee. 

Hakoah looking pretty young and weak. 

A lot of local boys from the looks of it.

Yeah their ins and outs dont look too inspiring. Didnt recognise any of the signings apart from the Green brothers and Bouzanis. 

From what I was told last year, they had one of the smallest budgets for the first grade in the league. It might be a similar case again.

what uncle fwankie, couldnt open his wallet? typical J**

Parramatta FC will struggle this year in my opinion. 

The problem for them re location right on the sea board.
Hard to recruit players from outer west and surrounding regions unless you fla$h the ca$h...same for Dunbar hence their great no fees draw card.

Hey FOOTBALLlover, have you any idea how Fraser is lining up in the Snrs ?

Yo FL, who are you at Fraser? I coached there last year, wondering if we know each other

I've heard that Dunbar have lost a lot of players in first grade because they aren't paying and their 20's aren't crash hot either. My sources may be wrong.

My opinion of Fraser based on their Portuguese Cup performances: They look well coached in all their senior teams, especially the 18's. From what I've seen, the first grade are training 3 nights a week (one of them may be a trial game) because they have frequently have a trial game on the weekend and during the week. They'll be up there because they seem like they've been preparing better than most teams in NPL 3. Their 20's didn't stand out too much BUT they look like they'll be competitive in NPL 3. Their 18's look very well organised. Size may be a factor. 

In terms of the club championship, I think the NPL 3 clubs that will be up there will be Dulwich Hill, Fraser, Southern Districts, St George FA and Rydalmere. 

I'm not at Fraser. 

How do you know so much about them then lol?

When I was there last year Anthony Costa from Hakoah was training with them but it looks like he re-negged

Also unrelated but Lloyd Owusu > Stanmore

I'm involved with a club in NPL 3 that participated in the Portuguese Cup. ;)

Yeh I heard about that too. I'm shocked about that move. It will be interesting to see how they go after losing their coach.

Thanks for your comments.
I expect the other contender clubs you mention without knowing what STGFA have been up to have all been in training and playing games for quite sometime now.
Will be an exciting season me think.

Sounds like Dunbar after a promising last season will have a trying one if the source is right.

Right so Dully lol

Would I be right in saying Stanmore's coach is probably the youngest in the NPL? (32)

I don't know who their new first grade coach is to be honest. If he is 32, he will probably be the youngest. 

Brian Baker is the coach, he also doubles as the TD

SGFA will be strong in 1st grade atleast, they've got a bit of $ to throw around. I believe Tolgay Ozbey is lining up for them along with a few other former NPL1 and 2 players.

Where is he from?

Ireland, he's been here for a few years. Used to play for Sydney Uni & coaches at Newington

Haha I didn't mean his nationality but where he has coached, etc. I googled him.. there's not much. 

@big Wally, do you know how SGFA are getting the cash? Seems they are playing out of Jubille oval as well. It would be a shame if its all coming from the association.

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/sport/soccer/lisseltons-baker-signs-for-sydney-university-27390877.html

Free access.

It would not be free access, even if Jubilee required no game day staff, you still require lines marked, the venue cleaned post matches, potentially lighting, etc

SGFA has a strange structure financially, essentially 2 entities, an elite state league arm and the arm that runs grassroots for the association. The elite arm incorporates the academy training as well as sap, youth and seniors, and funds itself with the academy profits and npl youth registration fees. The cross over is that the association kids players are the ones making the academy profitable, and the elite set up uses the admin of the association. Ideally, that profit should be being invested back into the association by way of reduced registration fees for grassroots or facility improvements, instead of funding a NPL team. Last year, registration fees across all age groups were lifted by over 10% on average. Same thing as other associations is starting to happen here...

I wouldn't be surprised. Where else would the money come from?

I guess I'd just hate to see another Spartans run club, SGFA have done the right thing by splitting assoc and NPL, the St George association seems to be run a lot better than the Sutherland assoc.

It has the potential to become another Spartans. I use the term "Separate Entity" loosely. It's essentially just a sub-section they report to the SGFA Clubs in their annual report.

Some of the SGFA board members or people associated with the Board have said they have no desire to get to NPL1 nor the finances to compete at that level, NPL2 would be the goal. But in all honesty, which NPL doesn't have a desire to get to the highest level they can, and then win it.

How are Sydney Olympic going with their Portuguese coach? Has anyone watched them in preseason?