Any news on the NSD to? Didn't hear anything around the grounds myself...

Oakleigh has put their hand up for inclusion...... South is pulled out of the running, thankfully.... We couldnt compete on the national level anyway... best to stick to playing Mannigham and St Albans Dinamo.... 

To be fair to Esteban, his "method" did get us to 3 grand finals and 2 premierships ... a VAST improvement on the Coleman and Tangalakis carnival of the past.

GF was the biggest regression to boring, low block snoozefest crap football I have seen in a long time, even Oakleigh with their silky play should be embarrassed to only put one past us.... that was just dire....  Im hearing there is a mass exodus now, players sigtned on for NSD (on two year contracts) are now getting annoyed at no news and a couple have been approached for elsewhere ... Next year is going to be tragic ... another decade in the wilderness for South ..... 

Merely a formality at this stage... No way the squad (or whats left of it after the weekend)  bounces back after that.

There will be 5-10 of us stupid tragic idiots watching players who no longer care lose to "the Palestinians". 

I hope you're just being sarcastic, surely this isn't true?

They had to pull the plug after the weekend I hear, Optislim wasnt happy with the "optics" for their brand :P

Im not going to be fair to Esteban. Kolman was on a hiding to nothing being forced to coach a team that was inevitably going to revolt against the club for sacking CT. Tangalakis was given a bare bones squad after the fallout from that. The reality is Esteban has been given a big budget, hes signed an absolute sh1tload of players in his 5 years at the helm, good players as well. The tools were there for him to succeed. Yeah fair play to him that he found a cheat code to beat a lot of teams with a long throw but thats never going to win you the big one.

Hume will win on Wednesday night because they will be the side actually trying to win. 

I cant argue with the tools being there, or the players but there IS a reason we played so many U23s this year.... Budget may have been decent but not "big" compared to Avondale and Oaks, lets be real here... Who did we sign mid year? Kids. (oaks got Hall and Tratt and turned their whole season around) .. We need a backup CB, we need a 6 and ok, Pope and Harding may well be decent players but apart from Barcia and Lampard (and in one out of every 3 matches Mikkola, Bonada and Peios) who else has been a decent player in the past 3 years? Riak? Mustafa? Kim? the karate kid? Ninkovic?  Sawyer who hasn't won the golden boot in two seasons to get us to the final and then didnt play in either GF 2022 or 24.?  Esteban football was boring (better than the past 2 season though you must admit) but practical and kept us top of the table for 80% of the season,  got us a Dockerty Cup we really didnt deserve and a win against an Aleague team playing frantic defence for 80 mins....   Its time for him to go I agree but thats not the ONLY problem at Lakeside. 
 

And no I didnt forget Archibald.... the dude is a workorse and a beast but shit what a run of badluck with injuries.

The squad was built exactly the way he wanted it. Its the most noticeable thing that the team cant maintain possesion. 

What South need most is a 10 and an 8. The 10 was sorted with the signing of Cian Cuba, but Esteban released him on the eve of the season because he didnt run around like a headless chook. Of course Avondale picked him up and he will probably finish top 5 in the gold medal. Why have midfielders when your centre backs can just bomb it long to Sawyer?

Sorry I meant to type #8 not #6 before....   I dont know what the hell happened with Cuba because him playing behind and between Bonada and Sawyer (I believe all three where signed at the same time?) would have made for massive firepower up top???? 

Anyway, its all anecdotal now... Do you know if he is at least going to manage on Wednesday or are we "orphans" at the Australia Cup quarter final?

He is managing until the cup run ends.

I believe it will be Sawyers last game as the A league transfer window closes this week.

It will be the whole teams last game anyway.... cant see us getting a result.   So who else is leaving, do you know? Ive heard the usual mixed message bullshit from those "in the know"... 

How are we feeling for Hume on Wednesday? I reckon their favourites with the break. We've also beat them 4 times this season, surely the streak must end.

I cant see another 1-0 win orchestrated. Hume have been the better side in pretty much all 4 encounters.

Hume must be thinking if they can just score it will be game over as Esteban has no plan B. 

Andy Brennan will return but wont be enough. Big pitch as well, last time out at that ground Max Mikkola could barely reach the box with his long throws.

Hume 1-0 i think is a good bet.

I thought there seemed a kick of urgency at the end of the GF from south. 

There WAS, we played 15 mins of football the whole GF, 7 mins at the end of 1st half and 8 mins at the end of the match :P. hahahahahahahahahaahah

Ive gotta say I woke up today slightly more positive than the last couple.... Esteban will phone it in for sure, but I have a feeling some of the lads are looking for redemption and may just throw his instructions out the window... Get ready for LOTS of Spanish screaming from the touchlines and the farce of 40th minute substitutes being called while players refuse to go off the ground... Whatever happens it WILL be entertaining I reackon.... 

0-3 South ... Harry with a brace...... 

Sorry, typo. I meant a lack of urgency 

At the very end yes, but even with 5 to go, they're mucking around with the ball back passing around with the keeper. 

Yeah I agree.... Got into a couple of decent positions in behind, just cooler heads and we could have poked one back ..... not good enough though... Last roll of the dice in the cup now... Would be great for both Oaks and South the go through to give us another crack at the bastards and some redemption... :)

Still Premiership and Dockerty cup, if nothing else, means a half decent 2024 season

Lol i dont think our players know any other way. Whoever takes over the reigns next year will have to teach them how to play again. 

Not just a half decent season, two trophies, a grand final and a deep Aus Cup run is a fantastic season!

4 nil to South tonight. Get it done lads.

"Gerry .... GERRRRRRYYY.... GERRRRYYY" hahahahahahahah what a madman Esteban is. 

Typical Hellas mentality mate .... If Bonada's karate kid impersonation and Archibald's near post header went in on Saturday Esteban would be a club legend, instead after getting us to 3 GF in a row... its "kill him, kill him" hahahahahahahahahah

FORZA HELLAS!!!!!!

What a fantastic match last night lads.... you did us, your families and yourselves proud...  Didnt panic, didnt rush the play, stayed focused and fearless...  Jordi, Max, Andy, Javi, Mario, Lucas and of course, in his final hurrah, big Harry.... excellent boys... lets win the farking lot.... VAMOS!!!!

..... but in sadder news, ANOTHER legend of the club  and football in Australia passed away.  Sylipitiria to the family of the great Yianello Margariti. 
Will be forever remembered and may the trip be smooth 

https://x.com/smfc/status/1834012797455200668?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet

enjoyable viewing last night as I hoped for after the Roos debacle.....
Shame about the weather buggered the crowd - after the 1st half I thought christ Hume have hope and their first goal was very well set and taken.
They play alright.
Nothing like digging in and carry on the fight to the end mate, deserved win in the end congrats - it is a good season no matter what else occurs onwards but will be right behind SMH next game - go Oak I say.