Inside Sport

Ballarat Red Devils to play Melbourne Heart's youth


https://forum.insidesport.com.au/Topic1658986.aspx

By Damo Baresi - 16 Feb 2013 10:25 PM

Red Devils to play Melbourne Heart's youth
Feb. 15, 2013, 10 p.m.

BALLARAT Red Devils will play two games against Melbourne Heart’s youth team this Football Federation Victoria men’s state league two season.



The Haymes Ballarat Red Devils take on the A-League side’s youngsters in rounds 10 and 22, with venues yet to be confirmed.

Heart’s A-League contracted players will not play for the club in state league matches.

“Personally I see this as a great opportunity for our club to take on Melbourne Heart in a real match,” Ballarat president Jamie Winton said.

“We look forward to playing them as this will be some of the best 18 and 19-year-old players in Victoria playing against, to be honest, our young team. We have lost a few of our older players from last season so these matches will be a real test for the players.”

Ballarat will start its league season on April 6 against La Trobe University followed a week later by a match against relegated outfit Whittlesea Ranges.

The team will have a pre-season hit-out away to Melton today, before a home clash with Moreland Zebras on February 24. The Reds’ final pre-season match will be away to Geelong on March 28.


RED DEVILS FIXTURE 2013

Round 1: April 6 v La Trobe University (h), round 2: April 13 v Whittlesea Ranges (a), round 3: April 20 v Preston Lions (h), round 4: April 27 v Altona East Phoenix (a), round 5: May 11 v Moreland City (h), round 6: May 18 v Brunswick City (a), round 7: May 25 v Keilor Park (h), round 8: June 1 v Fitzroy City (a), round 9: June 15 v Avondale Heights (h), round 10: June 19 v Melbourne Heart Youth (h), round 11: June 29 v Westgate (h), round 12: July 6 v La Trobe University (a), round 13: July 13 v Whittlesea Ranges (h), round 14: July 21 v Preston Lions (a), round 15: July 27 v Altona East (h), round 16: August 3 v Moreland City (a), round 17: August 10 v Brunswick City (h), round 18: August 17 v Keilor Park (a), round 19: August 24 v Fitzroy City (h), round 20: August 31 v Avondale Heights (a), round 21: September 14 v Sydenham Park (h), round 22: September 21 v Westgate (a).


http://www.thecourier.com.au/story/1305232/red-devils-to-play-melbourne-hearts-youth/?cs=63
By Arthur - 20 Feb 2013 10:57 AM

They won't be playing Heart now.

Quote:


http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/melbourne-heart-has-invitation-to-join-state-league-2-revoked-by-football-federation-victoria/story-fnglenug-1226581180760

Melbourne Heart has invitation to join State League 2 revoked by Football Federation Victoriaby: Patrick Lane From: Whittlesea Leader February 19, 2013 2:40PM

FOOTBALL Federation Victoria has revoked Melbourne Heart's invitation to join State League 2.
The A-League club was poised to field a youth team in the FFV amateur ranks for the season beginning in just over a month after the governing body extended the invitation, which it has since reneged.

Melbourne Heart chief executive Scott Munn told Heart's official website the club was disappointed an A-League pathway for Victoria's youth had been blocked.

"We are extremely concerned that this decision limits the elite development pathway," he said.


"We do not want an apology from the FFV but a pathway to be provided to the football youth of Victoria."

"The biggest disappointment however is that we are now unable to invest time and resources into developing local players, like Nick Kalmar, who now lack a career path towards a professional career."

The Whittlesea Leader reported on February 5 that a raft of State League 2 clubs had reacted angrily after being left in the dark over Heart's likely inclusion.

Comment has been sought from FFV.


http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Hearts-participation-in-State-League-Two-revoked/61124

Quote:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/north/clubs-furious-over-hearts-ffv-entry/story-fngnvocb-1226581211554

Clubs furious over Heart's FFV entryby: Patrick Lane From: Whittlesea Leader February 05, 2013 12:00AM

FURIOUS State League 2 clubs say they were left in the dark by Football Federation Victoria after the state's premium football body granted Melbourne Heart entry.
In lieu of any official announcement or club correspondence, the governing body revealed via the release of its fixtures last week the A-League club would field a youth team in the amateur third-tier competition

FFV general manager of football Tim Frampton then told Leader the FFV had not liaised with its clubs regarding Heart's imminent inclusion, but suspected feedback would follow.

"We haven't asked the clubs, but no doubt they'll tell us," he said.

The competition boss was unavailable for comment last week.

The aggrieved have reacted as one to the league' move, with standing committee chairman Harry Zaitman, the liaison between the clubs and the FFV, writing to the league to seek an explanation from the board.

"It's more a reaction into the process. Melbourne Heart is just a pawn really," he said.

"But Heart has negotiated this with the federation. The board needs to take responsibility in a matter like this, and welcome Melbourne Heart in some way and not just have Melbourne Heart make statements.

"You'd think in situations like this we'd usually hear from both sides."

Although Heart Youth will be ineligible to field A-League- contracted players, rival clubs have questioned whether the professional giant's admission to State League 2 constituted an even playing field.

One, Westgate coach Robert Marinkovic, feared his club may lose players if Heart head coach John Aloisi identified talent within his team, while Altona East Phoenix president Jim Dimitriou queried whether the club's access to a professional backroom staff was unfair.

Melbourne Heart football operations manager John Didulica admitted Aloisi and right-hand man Hayden Foxe would be integral in Heart Youth's campaign, but said the Epping Stadium locals would not poach the youth of opposition teams.



Edited by Arthur: 20/2/2013 10:58:28 AM