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Return of South Australian soccer derby makes sense, say legends Zoran Matic and Neil McGachey
by: Val Migliaccio
From: The Advertiser •February 20, 2014
THE derby is back and living legends Zoran Matic and Neil McGachey couldn’t be happier.
West Adelaide hosting Adelaide City in a premiership fixture for the first time since the clubs last met in 1999 in a national soccer league fixture has brought common sense back to the game, says Matic.
West Adelaide won that final NSL fixture 1-0.
“You’ve got to put the footing somewhere to build the house, you can’t build in the mud,’’ Matic said.
“I think that everybody is glad about the new derby it has been accepted and there’s no more discrimination against the game it was wrong.
“I don’t know why ... was it a lack of culture of intelligence in some people?
“You can call it close to racism, it’s ignorance.”
West hosts City in round one of the new SA National Premier League at Adelaide Shores, West Beach, from 7.45pm after the legends clash on Friday.
The game is expected to be a sell-out with only about 3000 tickets available at the new venue.
Matic - a three-time NSL-title-winning coach with Adelaide City - and McGachey part of West Adelaide’s first NSL premiership team in 1978, will face off in the legends derby.
Matic and McGachey played in the clubs’ first NSL derby in 1977 where Adelaide City beat West Adelaide 4-1 in front of 12,238 fans at Hindmarsh.
McGachey recalls the electricity of the first NSL derby.
“Dixie Deans (City) and Graeme Souness (West) playing at Hindmarsh that game itself was fantastic,’’ McGachey said.
“It was another level from the state league and there was an excitement about it.
“I remember thinking how wonderful a player Graeme Souness was because he was a player’s player when he gave you the ball you always had time and space and I thought gee that’s another level as player.’’
Football Federation SA will also launch its new season before the main game where Joel Allwright will feature for City while Kosta Mantis will kit up for West.
Allwright, City’s player of the year in 2012, said he was expecting a feisty clash.
“It’s more for the history of the club you’re going out there to represent Adelaide City and everyone knows it’s a big derby,’’ Allwright said.
Mantis said he has been a West Adelaide fan ever since he could remember.
“The derby means a lot to me,’’ Mantis said.
“I was a West Adelaide junior and I was watching West Adelaide in the old NSL.
“It means a lot to the club the team and the officials and supporters.”
West Adelaide officials said that more than 1000 tickets have already been pre sold for the blockbuster.
Tickets details are available at the club’s Facebook website
great news i am hoping to go tonight but for the NPL if we get 3000 for this its a big win for the second tier.
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