SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria’s hopes for the 2020 season rest on avoiding a statewide return to lockdown. While clubs in the South and East of the currently regionalised junior NPL are set to complete the grading round of the season with another double header of matches this weekend the North and West competitions remain under suspension. The official line from the state’s controlling body confirms its dilemma. “Football Victoria is currently working with all clubs – Junior Boys, Junior Girls, Community and NPL Senior (Women and Men) – that are located in the North and West regions of Victoria to understand…
Author: Craig MacKenzie
SOCCER WHILE other sports announce a season shutdown soccer looks set for a season reboot this weekend. Three local clubs– Langwarrin, Mornington and Peninsula Strikers – will host junior NPL matches during a bumper double header involving under-13, under-14, under-15 and under-16 teams playing on Saturday and Sunday. In an interview on Football Out West Show last week FV’s Football Operations Manager Will Hastie gave every indication that the state governing body remained committed to a return to competition. He confirmed FV’s preference for a 16-game senior season and the expectation that “largely the competition structures will stay intact” meaning…
SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria announced a July start to the 2020 season late last week for all senior and junior competitions. The announcement came a day before the state government withdrew from lifting some pandemic restrictions but as we went to press there was no indication of any change to FV’s restart dates. NPL junior boys are scheduled to return to competition on the weekend of 4/5 July, NPL junior girls, community club juniors and MiniRoos on the weekend of 11/12 July with senior competitions back in action on the weekend of 25/26 July. However doubts over the NPL1 season continue…
SOCCER LANGWARRIN and Seaford United will participate in the 2020 league season. The last two local clubs to decide their response to the disrupted season have informed Football Victoria of their decision. Langwarrin president Tanya Wallace addressed the senior squad last week before making the decision to play this year. “All of our players returned and have agreed to play so I’m really grateful for the commitment they’ve shown and for wanting to stick by the club in challenging and difficult times,” she said. “I’m really proud of the way everyone throughout the club has reacted to what needed to…
SOCCER FOOTBALL Victoria has put a million dollar proposal on the table to slash fees and entice clubs to participate in the 2020 season. FV’s fee relief package was announced in stages last week starting with NPL1 then NPL2 and NPL3 followed by an offer to State League clubs. The official announcement stated, in part: “The packages are aimed at supporting the safe return of football at all levels and ensuring the viability of our 355 clubs and the game in Victoria more broadly.” As an NPL2 club Langwarrin received confirmation that promotion was still in play but relegation had…