Author: Craig MacKenzie

SOCCER A DAMAGING presidency battle was averted last week after Steve Spencer was elected at an extraordinary general meeting at Frankston Pines. It had been widely expected that former vice-president Daniel Plaiche and recent interim president Hamdija “Boz” Osmancevic would run against each other but neither party turned up to the meeting. Osmancevic had been the only candidate for president a fortnight earlier at the club’s AGM but stood down after a dispute erupted about his managerial style forcing last week’s meeting to settle the impasse and elect an executive. Rumours flew about Osmancevic’s intentions and involved speculation about a…

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SOCCER SKYE United, Baxter, Peninsula Strikers and Southern United have announced their senior coaches for the 2019 season. Skye appointed former Langwarrin midfielder Phil McGuinness last weekend. Peninsula Strikers announced last Wednesday that former Frankston Pines and recent Knox City coach Danny Verdun was taking over and the following day Baxter announced that George Hughes had been appointed as head coach. Southern United announced the appointment of Washington Castillo as senior coach last Friday. McGuinness is a former Skye player and assistant coach who joined the club after playing with Langwarrin and coaching the reserves at Lawton Park to the…

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SOCCER FRANKSTON Pines’ future hangs in the balance after last week’s AGM left the club without a president. “Boz” Osmancevic, interim president since August, was the only candidate for the position and after accepting the nomination he outlined how he wanted to run the club which sparked argument and the ensuing turmoil left Pines in limbo. As reported last week the only member of the “old guard” that Osmancevic wanted on his committee was Tommy Mitchell. However, long-serving administrator Steve Spencer was the only nomination for vice-president and his acceptance presented Osmancevic with a problem. It was resolved in farcical…

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SOCCER THE silly season exploded into action last week with Jamie Skelly, Billy Armour and Scott Morrison taking a spin on the annual coaching merry-go-round. And more local clubs will join in shortly with newly created coaching vacancies at Peninsula Strikers and Skye United, Baxter still searching for a senior coach and rumours of change at Frankston Pines. Skelly was appointed assistant to Scott Miller at Langwarrin last week. He is a former Langy player, reserves coach and senior assistant who has now finished a second stint as senior coach of Peninsula Strikers. “This is an opportunity to further my…

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SOCCER SOUTHERN United will lay claim to having the best under-14 squad in Victoria if it wins next weekend’s grand final and records an historic second successive double. Last year the side coached by former Matilda and FFV Hall of Famer Deb Nichols and former Langwarrin, South Melbourne and Casey Comets keeper Emma Bracken won the under-13 NPLW championship and Grand Final. That cemented their status as the premier outfit in Victoria’s elite underage competition. This season the squad clinched the under-14 title in August and on Saturday defeated Victorian powerhouse South Melbourne 3-2 at Monterey Reserve in the under-14…

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