For coaches in the NPL this week, there must be a nagging feeling that their squad isn’t getting as much sleep as they should be.
With the World Cup time difference causing many to chuck a sickie, or alternatively run on empty, the coaches must be a little worried.
Asking Heidelberg United coach George Katsakis if his side is well rested, there is a bit of doubt.
“God I hope so,” he tells Neos Kosmos with a chuckle.
“Look everyone is loving it, it’s been a terrific tournament.”
Sadly for Greece and Australia, the outlooks grim, but for Greek Australians fans, there is a bit of local flavor that will supplement the football fever going around.
The Greek community couldn’t have asked for a better fixture. Old rivals, Heidelberg United and South Melbourne will duke it out Sunday, one team hoping for a comeback, while the other racking up a goal score that will be the envy of any team.
Like in most derbies, anything can happen on the day, and with South Melbourne unable to bounce back to their winning ways last week and Heidelberg
United managing to steal 5 goals off Dandenong Thunder, the game will be very interesting.
“Derby days are fairly tight, I’m sure they (South Melbourne) want to bounce back form a loss and draw, we want to maintain our undefeated status, I think it’ll be tight,” Katsakis says.
Heidelberg are welcoming back some players from injury, while a couple of minor injuries from the last two rounds are still worrying the coach. He hopes to supplement the team with some young talented players, while giving new recruit, John Lazaridis a chance to show his worth.
Katsakis used the transfer window to grab Lazaridis from Port Melbourne, and is still in talks with a couple of players.
“Laza was under me a few years ago, and he’s happy to be back home,” Katsakis says of the new transfer.
He hopes to have things finalised next week to have a stronger squad to choose from.
For South Melbourne, it wasn’t exactly the comeback they were hoping for last week.
After losing their first match of the season in round 12 against second on the ladder Oakleigh Cannons, they were held by one of the worst performing clubs of the season, Goldburn Valley Suns.
“All in all it was poor finishing by us,” South Melbourne coach Chris Taylor admitted.
Like so many clubs, leading the charge at first almost always doesn’t last till the end of the season.
Will the slump be temporary? Can the club play under the added pressure of Oakleigh and Heidelberg inching ever so close to top spot? Time will tell.
Oakleigh Cannons will take on the team that held South Melbourne last week and won’t be underestimating them.
For FFA Cup qualifiers, Bentleigh Greens, they will finally get to play their washed out game against the Ballarat Red Devils from round 1.
The Greens have to substitute some big players, with their leading goalscorer Brent McGrath succumbing to a shoulder injury in the midweek win and regular starter Stephen Hatzikostas being transferred to league leader South Melbourne.
Port Melbourne Sharks are winless in five matches but might have a competitive edge over Dandenong Thunder this week. The Thunder hasn’t had the best of luck, succumbing to embarrassing losses at the hands of the league’s best.
Northcote City has just three days to bounce back from its heartbreaking Dockerty Cup loss in a penalty shootout to NPL 1 side St Albans Saints, while their opponents this week, Melbourne Knights will have one eye on their Cup quarter final against South Melbourne next week.
