CITY INSIDER
NEWCASTLE JETS FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY AAMI PARK
MELBOURNE CITY v NEWCASTLE JETS
CITY INSIDER FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY
CAPTAIN’S MESSAGE WE MIGHTN’T HAVE GOTTEN THE RESULT WE WANTED ON TUESDAY NIGHT BUT I’M STILL CONFIDENT THAT THIS TEAM IS HEADING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION DESPITE THE SETBACK. WE KNOW THAT WE’VE MADE SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT AS A SQUAD OVER THE PAST MONTH. We’re playing some pretty good football overall and that showed for majority of Tuesday’s game, but as has been made clear, there’s still work to be done. We know midweek football isn’t always the most ideal for those with families or other commitments, but to those who attended on Tuesday, we appreciate the support as much as ever and hope we can get a win for you tonight. To those who watched from home or followed online, we see you too, and we hope to see you back in the stands soon! Tuesday’s loss has only served to focus the team; we’re hungry to redeem ourselves after the result, and there’s no place where that’s more evident than the atmosphere at training at the moment. Everyone’s putting their best foot forward and working hard to earn selection for each and every game. We know that heavy fixture schedules present opportunities right across the squad and recognise that the way for the team to do well over this period is for every player to stand up – regardless of age or time at the Club. In a normal year I’d tell you we’re not looking at the ladder anyway, but that’s even more true given the disrupted season many teams have had to endure. We’ve all just had to get on with it and play the games when we can, as best we can, and that means some have played more than others. All that we can focus on is what’s in our control, and that’s how we prepare for our next opponent, regardless of circumstance. Right now, that means doing whatever we can to beat Newcastle tonight. Short turnarounds can be hard at times, but right now we’re just itching to get back out on the pitch and the moment that we’re able to get out there can’t come soon enough. A Friday night at AAMI Park, where would you rather be? See you in the stands, C’mon City! Scott Jamieson Melbourne City FC captain
Together We Move
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MELBOURNE CITY v NEWCASTLE JETS
CITY INSIDER FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY
CITY EYE ENTERTAINING JETS CHALLENGE OUR CITY BOYS FACE ANOTHER SHORT TURNAROUND IN THE IZUZU UTE A-LEAGUE AS WE PREPARE TO FACE NEWCASTLE JETS AT AAMI PARK. THE TEAM WILL BE EAGER FOR A CHANCE AT REDEMPTION AGAINST THE JETS FOLLOWING OUR MIDWEEK LOSS TO ADELAIDE It was a familiar tale for the City boys, who started strongly through Jamie Maclaren, with the striker netting his eighth goal of the season. However, for all of our dominance, we failed to beat Joe Gauci for a second time as the young Reds keeper had a pivotal performance in goal. His side was fortunate to find the back of the net twice, first through Javi Lopez’ unintentional cross and then late on when a mistake at the back allowed Mohamed Toure to win the game for the visitors. The City boys will need to have quickly refocused again as
we face a short turnaround following the result, having had just three days to prepare for tonight’s return to AAMI Park against Newcastle Jets. Our attacking performance in the last meeting with Newcastle just over a week ago will no doubt serve as a confidence booster. It was Jamie Maclaren who starred on the night, coming away with two goals and an assist for Mathew Leckie, with Florin Berenguer netting City’s opener at McDonald Jones Stadium. We should be wary of tonight’s opposition given the Jets most
recent result in the A-League Men competition, a 2-1 away win against Melbourne Victory. The Jets resisted the home side’s attacking pressure and were in turn clinical in their limited opportunities, netting twice from just eight total shots. Though our boys will have every intention of ensuring otherwise, tonight’s rematch between City and the Jets could very likely be another high-scoring affair, with the teams recording the highest goals-per-game figures in the league and having secured just one clean sheet apiece this season.
A-LEAGUE MEN PREVIEW
DANGER PLAYER
SEASON STATS - NEWCASTLE JETS
BEKA MIKELTADZE The Georgian International is in his first season in the A-League Men competition and has started the season strongly. He’s now scored seven goals this season, which sees him sitting just one behind our main man Jamie Maclaren. He’s also provided one assist this season, which sees him with eight total goal contributions in the same number of games. Other than a second half penalty, City’s defence kept him mostly quiet in last week’s win and doing so again will no doubt go a long way to picking up the three points.
9
3
LEAGUE POSITION
GAMES WON
17
16
GOALS SCORED
GOALS CONCEDED
A-LEAGUE LADDER
LAST RESULT
LAST TIME WE MET
VICTORY
1
NEWCASTLE JETS
2
NEWCASTLE JETS
2
MELBOURNE CITY
4
Isuzu UTE A-League Saturday 12 February, 2022 AAMI Park
VIDEO HIGLIGHTS
Isuzu UTE A-League 2021/22 Tuesday 8 February, 2021 McDonald Jones Stadium
VIDEO HIGLIGHTS
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MATCH SQUADS
HEAD COACH: PATRICK KISNORBO
A-LEAGUE MEN
1. TOM GLOVER
2. SCOTT GALLOWAY
3. SCOTT JAMIESON
4. NUNO REIS
5. ROSTYN GRIFFITHS
7. MATT LECKIE
8. AIDEN O’NEILL
9. JAMIE MACLAREN
10. FLORIN BERENGUER
13. NATHANIEL ATKINSON
15. ANDREW NABBOUT
16. TARAS GOMULKA
17. STEFAN COLACOVSKI
18. CONNOR METCALFE
20.MANUEL PUCCIARELLI
22. CURTIS GOOD
23. MARCO TILIO
33. MATT SUTTON
34. JORDAN HALL
36. KERRIN STOKES
37. MAX CAPUTO
38. JORDAN BOS
42. AHMED TALEB
35. RAPHAEL BORGES RODRIGUES
39. ANTHONY LESIOTIS
1 50
JACK DUNCAN MICHAEL WEIER
2 3 4 6 15 19 22 27
DANE INGHAM JASON HOFFMAN JORDAN ELSEY MATT JURMAN DYLAN MURNANE TAYLOR REGAN RILEY WARLAND LUCAS MAURAGIS
5 7 8 14 16 28 32
BEN KANTAROVSKI JORDAN O’DOHERTY MARIO BLASCO MOHAMED AL-TAYY KOSTAS GROZOS BLAKE ARCHBOLD ANGUS THURGATE
9 10 11 17 21 23 25
BEKA MIKELTADZE OLIVIER BOUMAL DANIEL PENHA VALENTINO YUEL SAVVAS SIATRAVANIS ELI BABALJ SAMUEL SILVERA
HEAD COACH: ARTHUR PAPAS
NEWCASTLE JETS
MELBOURNE CITY v NEWCASTLE JETS
CITY INSIDER FRIDAY 18 JANUARY
ENDOH’S FOOTBALLING JOURNEY TO CITY A MOVE TO THE US COLLEGE SYSTEM SEEMS LIKE ONE OF THE LAST ROUTES INTO PRO FOOTBALL FOR A JAPANESE FA ACADEMY GRADUATE. INDEED, TSUBASA ENDOH’S CAREER AND THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT FORGED IT ARE FAR FROM ORDINARY. You could start with his moving out of home to join the JFA academy in Fukushima at the age of 12, a decision which, whilst common in the development pathways of some overseas nations, would certainly be considered a rarity here in Australia. “It was definitely a good experience for me to leave my parents after elementary school and to be part of the JFA academy program for six years,” the now 28-year-old said. It was there in Fukushima that Endoh received the majority of his footballing education, trained up with the kind of technical brilliance that many associate with the JFA’s preferred mould of player. It was also there in Fukushima that Endoh’s footballing development, and his life as a whole, would be turned upside down by the 2011 earthquake that devastated the region. He recounted the event’s impact on his career: “When the earthquake happened that was a difficult moment for me, especially because I was still young – I was 17, 18 years old.” “Because the training facility was collapsed, they were trying to figure out where to relocate and everything, so that was the transition moment as a player where we have to find other clubs to play for.
“We couldn’t just sit at home and do nothing.” “For a month or two I didn’t have a club to play for and I went back home to try and find a club.” By the time that a continuation of his development locally was possible again, the youngster had already set his sights on the US. Endoh spent four years at the University of Maryland, starring for the college’s football side, the Maryland Terrapins. Asked about the reasoning behind his move to the American college system, Endoh explained that it was mostly academicallymotivated, but also that it helped to fulfil a long-time dream of his. “Since I was a kid, I wanted to learn English, I wanted to speak English fluently, and that was one of the biggest goals that I had in my life.” Endoh majored in Sociology at Maryland, rounding out his time at college with an MVP showing at the 2016 MLS Draft Combine. “I am so glad that I did it,” he said, “To get out of my shell and go to a different country and learn something new. “It was a good experience for me to grow as a player.” Though his career in the US had its ups and downs, it was only through Endoh’s persistence and determination to grow as a player that he was able to overcome a drop down to
America’s lower tiers and later become a pivotal member of Toronto FC’s run to the 2019 MLS Cup Final, which he includes as one of his favourite memories of his playing career. “To win the treble back in 2017, that was something that hadn’t been done before in the MLS, so I was glad that I was part of it,” he begun, “Second was to have started in the MLS Cup, that was huge, that was back in 2019. “To play in front of 70,000 fans in Seattle was something that I will definitely cherish for the rest of my life.”
MELBOURNE CITY v NEWCASTLE JETS
CITY INSIDER FRIDAY 18 JANUARY
TOP OF THE TABLE CLASH AWAITS FANS ARE SET FOR A TOP-OF-THE-TABLE BLOCKBUSTER AS MELBOURNE CITY FC AND SYDNEY FC DO BATTLE AT AAMI PARK IN THE A-LEAGUE WOMEN THIS SUNDAY AFTERNOON. The high-stakes match will have huge Premiership ramifications, with a win meaning City will be right back in the hunt to displace current-holders Sydney FC at the top of the table. City is on a three-game winning run heading into the clash, most recently putting on a dominant performance against Perth Glory away from home. Things were tight early on, but a timely Rhianna Pollicina strike late in the first half set City up well for a stronger second half. The visitors capitalised on tiring Glory legs as the home side played its third game in nine days, and City would prove too strong in the end, with Holly McNamara netting twice before Hannah Wilkinson put the icing on the cake in stoppage time. This strike saw Wilkinson become the fastest player in A-League Women history to 10 goals, but Adelaide’s Fiona Worts and Chelsea Dawber are hot on her tail in the Golden Boot race. Such a strong win against a Finals hopeful was the perfect
statement from Rado Vidosic’s side ahead of its do-or-die clash against Sydney FC, who also come into the clash full of confidence having been undefeated throughout the season. Most recently, the Sky Blues were held to a draw away to Melbourne Victory on Wednesday night. The visitors went up 2-0 early in the second half with goals to Princess Ibini and Remy Siemsen, but a late fightback from Victory ensured the points would be split. Ante Juric’s side has had to move on quickly from that bruising clash just four days ago as his team prepares to come up against City for the second time this season. Whilst the scoreline may have read 3-0 in the Sky Blues’ favour on that occasion, it was a much closer game than the result suggested, with Jada Whyman pulling off some incredible saves to maintain the clean sheet. Her team then capitalised on City’s vulnerable defensive structure
on the counter, with clinical finishing ultimately proving the difference on the day. The rematch between the league’s top two sides will likely have a different feel about it given the returns of each team’s Matildas representatives, with Holly McNamara, Remy Siemsen and Cortnee Vine all missing that January meeting between City and Sydney. Whilst it was Sydney who had the greater number of national team representatives missing for that clash, it’s City who will be without Rebekah Stott and Hannah Wilkinson during New Zealand’s SheBelieves Cup campaign, with Sydney missing only Paige Satchell. While City will no doubt miss its two star Kiwi’s Rado Vidosic will be confidence the likes of the inform Rhianna Pollicina and Holly McNamara will be able to cover for the absences.
MELBOURNE CITY v NEWCASTLE JETS
KIDS ZONE
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CITY INSIDER FRIDAY 18 FEBRUARY
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meet the team NAME: Taras Gomulka AGE: 19 POSITION: Midfielder NATIONALITY: Australian PREVIOUS CLUB: Adelaide United JUNIOR CLUB: Adelaide City FAVOURITE FOOD: Pizza FAVOURITE TV SHOW: Prisonbreak
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