Let's just not make up the numbers. If we are going over there to compete, let's be competitive and professional.
Another thing that killed us is only having nine players per team. If you take two keepers and have an injury or two, you are already on the back foot. Some of the other states had twelve or thirteen players in their squad, hence the luxury of rotating players regularly and having fresh legs.
Also, how can it be a true "Nationals" with five teams represented from NSW and one from ACT. Six local teams and only a couple of other states represented is a bit one-sided.
There is nothing wrong with our talent or quality, but like you said we are up against sides that play together all year round. We can't expect to compete well if our teams are thrown together a few months before the championships.
I was in Canberra last week, as I have been for the last 3 years for the Futsal Nationals, watching many SA games including my child's. These kids work hard and many of the shortcomings mentioned on this forum are correct, but many are not.
Firstly, the only states to have teams of 12 or 13 players are the ACT. Obvious reasons - they live locally, no travel expeneses, etc. and therefore can have larger squads. Not sure if its great to have equivalent of 2 squads in one team. All other travelling states have 9, maximum 10 if they take 2 goalies.
These are National comps but regions are reperesented especially in larger states. Not sure why it matters if NSW enters teams from multiple geographical areas - huge state, huge population, so why not let them enter other teams? Some played very well, some did not but they helped bolster numbers for states that may have been missing in various age groups. A-League has 3 sides from Qld - pretty sure its a national comp still. We'd be allowed to send say a team from Mt Gambier or Port Pirie if we wanted, call them Southern SA or Northern SA.
Also, some interstate squads have players who play all year round, but many do not. Most interstate kids play outdoor in the winter and Futsal in the off season, and many other state squads dont have much training time together prior to the Nationals. We need longer seasons but cant expect our kids to play all year at the expense of club soccer. This cannot be the only excuse for not performing better.
Tactically we need to catch up and we will, and would not hurt to get some new coaching staff on board in the process. Not a coincidence that the teams of the 2 new first-time coaches this year (U14 boys and U13 girls) did just about the best of the SA sides.
I was at a venue next to one of the Qld teams. Not knowing who I was supporting, their coach was talking to some of his players and parents and said that SA used to come to these comps to make up the numbers but are now highly competitive. This is a definite compliment and shows we are making progress. We just have to try and progress faster cos the opposition sides arent standing still either.
