The Capital Football Boys TSP competed in a trio of competitions in Goulburn and Sydney achieving mixed results, but more importantly, gaining valuable experience of tournament conditions.
The best performing group was the U16 team who managed to top their group with excellent wins against Newcastle Jets and TSP East, as well as grabbing draws with TSP North and Sydney FC. Their only loss was a narrow reverse to TSP West.
Head Coach of the U16 group, Ali Efe, stressed how vital it was for the players from the national Capital to expose themselves to this kind of challenge at this stage of their early career.
“These kinds of tournaments are extremely important for youth development exposing young players to a high performance challenges in an Elite environment,” Efe commented. “Also, it helps for game understanding and game management at the Elite National Level.
“It gives the players a chance to see their real level playing against the best players in their age group.”
The competition was the brainchild of the member federations with the new FA Talent Identification group and Football Australia themselves endorsing the matches that were played at Cookbundoon Sporting Complex in Goulburn for the U14 teams and at Valentine Sports Park in Sydney for U15 and U16.
“This type of tournament gives young players opportunities to show their quality and their potential to the Football Australia staff,” Efe said.
“These tournament are not about the winning the competition. It is only about playing a good level of football as an individual, and as a team, and showing your potential. If you and your team plays well, the level of football will give you chance or the opportunity to be identified.”
U14 TSP Tournament
Cookbundoon Sporting Complex, Goulburn
Final Group Position: 2nd
Coach: Phil Booth
RESULTS
Capital Football 1 TSP Country Navy 1
Capital Football 3 Murray United 0
Capital Football 0 Sydney FC Navy 3
Capital Football 0 Sydney FC Sky 2
U15 TSP Tournament
Valentine Sports Park, Sydney
Final Group Position: 3rd
Coach: Hatef Beigi
RESULTS
Capital Football 0 Newcastle Jets 0
Capital Football 0 TSP East 3
Capital Football 0 TSP North 0
Capital Football 0 NNSW 4
Capital Football 0 NSW Country 1
U16 TSP Tournament
Valentine Sports Park, Sydney
Final Group Position: 1st
Coach: Ali Efe
RESULTS
Capital Football 2 (Milicevic, Parsa) Newcastle Jets 0
Capital Football 3 (Milicevic (2), McCloskey) TSP East 0
Capital Football 2 (Parsa (2)) TSP North 2
Capital Football 0 Sydney FC 0
Capital Football 0 TSP West 1
GOALS
3 Romeo PARSA, Josh MILICEVIC, 1 William MCCLOSKEY