There is a lot to be said about the redemptive qualities of sport. It may sound clichéd, but the power of a chosen sport to inspire, to heal, and to bring together individuals through a common bond has always been apparent to those who have experienced it.
Over the last weekend, Team Bondi experienced all those emotions when they competed in the Phuket Football Sevens, which has been named the Ian Gray Cup.
It was a powerful incentive for a group of footballers, with their common bond being a friendship with the late great Socceroo whose name adorns the Masters Cup.
In 2010, Team Bondi overcame late injuries and the loss of their guide and mentor just months earlier to win the trophy. This year they returned to the Southern Thailand holiday destination to defend their title.
The squad is now led by Brad Maloney, former Socceroo and highly qualified coach, former NSWIS instructor and team mate of “Iggy” Gray at Marconi. Maloney has already led the team to victories in Manila and Bangkok and a semi-final place in the Hong Kong tournament in 2011.
The 2011 Phuket squad was a microcosm of the two clubs where Iggy is best remembered – Marconi and Maccabi. Along with Maloney, Luke Casserly and Jean-Paul De Marigny played alongside Gray during the Marconi golden era in the NSL.
Two of the support staff for the trip – team manager Albert Salerno and physio Andrew Hughes – were involved with Marconi in the same period. Gary Braude, Clive Barrett and Gabi Rachamin have all been coached by Iggy at the international Maccabiah event during his long association with the Eastern Suburbs club.
Rounding out the squad were former Socceroo Scott Ollerenshaw, former NSL players Brian Bothwell and Andrew Prentice, former Hong Kong pro Peter Hymns, and Bangkok-based French striker David Serene. All had been coached by or were friends with Iggy.
Team Bondi kicked off their defence of the Ian Gray Cup with a comfortable 2-0 win over a Shanghai Select side. Their second pool game saw a rare departure from the team’s possession game and they were somewhat fortunate to grab a 3-2 win over the Penang Invitational Select. It galvanised Team Bondi for their final match and they thumped the Malaysian All Stars 5-1 to qualify for the quarter finals.
Day two saw the side face a tough draw against Bangkok Cosmos, a side that had beaten the Gray-coached Team Bondi in the 2007 final. A tense game went into sudden-death extra time before a sublime David Serene strike gave Bondi a 1-0 win.
An ankle injury to Luke Casserly, the team’s best player to that point, saw Maloney re-shuffle his defence for the semi final, where the Calcutta Sports Club provided an early test before Bondi won 2-0.
“Bugsy” Maloney pulled a masterstroke by switching powerful midfielder Bothwell to central defence, and the former Morwell Falcons star revelled in the role of marker in the final against the Phuket Italians.
He latched onto the quick and dangerous Italian striker who had run amok in the tournament (and who would have struggled to pass as 25 years old, let alone reach the over-35 limit). Bothwell wore the young (looking?) striker like a Phuket-tailored suit, and hardly let him get a touch.
It gave De Marigny the chance to roam out of his 5 x 5 square at left back, and it was “JP” who curled a free kick beyond the wall for Ollerenshaw to touch home for the first goal of the final.
Rachamin added a second, then “Ollie” gave the crowd a rare treat, moving the ball from left to right with a shimmy reminiscent of Charlie Chaplin, to score with his unfavoured right peg. Maloney himself added a fourth and Team Bondi lifted the Cup with a 4-0 triumph.
Luke Casserly, one of Iggy’s closest mates who gave a eulogy at his funeral in 2010, accepted the trophy and paid tribute to Ian at the awards night. “The name of our great friend is inscribed on this cup. He’s always in our hearts and thoughts and we’re here doing this because of him.”
Maloney, who accepted the role of Team Bondi coach for the Asian Sevens tournaments after Gray’s death, rated the win as a career highlight.
“We came here last year and won on a lot of emotion. It was no different this time. We’ve got a fantastic squad – four of these guys have played for the national team but there are no egos, just great camaraderie, great respect for each other. Everyone has paid to be here, they’re here because they love the game and wanted to honour Iggy’s name.”
The squad will re-assemble for the Manila Sevens tournament in February 2012. The Team Bondi name, respected throughout the Asian circuit, lives on in memory of their great mate and mentor.
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