In the latest preview of Septembers upcoming FFA Cup round of 32 fixtures, South Australian NPL side Adelaide Olympic will take a 3.5-hour flight to face Western Australian NPL side ECU Joondalup SC.
The hosts, Joondalup are the youngest team left in the cup, they were founded in 1992 and have enjoyed success in the late 90s and in recent years – winning the Western Australia NPL in 2020
Coach of the team is the enigmatic ex A league manager, Kenny Lowe – Lowe is known just as much for his antics on the touchline and in press conferences as his team tactics.
Joondalup have hit the skids in the Western Australia NPL this season though – they currently sit sixth after a horror run of form in their last several matches.
This side was expected to mount a strong title challenge, but they have spent the majority of the season trying to plug the holes in their leaky defence.
The other end of the park has been a different story though – especially when you have the mercurial Danny Hodgson in the side.
Englishman Hodgson is currently in second place for the Western Australia NPL golden boot top scorer trophy, with 15 goals after he won the 2020 Golden Boot last season with 17 goals.
Hodgson’s speed and terrier like qualities are echoed by another UK striker Daryl Nicol.
The Scotsman Nicol, returned to Joondalup after two seasons away and has taken back to his old club like a duck to water – scoring ten goals so far this season.
Joondalup are also home to long time ex-A-League player Chris Harold.
Harold made headlines when he walked away from the sport in the prime of his career at only 28 years old in 2020 to concentrate on his fast-blossoming career as a barrister.
Enticed back to the game he loved in 20201, he has contributed two goals and endless running on the right side of the attack.
On the opposite side is the experienced left footer Andrew Higgins – Higgins is a former Perth Glory and Portsmouth player who has found the back of the net four times this campaign.
Joondalup’s opponents Adelaide Olympic have come a long way since they were found in 1978 by the local Greek community – initially starting in the sixth tier of the South Australian amateur league before working their way up over the years to the SA NPL.
Olympic are currently sixth in the SA NPL and have struggled to win games consecutively this season.
The star player of the team is the silky Italian, Fausto Erba.
He is the top scorer in the SA NPL with 11 goals, however the striker holds the honour of being the oldest player with most goals at NPL level this season – at 36 years old.
Erba had a nomadic career in Italy’s lower leagues before moving to South Australia, he may not have the speed to match younger opponents but he more than makes up for this with his football IQ.
His striker partner is another European journeyman, 30-year-old Greek hitman Ioannis Simosis
The majority of Simosis’s career was spent bouncing around various teams in Greece, before he found a home in Adelaide.
Although he has only found the back of the net five times this season, his experience just like that of Erba is helping mould the young talent at Olympic.
Former A League youth team player Michael Cittadini has benefitted the most from this as the 18-year-old has nabbed four goals this season and has had A League scouts cast an eye over his performances.
Albanian hardman Benkert Abdija is another experienced pro to keep an eye on.
While former a league youth team player Jason Konstandopoulos and the 17-year-old Kristin (same surname) have also provided goal scoring options
Joondalup will be overwhelming favourites to advance in this tie, but Adelaide Olympic are more than capable of leaving the wild west with a victory.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
horrible thing to happen to anyone, hopefully he pulls though. can't believe a 15 year old child did this
Wests Glory
Roar Rookie
Very sad news, regarding Danny Hodgson. In ICU after being assaulted. ECU Joondalup trying to get family from UK, to be with their son.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Heard the news earlier today, hopefully he comes out of this fine and they punish the POS that did this
Voice of Reason
Roar Rookie
I prefer it to the anodyne official moniker of Perth SC. In way more important and awful news: have you seen this? Danny Hodgson in a coma and might not make it: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-09-08/uk-parents-of-perth-man-fighting-for-life-desperate-to-fly-to-wa/100443120
Anthony Ferguson
Guest
Perth haven't used the Azzurri moniker for years now, though they are perfectly entitled to bring it back if they want.
Micko
Roar Rookie
Perth Azzuri?
Voice of Reason
Roar Rookie
We came third but are very much a set-piece side, though we do have more depth this year, particularly in attack. Jordan Brown is so good with the long throws - pity he can’t get on the end to head them in too! Scott Witschge is a very dangerous forward and getting Chris Jackson and Jordan Roberts (back) has helped too. Funny - we looked so poor in pre-season but it’s actually been a successful year. Perth Glory U23s are next - tough gig. And Perth Azzuri & Floreat Athena are decent teams too. Love community sport!
RICHARD T
Guest
We came third but are very much a set-piece side, though we do have more depth this year, particularly in attack. Jordan Brown is so good with the long throws - pity he can’t get on the end to head them in too! Scott Witschge is a very dangerous forward and getting Chris Jackson and Jordan Roberts (back) has helped too. Funny - we looked so poor in pre-season but it’s actually been a successful year. Perth Glory U23s are next - tough gig. And Perth Azzuri & Floreat Athena are decent teams too. Love community sport!
NoMates
Roar Rookie
Joondalup for the upset.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
comets complete the tri fecta :stoked:
Rodger King
Roar Rookie
West Adelaide are, but like a lot of both the Greek and Italian communities there are various regions involved. From Memory there are 3 distinct Greek community clubs now in the SA NPL.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
lots of greek based clubs in adelaide. olympic play out of the northern western surburbs while west adelaide play in the inner nothern suburbs (just on the outskirts of the CBD)
Micko
Roar Rookie
I thought West Adelaide were a Greek ethnic club? Is Adelaide Olympic located in the opposite side of Adelaide or something?
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
i think its a consistency issue for them, on paper that is a super strong team - but they are miles off where they should be I wonder if kenny lowes time might be up come season end, i still think they'll be too strong against adelaide olympic. off topic but sorrento are still in the mix for the league, that combo of brown and wischge on the right hand side has brought alot of joy this season.
Voice of Reason
Roar Rookie
I’m not sure what happened to ECU this year - they came to us (Sorrento) early on and beat us 3-0 (with a bit of help from a referee who gave a yellow card for every tackle), but fell away badly. I do like Nicol, a very subtle forward, who pulls his shorts up so high he looks like a Hungarian from the 50s!