The tournament organizers have been forced to change the tournament format at the last minute due to booking problems with the venue management. Tournament organizers are annoyed and disappointed with the venue management as the booking was made well in advance and this is not the first time booking problems have occurred. However, the tournament organizers are glad that they have been able to change to format to what they believe to be a fair compromise in this situation.
In the original tournament format, the qualifying round was a single round robin competition with 8 teams with 10-minute matches. In the new format, the qualifying round has been changed to a single round robin competition with 2 groups of 4 teams with 15-minute matches. Each match will comprise of two 7-minute halves and a 1 minute rest period.
The top two teams of the last tournament have been placed in different groups and the remaining teams have been placed into the groups to balance them out. The two groups of the tournament are as follows.
Group 1:
* The Replacements
* Tombeau Bay FC
* Lekip Gros Ventre
* Pression FC
Group 2:
* Camion Lichien
* Club Maurice Underdogs
* Hockey Pitch FC
* Nothing to Lose
The top two teams from each group will progress to the elimination round, which is a knock-out competition with 20-minute matches. Each match comprises of two 9-minute halves and a 2-minute rest period. The top team from group 1 will play against the second team from group 2 and the top team from group 2 will play against the second team from group 1.
Tournament organizers have apologized to all teams in the competition, as they state that this change has been necessary due to last minute booking problems with the venue management.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Spring 2009 Tournament: The Clash is on!
The date has been set. The venue has been booked. Teams have answered the call and prepared themselves. Today, is the calm before tomorrow's inevitable storm. With a record 8 teams vying for supremacy, the Spring 2009 Tournament promises to be tougher than ever.
Four teams have returned to the Champions Cup to seek out silverware again:
* The Replacements
* Camion Lichien
* Tombeau Bay FC
* Nothing to Lose
The Replacements have returned to defend their title and reassert themselves as reigning champions. Camion Lichien, also amidst the returning teams, is seeking the finals once more. TBFC is back for cold-hard revenge and Nothing to Lose is fearlessly returning despite their poor performance in the last tournament.
Four new teams have also joined the tournament:
* Lekip Gros Ventre (LGV)
* Club Maurice Underdogs (CMU)
* Pression FC
* Hockey Pitch FC
LGV, newcomers to the tournament, intend on reviving the glory of days past. CMU, the self-named underdogs, come to forge a new start and name for themselves in the Champions Cup. Pression FC and Hockey Pitch FC have kept an aura of mystery around themselves and have not made their intentions clear.
These teams have come together to answer the call of the Champions Cup. The clash will be bloody, but the teams are willing to test themselves for the glory of victory and silverware.
Tournament organizers have released photos of the winners and runners-up trophies below.
Runners Up Trophy
Winners Trophy
Tournament organizers have also announced two new awards this year:
* The Golden Boot award
* The Player of the Tournament award
Keeping with football tradition, the Golden Boot will be awarded to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament and the Player of the Tournament will be awarded based on the referees' votes. The trophies for both awards are shown below.
Golden Boot Trophy
Player of the Tournament Trophy
With the tingling of nervous anticipation today, both organizers and teams are looking forward to tomorrow. After all is done and the dust settles, who will emerge triumphant?
Four teams have returned to the Champions Cup to seek out silverware again:
* The Replacements
* Camion Lichien
* Tombeau Bay FC
* Nothing to Lose
The Replacements have returned to defend their title and reassert themselves as reigning champions. Camion Lichien, also amidst the returning teams, is seeking the finals once more. TBFC is back for cold-hard revenge and Nothing to Lose is fearlessly returning despite their poor performance in the last tournament.
Four new teams have also joined the tournament:
* Lekip Gros Ventre (LGV)
* Club Maurice Underdogs (CMU)
* Pression FC
* Hockey Pitch FC
LGV, newcomers to the tournament, intend on reviving the glory of days past. CMU, the self-named underdogs, come to forge a new start and name for themselves in the Champions Cup. Pression FC and Hockey Pitch FC have kept an aura of mystery around themselves and have not made their intentions clear.
These teams have come together to answer the call of the Champions Cup. The clash will be bloody, but the teams are willing to test themselves for the glory of victory and silverware.
Tournament organizers have released photos of the winners and runners-up trophies below.
Runners Up Trophy
Winners Trophy
Tournament organizers have also announced two new awards this year:
* The Golden Boot award
* The Player of the Tournament award
Keeping with football tradition, the Golden Boot will be awarded to the player who scores the most goals in the tournament and the Player of the Tournament will be awarded based on the referees' votes. The trophies for both awards are shown below.
Golden Boot Trophy
Player of the Tournament Trophy
With the tingling of nervous anticipation today, both organizers and teams are looking forward to tomorrow. After all is done and the dust settles, who will emerge triumphant?
Fog of War: Hockey Pitch FC and Pression FC
While all teams in the tournament have divulged information about themselves to be published, Hockey Pitch FC and Pression FC remain shrouded in mystery. Little is known about these two new teams and that may well be the way they want it.
Both teams have only submitted minimal information about themselves to the tournament organizers. Pression FC consists of the following players:
Hughes Wong (captain)
Oliver Lam
Gerome Cloridor
Gerald Cheung
Jason Ip
Mark Chung
Hockey Pitch FC is made up of the follow players:
Jeff Lai Sang (captain)
Keshav Dhayam
Lucas
Ahmed
Minh
Jeff Lai Sang is a former Tombeau Bay FC (TBFC) player, and seemingly he has left TBFC to found his own team. Reportedly the parting with TBFC has been amicable.
It would appear that these two teams have purposely not revealed information to their opponents' disadvantage. With their unknown players, these two little-known teams are the wildcards of the tournament.
Both teams have only submitted minimal information about themselves to the tournament organizers. Pression FC consists of the following players:
Hughes Wong (captain)
Oliver Lam
Gerome Cloridor
Gerald Cheung
Jason Ip
Mark Chung
Hockey Pitch FC is made up of the follow players:
Jeff Lai Sang (captain)
Keshav Dhayam
Lucas
Ahmed
Minh
Jeff Lai Sang is a former Tombeau Bay FC (TBFC) player, and seemingly he has left TBFC to found his own team. Reportedly the parting with TBFC has been amicable.
It would appear that these two teams have purposely not revealed information to their opponents' disadvantage. With their unknown players, these two little-known teams are the wildcards of the tournament.
Nothing to Lose: The Name says it All
They came to the last tournament with a team consisting of mismatched players and aptly named themselves, "Nothing to Lose". Unlike other teams, they had no high expectations of victory. They simply came to play for the love of the game, not having a care about winning or losing. Their only claim to fame is defeating Tombeau Bay FC 3 - 1 in a highly controversial match.
Finishing last with an unimpressive record, not many would dare to attend the tournament again. However, these men remain undaunted and are willing to stand toe-to-toe against the giants of the Champions Cup. They are willing to put their bodies on the line to test the mettle of these so-called champions.
With former captian Kenny "Cha Cha" How missing in action, Laurent Li has stepped up to take the reigns and lead Nothing to Lose. The team is made of the following players:
Laurent Li (captain)
Charles Li
Edouard Whan Kan
Nicolas Chung
Glen Sheo
Wallace Loo
Matthew Edwards
The team is almost unrecognizable as it has changed considerably. The only two original members are Laurent Li and Nicolas Chung. Notably Edouard Whan Kan is the veteran ex-Tombeau Bay FC goal-keeper who conceded the least number of goals in the Winter 2009 Tournament (equaled by Kenny Lam playing for The Replacements) and Glen Sheo captain of Sh*t Kickers, semi-finalists in the last tournament.
In the Spring 2009 Tournament, they come again with nothing to lose, but with such a considerable change in line up and the addition of experienced players, they not only have nothing to lose, but also everything to gain.
Finishing last with an unimpressive record, not many would dare to attend the tournament again. However, these men remain undaunted and are willing to stand toe-to-toe against the giants of the Champions Cup. They are willing to put their bodies on the line to test the mettle of these so-called champions.
With former captian Kenny "Cha Cha" How missing in action, Laurent Li has stepped up to take the reigns and lead Nothing to Lose. The team is made of the following players:
Laurent Li (captain)
Charles Li
Edouard Whan Kan
Nicolas Chung
Glen Sheo
Wallace Loo
Matthew Edwards
The team is almost unrecognizable as it has changed considerably. The only two original members are Laurent Li and Nicolas Chung. Notably Edouard Whan Kan is the veteran ex-Tombeau Bay FC goal-keeper who conceded the least number of goals in the Winter 2009 Tournament (equaled by Kenny Lam playing for The Replacements) and Glen Sheo captain of Sh*t Kickers, semi-finalists in the last tournament.
In the Spring 2009 Tournament, they come again with nothing to lose, but with such a considerable change in line up and the addition of experienced players, they not only have nothing to lose, but also everything to gain.
Camion Lichien: Every Dog has its Day
After emerging second from the qualifying round and defeating Sh*t Kickers 4 - 1 in the semi-final, Camion Lichien headed to the final against The Replacements who mercilessly knocked-out Tombeau Bay FC 6 - 1 in their semi-final match, and had so far been undefeated.
With tired and cramping players, and The Replacements still on the rampage, Camion Lichien put up a valiant fight against the undefeated giants but in the end, Camion Lichien could not stop The Replacements' onslaught. The Replacements was victorious 5 - 3 and Camion Lichien was left licking its wounds.
It was feared that Camion Lichien would not return in the Spring 2009 Tournament, however, they registered at the last minute. It seems they have returned with renewed motivation and some changes in the team. Christian Li has replaced Gary Wong as captain and their current line up is:
Christian Li (captain)
Gary Wong
Franklin Koon
Kevin Lau
Andy Goriah
David Ip
Andy Li
New captain Christian Li, who played in the Winter 2009 Tournament, has learned from past mistakes. With only six players in the team last tournament and a number of them cramping up in the all-important final match, Christian has expanded Camion Lichien to a seven man squad for the Spring 2009 Tournament. New additions to the team are Andy Goriah, David Ip, and ex-Tombeau Bay player Franklin Koon.
With an average age of 21 years, this team is likely the youngest team in the tournament, even younger than Club Maurice Underdogs (CMU). The team consists of players from Monash University and have a long standing rivalry with CMU players who originate from the University of Melbourne. The teams are not aptly named as so far Club Maurice Underdogs have defeated Camion Lichien in all of their encounters outside of the Champions Cup to date. However, Christian Li is not dismayed by their current record and says that their series of defeats actually gives Camion Lichien extra motivation against CMU in the Champions Cup. It may well be that the Champions Cup will be the beginning of a new era for the rivalry between Camion Lichien and CMU with Camion Lichien finally triumphant. Christian Li also acknowledges the rivalry with Tombeau Bay FC (TBFC) and notes that their match ended in a draw in the last tournament. TBFC captain Kenny "Fano" Fong has made it clear that he wants the draw settled and it seems like Christian Li's team will happily oblige him in the upcoming tournament.
Christian Li's aspiration for Camion Lichien in the Spring 2009 Tournament is to claw their way to the final again. He says that it will be a massive achievement to be in the final in two consecutive tournaments. He says winning the tournament will be difficult against teams like The Replacements, who outplayed everyone in the last tournament, and CMU, who have consistently defeated them in their past encounters. However, with an improved team, he remains hopeful.
It is said, "every dog has its day", will 28 November 2009 be Camion Lichien's day?
With tired and cramping players, and The Replacements still on the rampage, Camion Lichien put up a valiant fight against the undefeated giants but in the end, Camion Lichien could not stop The Replacements' onslaught. The Replacements was victorious 5 - 3 and Camion Lichien was left licking its wounds.
It was feared that Camion Lichien would not return in the Spring 2009 Tournament, however, they registered at the last minute. It seems they have returned with renewed motivation and some changes in the team. Christian Li has replaced Gary Wong as captain and their current line up is:
Christian Li (captain)
Gary Wong
Franklin Koon
Kevin Lau
Andy Goriah
David Ip
Andy Li
New captain Christian Li, who played in the Winter 2009 Tournament, has learned from past mistakes. With only six players in the team last tournament and a number of them cramping up in the all-important final match, Christian has expanded Camion Lichien to a seven man squad for the Spring 2009 Tournament. New additions to the team are Andy Goriah, David Ip, and ex-Tombeau Bay player Franklin Koon.
With an average age of 21 years, this team is likely the youngest team in the tournament, even younger than Club Maurice Underdogs (CMU). The team consists of players from Monash University and have a long standing rivalry with CMU players who originate from the University of Melbourne. The teams are not aptly named as so far Club Maurice Underdogs have defeated Camion Lichien in all of their encounters outside of the Champions Cup to date. However, Christian Li is not dismayed by their current record and says that their series of defeats actually gives Camion Lichien extra motivation against CMU in the Champions Cup. It may well be that the Champions Cup will be the beginning of a new era for the rivalry between Camion Lichien and CMU with Camion Lichien finally triumphant. Christian Li also acknowledges the rivalry with Tombeau Bay FC (TBFC) and notes that their match ended in a draw in the last tournament. TBFC captain Kenny "Fano" Fong has made it clear that he wants the draw settled and it seems like Christian Li's team will happily oblige him in the upcoming tournament.
Christian Li's aspiration for Camion Lichien in the Spring 2009 Tournament is to claw their way to the final again. He says that it will be a massive achievement to be in the final in two consecutive tournaments. He says winning the tournament will be difficult against teams like The Replacements, who outplayed everyone in the last tournament, and CMU, who have consistently defeated them in their past encounters. However, with an improved team, he remains hopeful.
It is said, "every dog has its day", will 28 November 2009 be Camion Lichien's day?
Monday, November 23, 2009
Tombeau Bay FC: Revenge of the Fallen
Although they made an admirable start and had success in the qualifying round, Tombeau Bay FC's (TBFC) last campaign ended in heartache and disappointment. In their first round qualifying match, TBFC were defeated by, eventual and current champions, The Replacements 2 - 1. TBFC then managed to rally themselves to defeat Not Quite Right (3 - 2) and Sh*t Kickers (3 - 1), and drew against Camion Lichien (1 - 1) in their subsequent games.
At the end of the qualifying round, after the dust settled, TBFC were placed fourth on the ladder, earning a place in the the semi-finals against The Replacements. TBFC narrowly missed qualifying third as Sh*t Kickers, with the same number of points, had one more "Goals For" than TBFC.
The Replacements showed neither signs of tiring or mercy as they crushed TBFC 6 - 1 and knocked them out of the semi-finals and tournament. Defeated, TBFC fell by the wayside as The Replacements moved on to clash against Camion Lichien to determine the winner of the Winter 2009 Champions Cup.
Unwilling to lay defeated, TBFC captain Kenny "Fano" Fong has resurrected his team to exact revenge on their assailants. Kenny Fong insists that TBFC's Spring 2009 campaign is not about winning the tournament; it is about paying back those who hurt them during the last tournament.
At the top of TBFC's hit list is The Replacements. Twice defeated by The Replacements, Kenny Fong is spurning TBFC on for victory against them. If The Replacements has kept its form from the last tournament, it will be a difficult task, but Kenny Fong has nothing but red hot determination in his eyes.
TBFC is also keeping an eye out for Camion Lichien. Unpleased with the neutrality of their draw against Camion Lichien, Kenny Fong says that TBFC has a score to settle against them. Notably Franklin Koon, an ex-TBFC player, is now reportedly playing for Camion Lichien. While there is no animosity, Kenny Fong says that playing against his former team mate will bring more excitement and spice things up against Camion Lichien.
TBFC's challenges are not empty as the captain has taken pains to reinforce his team. The new line up is as follows:
* Kenny "Fano" Fong (captain)
* Kim "Bad Boy #2" Young
* Anthony Koon
* Danny Young
* Alex Chong
* Nicolas "Teokon" Tao
* Bushan Sookhareea
Veteran player, Edouard Whan Kan, who solidified TBFC's defence as goal-keeper and conceded the least number of goals in the tournament (equaled by The Replacements' Kenny Lam in the same tournament) has departed the team to play for Nothing to Lose. Jeff Lai Sang has also moved on to found a new team in the tournament, Hockey Pitch FC. With founding members Kim "Bad Boy #2" Young and Anthony Koon returning, TBFC is strengthened with the addition of Alex Chong, Nicolas "Teokon" Tao, and Bushan Sookhareea.
With the fallen TBFC resurrected and infused with new blood, can they rise to the occasion and punish those who vanquished them in the last tournament?
At the end of the qualifying round, after the dust settled, TBFC were placed fourth on the ladder, earning a place in the the semi-finals against The Replacements. TBFC narrowly missed qualifying third as Sh*t Kickers, with the same number of points, had one more "Goals For" than TBFC.
The Replacements showed neither signs of tiring or mercy as they crushed TBFC 6 - 1 and knocked them out of the semi-finals and tournament. Defeated, TBFC fell by the wayside as The Replacements moved on to clash against Camion Lichien to determine the winner of the Winter 2009 Champions Cup.
Unwilling to lay defeated, TBFC captain Kenny "Fano" Fong has resurrected his team to exact revenge on their assailants. Kenny Fong insists that TBFC's Spring 2009 campaign is not about winning the tournament; it is about paying back those who hurt them during the last tournament.
At the top of TBFC's hit list is The Replacements. Twice defeated by The Replacements, Kenny Fong is spurning TBFC on for victory against them. If The Replacements has kept its form from the last tournament, it will be a difficult task, but Kenny Fong has nothing but red hot determination in his eyes.
TBFC is also keeping an eye out for Camion Lichien. Unpleased with the neutrality of their draw against Camion Lichien, Kenny Fong says that TBFC has a score to settle against them. Notably Franklin Koon, an ex-TBFC player, is now reportedly playing for Camion Lichien. While there is no animosity, Kenny Fong says that playing against his former team mate will bring more excitement and spice things up against Camion Lichien.
TBFC's challenges are not empty as the captain has taken pains to reinforce his team. The new line up is as follows:
* Kenny "Fano" Fong (captain)
* Kim "Bad Boy #2" Young
* Anthony Koon
* Danny Young
* Alex Chong
* Nicolas "Teokon" Tao
* Bushan Sookhareea
Veteran player, Edouard Whan Kan, who solidified TBFC's defence as goal-keeper and conceded the least number of goals in the tournament (equaled by The Replacements' Kenny Lam in the same tournament) has departed the team to play for Nothing to Lose. Jeff Lai Sang has also moved on to found a new team in the tournament, Hockey Pitch FC. With founding members Kim "Bad Boy #2" Young and Anthony Koon returning, TBFC is strengthened with the addition of Alex Chong, Nicolas "Teokon" Tao, and Bushan Sookhareea.
With the fallen TBFC resurrected and infused with new blood, can they rise to the occasion and punish those who vanquished them in the last tournament?
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Club Maurice Underdogs: A New Beginning
They refer to themselves as "underdogs", but newcomers to the Champions Cup Tournament, Club Maurice Underdogs (CMU), is composed of experienced players. They have been playing together since 2006 in various (outdoor) soccer leagues such as the Williams Bucks Soccer League and the Victorian Amateur League and have achieved much success. However, their participation in the Champions Cup marks their first attempt in a futsal tournament.
The team, led by goal-keeper Kenny Lam, is a young side with three-quarters of their players under 25 years of age. The team is made up of the following players:
Kenny Lam (captain and goal-keeper)
Kenny Choon
Teddy Choon
Mervyn Lam
Dean Lau
Gerald Wong
Ken Lo
Other teams would be remiss to underestimate CMU based solely on its players' age. Captain Kenny Lam states:
Kenny Lam is no stranger to the Champions Cup as he is the former goal-keeper of the current champions, The Replacements. In the last tournament, whilst playing for The Replacements, he performed admirably and only conceded 9 goals in the entire tournament (The Replacements played a total of 7 games). To date, this is the lowest number of goals conceded a Champions Cup tournament, a feat equaled in the same tournament by Tombeau Bay FC's goal-keeper, Edouard Whan Kan. However, Tombeau Bay FC only played 6 games in the tournament as they were defeated in the semi-finals by The Replacements. To put matters into perspective, the highest number of goals conceded in that tournament was 27 goals.
It is clear that Kenny Lam knows exactly what the level of competition in the tournament is and what it takes to emerge triumphant. It is also clear that he has the individual skills as a goal-keeper to provide a solid last man defence for his team.
Kenny Lam looks forward to challenging each and every team in the upcoming Spring 2009 Tournament, however, he is particularly looking forward to the clash against The Replacements as their captain, Jason Cheong, has stated that The Replacements is looking for fresh new challenges in this tournament.
His parting with The Replacements to lead CMU was amicable and he has obvious respect for his former team:
CMU is in high spirits, as their captain describes:
CMU states that they are not looking for an instant coronation, but with the runners-up of the Winter 2009 Tournament, Camion Lichien, missing in action, can this new young side provide The Replacements with the fresh new challenge they are calling for? One thing's for sure, CMU relishes their underdog status:
Will David bring down Goliath? Only the Champions Cup clash will tell.
The team, led by goal-keeper Kenny Lam, is a young side with three-quarters of their players under 25 years of age. The team is made up of the following players:
Kenny Lam (captain and goal-keeper)
Kenny Choon
Teddy Choon
Mervyn Lam
Dean Lau
Gerald Wong
Ken Lo
Other teams would be remiss to underestimate CMU based solely on its players' age. Captain Kenny Lam states:
One thing I can say is that the boys play with great maturity and I'm confident they will deliver a good performance during the tournament.
Kenny Lam is no stranger to the Champions Cup as he is the former goal-keeper of the current champions, The Replacements. In the last tournament, whilst playing for The Replacements, he performed admirably and only conceded 9 goals in the entire tournament (The Replacements played a total of 7 games). To date, this is the lowest number of goals conceded a Champions Cup tournament, a feat equaled in the same tournament by Tombeau Bay FC's goal-keeper, Edouard Whan Kan. However, Tombeau Bay FC only played 6 games in the tournament as they were defeated in the semi-finals by The Replacements. To put matters into perspective, the highest number of goals conceded in that tournament was 27 goals.
It is clear that Kenny Lam knows exactly what the level of competition in the tournament is and what it takes to emerge triumphant. It is also clear that he has the individual skills as a goal-keeper to provide a solid last man defence for his team.
Kenny Lam looks forward to challenging each and every team in the upcoming Spring 2009 Tournament, however, he is particularly looking forward to the clash against The Replacements as their captain, Jason Cheong, has stated that The Replacements is looking for fresh new challenges in this tournament.
His parting with The Replacements to lead CMU was amicable and he has obvious respect for his former team:
The Replacements are a really good team with decent players. They play good passing football.
CMU is in high spirits, as their captain describes:
The lads are in a really good mood, especially after a long and stressing period of university exams. The boys want to have fun and want new challenges before the next season of soccer begins. We are confident we can do well.
CMU states that they are not looking for an instant coronation, but with the runners-up of the Winter 2009 Tournament, Camion Lichien, missing in action, can this new young side provide The Replacements with the fresh new challenge they are calling for? One thing's for sure, CMU relishes their underdog status:
Life is never more fun than when you're the underdog competing against the giants!
Will David bring down Goliath? Only the Champions Cup clash will tell.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Lekip Gros Ventre: The Spirit of Football
Given their team name, Lekip Gros Ventre (LGV), newcomers to the Champions Cup Tournament, are obviously taking a fun approach to the competition. Team captain, Kenny Woo, says that he hand-picked players to bring back the spirit of Football Du Dimanche, the friendly Sunday football events in Brunswick in which many players (including those participating in the Champions Cup) had their debut in Mauritian football in Australia.
At the end of Football Du Dimanche, to which the Champions Cup Tournament can trace its origins, its members were disbanded and some chose to participate in other football-related events whilst some left their boots hanging to collect dust. Kenny Woo specifically chose some of the original members of Football Du Dimanche, in particular the older players who have not participated in football-related events for quite a while. These players are working class men who were scattered in offices throughout Melbourne, but they now have been united by LGV:
Kenny Woo (captain)
Kevin "Chinese Tiger" Leung
Patrice Hung
Didier Ng
Jean-Yann Ng
Jason Woo
Kristopher Choo
Kenny Woo jokes that the team name is derived from the "love handles" they have acquire since hanging up their boots. All of the LGV players are new to the Champions Cup, except for Kevin "Chinese Tiger" Leung. The Chinese Tiger formerly played for Nothing to Lose in the Winter 2009 Tournament of the Champions Cup in which Nothing to Lose had a dismal campaign and finished last. Their only saving grace was a 3-1 victory against Tombeau Bay FC in the qualifying round. There are rumours of Nothing to Lose participating in the Champions Cup again in this tournament, however, nothing has been confirmed yet.
It seems that LGV does not have any great aspirations for themselves in the tournament. Kenny Woo says that their aim is to minimize the number of fouls they receive. Surely they must have a hidden agenda to emerge as tournament champions behind their fun and friendly facade.
Just when they thought their football days were over and done with, the players of yester-year have been called once more. United as LGV, they are getting the dust off their boots and preparing themselves for a Champions Cup Tournament campaign. Can these big bellied men really bring back the spirit of Football Du Dimanche? Only the Spring 2009 Tournament will tell.
At the end of Football Du Dimanche, to which the Champions Cup Tournament can trace its origins, its members were disbanded and some chose to participate in other football-related events whilst some left their boots hanging to collect dust. Kenny Woo specifically chose some of the original members of Football Du Dimanche, in particular the older players who have not participated in football-related events for quite a while. These players are working class men who were scattered in offices throughout Melbourne, but they now have been united by LGV:
Kenny Woo (captain)
Kevin "Chinese Tiger" Leung
Patrice Hung
Didier Ng
Jean-Yann Ng
Jason Woo
Kristopher Choo
Kenny Woo jokes that the team name is derived from the "love handles" they have acquire since hanging up their boots. All of the LGV players are new to the Champions Cup, except for Kevin "Chinese Tiger" Leung. The Chinese Tiger formerly played for Nothing to Lose in the Winter 2009 Tournament of the Champions Cup in which Nothing to Lose had a dismal campaign and finished last. Their only saving grace was a 3-1 victory against Tombeau Bay FC in the qualifying round. There are rumours of Nothing to Lose participating in the Champions Cup again in this tournament, however, nothing has been confirmed yet.
It seems that LGV does not have any great aspirations for themselves in the tournament. Kenny Woo says that their aim is to minimize the number of fouls they receive. Surely they must have a hidden agenda to emerge as tournament champions behind their fun and friendly facade.
Just when they thought their football days were over and done with, the players of yester-year have been called once more. United as LGV, they are getting the dust off their boots and preparing themselves for a Champions Cup Tournament campaign. Can these big bellied men really bring back the spirit of Football Du Dimanche? Only the Spring 2009 Tournament will tell.
Friday, November 6, 2009
The Return of The Replacements
The Replacements, winner of the inaugural Champions Cup (Winter 2009 Tournament) and current reigning champions, have officially registered their attendance for the Spring 2009 Tournament. They are returning to not only defend their title, but are looking also to improve on their performance during the last tournament.
The Replacements had an extremely successful campaign last tournament and were undefeated in the entire tournament. The only game they did not win was a qualifying round match against Sh*t Kickers which they drew 1-1. They topped the qualifying round with 13 points and with Camion Lichien, the eventual runners-up of the Winter 2009 Tournament, trailing in second place with 10 points.
In the semi-finals, The Replacements faced Tombeau Bay FC. It was a deserving semi-finals match full of rivalry (Jason Cheong is originally from Tombeau Bay, Mauritius) which also pitted kin against kin. The Replacements team captain, Jason Cheong, and, rookie Michael Whan Kan, who are cousins, played against Tombeau Bay FC's veteran player, Edouard Whan Kan, their uncle. It seems the youngsters did not let familial relationships deter them as The Replacements comfortably defeated Tombeau Bay FC 6-1.
In the finals, The Replacements played against Camion Lichien, who defeated Sh*t Kickers 4-1 in the semi-finals to secure their place in the finals. The Replacements won the finals, and the Champions Cup Winter 2009 Tournament, by defeating Camion Lichien 5-3.
The Replacements Winter 2009 team was composed of the following players:
Jason Cheong (captain)
Nicholas Sin
Cameron Holmes
Dean Singh
Michael Whan Kan
Kenny Lam (goal-keeper)
In the upcoming Spring 2009 Tournament, The Replacements have registered a very familiar team, the only change being new goal-keeper, James Bush:
Jason Cheong (captain)
Nicholas Sin
Cameron Holmes
Dean Singh
Michael Whan
James Bush (goal-keeper)
The Replacements is determined to emerge triumphant in this tournament. Jason Cheong, the team captain, had this to say about The Replacements in the upcoming tournament:
The Replacements looks like a favourite to be champions once again this tournament, however, it's still early days. It's been 4 months since the last Champions Cup, and hopefully, the teams from the previous tournament have improved and are ready to rise to the challenge put forth by The Replacements. There has also been some new teams that have been invited to the tournament. At this point, there's no telling what the Spring 2009 Tournament will bring.
The Replacements, Winners of the Champions Cup Winter 2009 Tournament.
From left to right: Michael Whan Kan, Dean Singh, Cameron Holmes, Nicholas Sin, Jason Cheong, and Kenny Lam.
The Replacements had an extremely successful campaign last tournament and were undefeated in the entire tournament. The only game they did not win was a qualifying round match against Sh*t Kickers which they drew 1-1. They topped the qualifying round with 13 points and with Camion Lichien, the eventual runners-up of the Winter 2009 Tournament, trailing in second place with 10 points.
In the semi-finals, The Replacements faced Tombeau Bay FC. It was a deserving semi-finals match full of rivalry (Jason Cheong is originally from Tombeau Bay, Mauritius) which also pitted kin against kin. The Replacements team captain, Jason Cheong, and, rookie Michael Whan Kan, who are cousins, played against Tombeau Bay FC's veteran player, Edouard Whan Kan, their uncle. It seems the youngsters did not let familial relationships deter them as The Replacements comfortably defeated Tombeau Bay FC 6-1.
In the finals, The Replacements played against Camion Lichien, who defeated Sh*t Kickers 4-1 in the semi-finals to secure their place in the finals. The Replacements won the finals, and the Champions Cup Winter 2009 Tournament, by defeating Camion Lichien 5-3.
The Replacements Winter 2009 team was composed of the following players:
Jason Cheong (captain)
Nicholas Sin
Cameron Holmes
Dean Singh
Michael Whan Kan
Kenny Lam (goal-keeper)
In the upcoming Spring 2009 Tournament, The Replacements have registered a very familiar team, the only change being new goal-keeper, James Bush:
Jason Cheong (captain)
Nicholas Sin
Cameron Holmes
Dean Singh
Michael Whan
James Bush (goal-keeper)
The Replacements is determined to emerge triumphant in this tournament. Jason Cheong, the team captain, had this to say about The Replacements in the upcoming tournament:
"The Replacements is back again this season and is hoping for some fresh new challenges and hoping the previous teams have been able to strengthen their sides. We are going all in with no mercy this time!"
The Replacements looks like a favourite to be champions once again this tournament, however, it's still early days. It's been 4 months since the last Champions Cup, and hopefully, the teams from the previous tournament have improved and are ready to rise to the challenge put forth by The Replacements. There has also been some new teams that have been invited to the tournament. At this point, there's no telling what the Spring 2009 Tournament will bring.
The Replacements, Winners of the Champions Cup Winter 2009 Tournament.
From left to right: Michael Whan Kan, Dean Singh, Cameron Holmes, Nicholas Sin, Jason Cheong, and Kenny Lam.
Champions Cup: Spring 2009 Tournament
Given the success of the last tournament and the requests, we are planning another Champions Cup. The event details are as follows:
Tournament details
Champions Cup: Spring 2009 Tournament
5-a-side futsal tournament
Sat 28 Nov 2009
1000-1500
Important dates
Fri 13/11/2009: Team registration deadline
Wed 18/11/2009: Team payment deadline
Team Registration
To register your team, please send an email at championscuptournament@gmail.com with the following details:
* Team name
* Captain
* Number of players
* Names of players
* Captain's contact details
Team size
Minimum: 5 players
Maximum: 7 players
Team Cost
$100 per team. All payments must be made before the tournament begins.
Tournament Format
The tournament format will be the same as the last tournament:
1. Qualifying round - a single round robin competition. Every team will play every other team. Each match will be 10 minutes in duration without any breaks (i.e. no half-time). The top four teams will then proceed to the elimination round.
2. Elimnation round - a knock-out competition. There will be two semi-finals in which the first ranked team (from the qualifying round) will play the fourth ranked team and the second ranked team will play the third ranked team. The two winners will then proceed to the finals.
Tournament Rules
Tournament rules will be the same as the previous tournament. Please refer to the website (see below) for the rules.
Referees
In order to keep the cost of the tournament low, we have decided that every team will need to provide referees for some games. The referees can be one of the players and they will not referee any of their team's matches.
Champions Cup Website
http://championscuptournament.blogspot.com/
Please monitor the website for updates.
Enquiries
Please send all enquiries to:
championscuptournament@gmail.com
Tournament details
Champions Cup: Spring 2009 Tournament
5-a-side futsal tournament
Sat 28 Nov 2009
1000-1500
Important dates
Fri 13/11/2009: Team registration deadline
Wed 18/11/2009: Team payment deadline
Team Registration
To register your team, please send an email at championscuptournament@gmail.com with the following details:
* Team name
* Captain
* Number of players
* Names of players
* Captain's contact details
Team size
Minimum: 5 players
Maximum: 7 players
Team Cost
$100 per team. All payments must be made before the tournament begins.
Tournament Format
The tournament format will be the same as the last tournament:
1. Qualifying round - a single round robin competition. Every team will play every other team. Each match will be 10 minutes in duration without any breaks (i.e. no half-time). The top four teams will then proceed to the elimination round.
2. Elimnation round - a knock-out competition. There will be two semi-finals in which the first ranked team (from the qualifying round) will play the fourth ranked team and the second ranked team will play the third ranked team. The two winners will then proceed to the finals.
Tournament Rules
Tournament rules will be the same as the previous tournament. Please refer to the website (see below) for the rules.
Referees
In order to keep the cost of the tournament low, we have decided that every team will need to provide referees for some games. The referees can be one of the players and they will not referee any of their team's matches.
Champions Cup Website
http://championscuptournament.blogspot.com/
Please monitor the website for updates.
Enquiries
Please send all enquiries to:
championscuptournament@gmail.com
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