The World Game with Stefan MaukThe World Game with Stefan Mauk - 20 February 2025
From the A-Leagues to the EPL, Adelaide United star Stefan Mauk brings you the latest results, news and analysis from the World Game.
This is the World Game with Stephen Moore thanks to Football Essay bringing South Australian communities together.
Yes, good evening, great have you with us once again here on the World Game, of course, Stephen Mark alongside myself Saam tuddwell all thanks to Southern Cherry move Vale. They've got a six thousand dollar bonus if you drab yourself in the motor eighty five at Southern Cherry for Cherry Sick and Australian Anniversary. Great views of course, down man Stephan.
Good evening, Yes, good evening and always happy to be on. I'm very disappointed with our result last week and it's a little bit of not pie in my face, but I guess I did say Newcastle, you know, we should be beating them, but they did have a good result against Victory, so we've got to be careful and you know what, we obviously weren't careful enough because we in hindsight, you know what we actually played al right. I think we played better this game than against Melbourne City. Melbourne City we won one nil, we had one chance, took it.
Defended really well this game.
I think we had twenty six shots, sixty two percent possession, but you know what, it means absolutely zero if you don't score more goals in the opposition.
It's an extraordinary game sometimes, isn't it like that? And your goalmind to you, was very very good. That's the only goal we were able to get. Yeah, mate, I'll text you during the week. The control of foot just to bring it to a position where you could just belt it into the corner, mate, exquisite stuff.
Yeah it was. It was not bad.
I think the only issue was I should have scored another couple in the second half. So it was one of those ones where when you score, like it's so hard as a player like I was individually, you know, you're like, yes, I'm glad I scored, But then all you're thinking about all night is we've lost.
There, We've dropped points on Auckland, and I should have scored a few more. Like it's human nature. You always want more.
You're never just happy with scoring one goal when you could score more, and especially when you lose.
I'd take scoring zero goals if it meant we got the three points. So seam game, it's just it is what it is.
You know what, we have to kind of dust ourself off. We've got Western United away this Sunday at five pm Melbourne time, which will be four thirty here, and that's a massive game. And then we fly to Auckland for the following weekend. So these two games we need to catch up points on Auckland. They play Wellington in the New Zealand Derby that el Classico. I think they're dubbing it over there, the New Zealand Classico.
So we need to win.
We need Auckland to drop points and that's all we can keep doing from now to the end of the season.
Yep, you got to catch up. So an important time for our Adelaide United side. And of course all thanks to our friends at City Discount Tires put Outlay. We've got tickets to give away.
We will do that right now.
Actually eight double two to three, double o double five if you want them. We've got tickets that next home game here at Cooper Stadium. So all thanks to our friends City Discount Tires put Adelaid where you get the best advice, price and mechanical with tires and Mechanical there they do a brilliant job. So call in our first caller through can win the tickets. We've got a great show tonight, Stephan. In regards to our local leagues, we'll get to the Champions League and stuff a little bit later on, but we do want to hone in on what our grassroots in South Australia is looking like. Of course, the Football Say n PL begins tomorrow, so it's all off with a bang, with the Grand Final rematch on Friday night.
It is it's I think a lot of sports do that, don't They The Grand Final rematch first up, which is awesome, although sometimes the following year one of the Grand Final teams is sometimes both are terrible and they're not actually the best teams that year, but you just assume they're going to be let's hope for both our guest sake. Actually, we do have the coaches from both teams on Let's hope they are both up there, which I'm pretty confident they will be because they've kept majority of the same squads.
They've added a few extra players both of them.
So I think they'll both be quite successful and pushing for that top spot. And we do actually have the launch of the season tomorrow in the day which I've been invited to Football Say and massive supporters of this this show and we're going to the new Cooper's Brewery, which I think is pretty exciting for a lot of the people going.
I drive past it every day to training.
In Regency Park. It looks immaculate the grass. I remember when it was first getting done.
I was like, well, what's actually going on here?
Because the land this unbelievable grass and I'm like it does it looked like a brewery and I was like, what's going on here? Makes sense that obviously you know function there. You can go there for it for a meal I think it is, and obviously a few drinks. So I'm excited to go and check that brewery out, see what it's like, and probably mingle with all the other people in football in South Australia and then leading onto the game seven thirty tomorrow night Campbelltown be Metro Stars Grand Final rematch, as.
You said, which is really exciting. And then you've got Saturday, You've got the rest of.
The games at three pm two thirty pm, six pm is the later one Raiders of the Adelaide United, the Adelaide United youth team. But it's going to be a stinking hot day thirty five degrees. Let's see how fit these boys are in pre season, they've tested out.
Now'll sweat it allow and then of course Sunday Adelaide City White City the final game of the opening round. But it's a big season, twenty two weeks through the winter, so it does start to build up soon, so they'll get out.
Of the heat.
But it is sort of that start of the year in February you will get those stinkers every night.
And the funny thing is actually that a lot of people for the A League for example, have said we need to be, you know, potentially lining up with Asia, which is actually funny because now Japan's going to line up with Europe and be the same with us. But that's the problem you get if you line up with Asia. They're all starting about now. I think Japan and Career both started last week. Obviously, if you started this week like our local boys, you're still getting summer. Australia's too hot for too many months of the year, so either way you're going to get destroyed with games. And they wouldn't have expected probably to have thirty five degrees in late February early March, but that's the way it is. You can't predict everything. But I'm excited for this this upcoming season. There's been a few big names coming back. George Blackwood, x Adelaide United player, it's been overseas. He's now signed with the Color so they've been promoted. It's a big signing.
Mod bridgets have probably dropped.
Off a few a few places than they were expecting to last season. But Giorgio Dougherty, who was a good friend and someone that's been in the A League set up. He did play for them last year, but he was injured quite a lot, so now he's back fully fit. Quabin at a Pia from Campbelltown, he's an ex A League player with Western Sydney Wellington. He's been all over the place in Asia he's come into the league.
So there's a lot of Bruce.
Kamal Sorry a big one that I missed, my ex teammate from Adelaide United championship winner. He played for Adelaide City with me as a junior. He's now gone back and signed for Adelaide City. So you've actually got a lot of A league experience coming into the sides, which I think is only going to raise the standard. And you do have the second division, the Australian Championship on the line. The winner of the league qualifies for that tournament which will be held at the end of the season around robin competition which hopefully is going to be next year twenty twenty six, a full home and away season. How they decide that is obviously whether teams can afford to go in, but lots to play for this year a massive season and we should probably get the guests in now, shouldn't we.
Yeah, absolutely so, let's exactly do that. So of course a big show coming up in regards to MPL action and our next guest Stefan is going to be very heavily involved this year.
Yes.
Dan Mullin a very famous name in Australian football, South Australian football specifically, and even more so at Campbelltown. His dad Joe was a coach. Dan's now following in his footsteps. We've got you on the line to talk about your upcoming season. How's everything been going? Obviously a big transition from being a player to a coach. Are you enjoying it so far and you're ready to go for tomorrow night?
Yeah?
Thanks for having me guys. Yeah, it's been thoroughly enjoyable so far. It's it's something that I've I've been looking forward to probably for the last five six years now, knowing that I was one day going to transition into into coaching. I've I've been pretty fortunate that I've I've landed almost a dream job, I suppose, you know, with my first first head coach role at Campbelltown. The team that has been quite successful, but also you know, a team that I know really well too in terms of strengths and weaknesses and you know, the diferent types of personalities and characteristics. And like I said, it's been it's been really enjoyable. I've enjoyed the preseason, which is not something that you normally hear from a player. It's been it's been a lot less running, however, there's been a lot of time and you know, and planning that's gone into into the many weeks that we've had. And yeah, we're really looking forward tomorrow night. It's going to be a it's going to be a big game, hopefully a big crowd and hopefully we can start off the season.
Well.
Yeah, is is there anything that's kind of come up by a surprise that you know when you're a player. Obviously you're preparing for your your games individually. You obviously talk with the other players, you talk about tactics, but it's completely different. Is there been anything that's come up that you thought, I didn't even think about this now that you're the coach, and you're like, all right, I feel bad for judging some of my coaches in the past.
Yeah, injuries. Injuries is the one thing that you don't really I mean, it's something that to an extent, it's out of your control. I mean, obviously, you you try your best, and you know, you get the expertise, you know, the strength and conditioning coaches, and you try and plan, you know, a pre season based on periodization and you know, progressive overload and incorporating sprints into.
It and all of that.
But at the end of the day, some some injuries you just can't control. And when that happens, that that can be quite frustrating because you know, most people have played, you know, the the fee for manager games, and you're always you're always putting your best team down and you're, okay, let's work on our best team at training. And what I've found is, you know, ninety nine percent of the time, you don't have that you know, sort of starting eleven that you anticipated right from the start, and with that it's you know, you get some benefits there. You get to see some nice surprises and players that you didn't think were you know, probably going to be there or thereabouts that they end up they end up surprising you, and you get a little bit frustrated as well, because you know that there's some players that probably could be doing a little bit better, but unfortunately they've you know, they've started an injury in pre season and you know they've had a bit of a setback. So that's the number one thing for me that's been a little bit a bit frustrating.
Yeah, I guess that's I guess when you're the player, you're only worried about one injury, and that's an injury to yourself.
If any of your teammates get injured, it's kind of.
Like, oh, well, that's unfortunate for him, but you're not really too too fussed about it. Well, going into this season now, obviously, as you spoke about, you've kind of taken over. You would maybe say it's the one team you probably would want because of the success and the constant success this team has had, and you've probably kept the same group around a few signings that have come in. But have you tried to change much? Obviously, you know you've seen coaches before where they've come in. I'm just thinking off the top of my head, Steve Coriker takes over from Grant Arnold and he doesn't change too much. They go on to be successful, where you've had maybe some other coaches, they take over a successful team and they try and change a lot to kind of put their stamp on it. What have you tried to be like, I know you don't want to give too much away before before the game, but you know, have you tried to change a lot of You've really just tried to keep doing what was working well for.
The last few seasons.
Yeah, like you said, it's you don't want to give too much away, But at the same time, it's where we're at a at a level here where it's as semi professional. We train three times a week, four times a week sometimes in the preseason. The boys have you know, full time jobs. So you can have an idea of, you know, the the ultimate way that you sort of want to play and set up a team. But at the end of the day, you know, you don't have the time or the resources to implement exactly what you do want, and sometimes you do have to sort of go back to basics a little and say, well, what does work at this level? You know, I know that if a team is fit, they have good plays, and they're fit, and they've got a great mentality and adude, you're probably ninety percent there, and that sort of for me is something that goes under the radar. It's something that we sort of don't prioritize at all levels.
Of the game.
You know, how can we get a team super fit, super keen, you know, and super aggressive and have that want to really win and play for each other. So we've been sort of prioritizing and emphasizing those those points in the pre season. And then you know, there's the old saying as well, if it's not broke, you know, why try and fix it. So, like you say, we have been relatively successful over the last ten years, so a lot of what you do see will we'll probably look quite similar. However, there definitely are a few things that we are looking to change as well.
Yeah, no, it's very true.
Obviously, you know, you can have all the ideas in your head, but if you can't implement them because of time or the players, not not that they're not buying in, but they're not able to understand it in that short space, then you know you look like a poor coach because they're not executing what you want. But reality is, you don't have seven days a week, and the analyst, the two assistant coaches like what we've got at a professional level, So it's about winning and whatever you can do to win. And the last couple I've got for you before you go, is there anyone that stood out for you?
Obviously you've played with them, so it's a little bit different.
But is there anyone now that you're on the other side of it that's really stood out in pre season that you think, you know what, this person's a top player. Love, I really love coaching him.
Oh I'm not just saying this because I'm now the coach, but I really am fortunate to be involved in a group where we've got some very very high quality players, not some you know, pretty much the whole squad. We've got a big twenty man squad. The whole squad are very talented. But the best thing about him is they serve this one and will and desire to succeed. We've got a nice mix of young players who still want to be professionals, and we've got also the experienced players who they don't want to be professionals, but they have this winning mentality and they're they're, you know, excellent role models for for some of those young boys. So you know, we've got quivin Apia so CABSI. I I played with him at Western Sydney Wanderers. You know, we won the Champions League together. He's he's come across. He's a new signing for us. You know, someone like Josh Murray, who I believe were you at Allaide when he came across.
I think I had just left to go to Japan just as he came in. I'm pretty sure, Okay.
So you know we've had Andrew Young one of our assistant coaches. He's been a sports scientist sober in the English Premier League with Fulham and Blackburn and Soccer US Ali United La Crows. We've had GPS high rate monitors all the way through pre season and some of the numbers that Josh Murray producers. In Young's words, is his elite levels, its English Premier League level, So we're just trying to play that utilizes some of those weapons. You know, his repeat sprints and then and recovery. You know, he's able to do it for ninety minutes and someone like him, if we can get him confident and firing, he's going to be hopefully pretty special for us this season.
Yeah, that sounds great. I think you guys are are obviously one of the favorites. Again, we wish you all the best for you personally and for the team. Big game against Metro Stars, your home game, Big one first up, and I'm sure we'll speak to you throughout the season.
Yeah, thanks MARKI thanks having me guys, and I'm sure we speak soon.
Dan Mellon, the coach of the Campbelltown City side for twenty twenty five, will wish them the best of luck. On the other side, we'll cross over to Metro Stars and chat with their coach Jenny Graystone. This is the World Game.
This is the World Game with Stephen mork thanks to Football ESA bringing South Australian communities together.
Welcome back to the World Game. We're talking in pl and before the break, we spoke to Campbelltown City and let's crossover to Metro Stars stifferent.
We have Danny Graystone from Metro Stars the head coach. He's coming up against the other guest, Dan Mullen. So it's not that they're obviously he's going to hopefully be listening in because they'll be training at the time, but they're going up against each other, obviously the finalist from last year.
Thanks for joining us, Dunny. Good again, how are you really really well? How are you going? How has the preseason been?
Obviously you've been in the job now for quite a few years, had quite a lot of success.
Last year, slipped up right.
In the final, but you know, I guess, you know, champions of the league, which in my eyes is more more challenging and more important, but in Australia that's not how it's decided.
So what have you tried to I guess.
Probably implement this preseason to make sure that your champions come into this year.
Yeah, look, we've obviously, when it comes down to one game at the end of the season, you know, that's just all that is what it is. It's a cup final and anything can happen. But I think we've kind of had a lot look at our strength of our squad sort of going into them key periods of the season. Also bearing in mind, look, if we do finish the top this year, you're going into sort of what I think is probably the longest season in the history of football anywhere in the world, when you're then also going on the national stage with the new championship as well. So we've really looked at, you know, adding a little bit of strength and depth to the squad, which isn't easier at MPO level level, as you can imagine, because everyone wants to play first thing. But we think we've done that. I think we've got the right players in. We've got some real good mix of experience and quality. We've done a lot of due diligence in our recruitment this year, which you know is probably just sort of let down a little bit in them sort of towards the ladder end of the season where you really need them players to come on and step up and be ready to sort of compete at the highest level in the toughest game. So look, we're feeling good. We've got a good squad together, a real good group of lads, real good dynamic within there. And look they're hungry as well, which is always good to see as a coach when you're getting out on the track.
Yeah.
No, most definitely.
And you spoke about that the Australian the Championship that's recently been announced. Is that something that for you as a club, you're you know, you're more excited about than you know, not saying that you don't want to win the league normally, but you know, because there is that carrot there that's dangling over the heads for the boys to kind of go onto the national stage, I think it's more important than the Australia Cup. Is that something that you've really been focusing on in this preseason?
Look, not not really. I'm sort of obviously you can tell I'm English, So I come from that that place of you know, I do believe the league exists there for a reason. You look, it takes a very very different team to sort of win that competition over over the course of the season, and it does just to turn up in the final series and put on that from together a couple of performance, I think, as we've seen over the last few years. So I've always gone into every season, you know, Look, the only way I can sort of demand sort of consistency in training sessions through this very long fifteen week preseason leading and throughout the season and to sort of build that consistencies. We want to finish top, you know, and our gauge of that consistency is being at the top of the lad at the end of the year, and then we sort of obviously go into whatever competition that takes us into looking to sort of build on that consistency. But look, the reward of the championship is going to be a great reward for us, you know. I think you know, in reflection, it's probably put in sort of a lot of stress on sort of semi professional footballers to go into a thirty month long season. I feel there's a few question marks over that, particularly of the decent, decent run in the Australia Cup. It's look, it's going to be a whole lot hard to challenge on all fronts with the players who work all day as well.
So that's why.
You know, got a bit more this year. Look, we want to go. Look, I think our focus is to get back on the national stage, whether that be through the Australia Cup, which I think is a fantastic standalone, to be honest in itself, it's been a bresh of press of fresh air more in this community and it's going to be interesting to see what the championship does look like and the sort of you know, the feel around that as well. So anyway we can get back on that national stage, we want to do it.
Yeah, no, exactly right, didn't And you're up against Campbelltown City. They have a new coaching in Dan Mullen. Are you expecting a lot different from them? I don't know obviously exactly how the scouting works in the local MPO for pre season, But do you go and watch their preseason fixtures?
Do you kind of try and get videos of their games, or you know, you just worry about yourselves? How does it actually work for you?
Both both ways? Step and look, we do we obviously have that focus on ourselves and being at our best come round one. But you know, don't ignore the fact that we've got to do our scouting and we've got to go to them processes. So look, we have video footage, We've got a good idea, good indication how they're going to set up a small towns. There's not many secrets kept in terms of or masons and players on the pitch, but look, you know, we we go into a lot of detail with it. I've gone through about three or four games for the last couple of weeks just to build up to that. And you know, with with Daniel, you know, I wish Daniel or the best coachings not easy. It's it's a very different landscape to playing. But I think with Daniel making that transition, you look, we've got a lot of respect to Campbell Town their players and Daniel as a player, and you know, I think he'll go. You know, it's a little bit different preparing for a different coach who might bring a sort of different tactical setup. So look, we're expecting his transition playing into coaching to be very very sort of similar in the way they shape up and pactically set up, so we're not expecting too many supplies. Is obviously there's some new spaces in there that we've We've done our sort of due diligence on them as well, and we know how they're going to play. So we're well as prepared as we can be. But Round one is the round of chaos. Who knows what happens in US at twenty thirty minutes. But look, we're just looking at controlling everything that we can be sort of our control.
Yeah, no, no, exactly right, and I would say that you're very happy after I'm not sure if you even looked at it, but the weather forecast I know for Saturday is thirty five, so you don't want to be playing in the middle of the day. Fortunate for you, guys, you've got the Friday night game Campbelltown be Metro Stars seven thirty and then the following Friday you've got Adelaide City. So it's a tough start to the season, but you know what's better to play the best teams at the start of the season and see how you matched up. So we wish you all the best. I'm sure we'll have you on throughout the season as well. When good luck with with everything. Fingers crossed that you can compete in all three competitions, because yeah, Metros Dos have been a very strong club for the last few years, and you're obviously doing personally lot right at the club, but the club itself is obviously doing a lot right as well.
Absolutely, thanks guys, and thanks for having me on.
Great to speak to Danny Greystone there. So as we're just about out of time for tonight's show, we do want to chat about some stuff around the world. What's happening in the Champions League before we disappear.
Yes, very very exciting few mornings and some big results. PSG this morning absolutely smashed Breast seven nil to go through ten nil on aggregate. PSV a big shock to Juventus. The Italian teams are really.
Struggling, which is a bit of a surprise.
I'm not sure if the Italian league is dropped off or whether the Dutch teams are kind of getting stronger, because it's interesting to.
Have Fine not and PSV through.
And you have no Italian teams getting through from that stage overnight, but into the next round buying Munich as well or through, and I think it's going to be a very exciting next round, with obviously the draw taking place, which we spoke about on previous shows of them doing consistent and then lastly before we wrap it up, a very good result in the Premier League with Austin Villa drawing with Liverpool which means Liverpool dropped points. My Arsenal boys are flying. It's going to be a tight race all the way to the end, and yeah, it just shows how tight the league will be. Austin Villa, a great side in Liverpool, probably struggling a little bit more than they have in the past, but yeah, massive games to end the season, Champions League, Premier League, all the leagues in Europe.
It's very exciting.
So that's all we've got time for though, isn't it. Because we didn't we had some great discussions with the coaches. I hope you enjoyed our NPLSA content. Next week we will talk about the women's league as well, So thanks everyone for joining in.
The excellent work stuff and back next Thursday night. Get out and support your local leagues over the weekend. We'll catch it next Thursday.
