The new Australian Championship kicks off this weekend

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Australian shot enters a caller era, with the caller nationalist league opening its doors this weekend, bringing 16 teams from crossed the state into a tournament inspired by the aged Champions League format.

Organised by Football Australia, the caller nationalist league fills the spread betwixt state championships and the A-League, giving historical clubs the accidental to radiance again connected a nationalist stage. And among the 16 elite participants, three Greek teams – Heidelberg United’s Megalos Alexandros, South Melbourne Hellas, and Sydney Olympic – bring the Greek Australian occurrence to the centre of attention.

The caller nationalist league isn’t conscionable different tournament – it’s a span to the past, reminiscent of the aureate days of the aged National Soccer League (NSL), when Greek teams similar South Melbourne and Heidelberg dominated the fields and filled stands with thousands of fans. Featuring 16 teams divided into 4 groups, the league will beryllium played successful a knockout format, with six rounds determining the champion by precocious November. Every lucifer is simply a last successful itself, with games broadcast unrecorded connected SBS, bringing shot backmost to the bosom of nationalist television.

The curtain rises connected Friday 10 October with a blockbuster clash: South Melbourne versus Sydney Olympic astatine Lakeside Stadium, successful a derby loaded with history.

On Sunday 12 October, Alexandros hosts Marconi Stallions astatine Olympic Park astatine 1pm, successful a lucifer expected to turn into a celebration.

The “yellow-blacks” travel disconnected a wild season, where, under John Anastasiadis’s guidance, they reached the finals of each contention they entered. It was a year that made history, with players similar Max Bisetto and Bul Juach starring, and a roster showing extent and quality. Now, successful Group B of the caller nationalist league alongside Marconi, South Hobart, and Wollongong Wolves, Alexandros sees the tournament arsenic a accidental to reconnect with the community.

Heidelberg United president Steve Tsalikidis spoke to Neos Kosmos astir the value of the club’s participation.

“As Heidelberg United, we’ve ever been peculiarly passionate astir creating a 2nd nationalist division. We whitethorn not ever hold with the developments successful football, but that doesn’t mean we don’t want to support this caller initiative,” helium said.

“The players, the coaching staff, and everyone successful the nine are looking guardant to taking portion successful these matches. The archetypal crippled against Marconi will take the signifier of an unofficial solemnisation for the magnificent play we conscionable enactment down us. You know, we managed to scope the finals of each contention we entered. That’s nary small feat.

“I telephone connected everyone to travel to our stadium connected Sunday astatine 1pm to watch the lucifer against Marconi Stallions, to spot aged friends, devour and drink, and observe with us the adjacent of a tremendous season.”

From a competitory standpoint, Tsalikidis doesn’t fell the challenges.

“Competitively, the caller nationalist league will beryllium a very tough competition. Our players are peculiarly worn retired from the immense play they conscionable enactment down them, and they’ll request to marque a large effort to look competitive. Can we win it? I won’t accidental that. What I cognize is that our coach, John Anastasiadis, his team, and the players look excited and acceptable to fight.”

And indeed, Anastasiadis, a fable successful Greek shot successful Australia, sees the tournament arsenic an accidental to amusement the value of his roster. With players similar Bul Juach, who scored stunning goals past season, and defenders similar Collins, Heidelberg arrives connected the caller nationalist shot stage caller and determined.

The lucifer with Marconi is expected to turn into a celebration. Tsalikidis called connected each fans to capable Olympic Park, not conscionable to watch football, but to observe the Greek community.

“The caller nationalist league is yet different way for fans to link with the team. There are galore shot friends and Alexandros supporters who can’t be games owed to the clip of year they’re held,” helium said.

“Now, with these matches taking spot successful spring and summer, it gives them the accidental to reconnect with the club. It’s very important for our nine to find caller ways to link with our community.

“I telephone connected everyone to travel to the stadium connected Sunday, stand by the players, take photos with them, link with different assemblage members, and person a large time alongside the large Alexandros.”

Meanwhile successful Group A, the derby of South Melbourne versus Sydney Olympic connected Friday astatine Lakeside Stadium is the lucifer everyone’s waiting for. South Melbourne’s “blues,” with a past afloat of titles and thousands of fans successful the diaspora, participate the caller league with grit and enthusiasm.

Coach Sinisa Cohadzic spoke of a “new chapter” successful Australian shot and focused connected the large derby betwixt his team and Sydney Olympic.

“It’s a shot rivalry that goes backmost galore years. There’s nary amended way to start this caller league, which brings a caller epoch to Australian football. A caller large section opens for the sport,” helium said.

With the curtain rising this weekend, the Australian Championship isn’t conscionable different shot tournament – it’s a solemnisation for the community, a accidental to reconnect with our roots and our emotion for the king of sports.