Plan afoot for men's tournament

Teo Pellizzeri

June 10 2008

Shepparton News

Representation from men will be an integral part of sustaining the Victorian Country Championships with an age-restricted format to be tabled for future tournaments.

However, Shepparton has had its opportunity to host a country tournament closed until 2011.

Football Federation Victoria Country chairman Ken Steel said yesterday his administration wanted to put men's football back on the representative calendar to retain this year's top-age junior players.

Under-21 and under-23 formats will be tabled to Victoria's country associations, with the aim of bringing men's competition as an extension of the existing older boys' championships.

Tagging a senior age group onto the under-14, 15, 16 and under-18 championships to be held in Gippsland next year will be the aim, with adding it to the women's and girls' country championships a possibility.

Steel said while senior men had failed to bring crowds to past country championships, the value it offered older age players could no longer be neglected.

``There has to be somewhere for players to go after under-18s,'' Steel said.

``We've put the idea forward to our member associations and we hope they will take up the offer.''

Steel said no clear favourite had yet emerged for preference on the age of a men's team.

North Eastern Soccer League secretary Sam Saracino said his association would support a men's division returning to the representative program.

The women's and girls' country championships hosted in Shepparton at the weekend will be played in either Bendigo or Swan Hill next year.

After Bendigo backed out of hosting this year's event, Shepparton picked up the tournament and hosted for a consecutive year.

Shepparton will get the chance to host one of the boys' country championships in 2011, but a rotation system will see it sit out for two years.

The under-11, 12 and 13 boys' country championships will be held in Ballarat at the end of this month.