After an amazing season, let's here from the team themselves......Leichhardt Tigers O/35 Division 1A. Will they be back for a repeat in 2016?......
Why keep playing football when you are over 35? Well, it may be true that your formative football years are behind you; you may not be as fast; the knocks hurt more; it takes longer to recover; and it’s hard to find the time with work and family commitments. However, the O/35 Leichhardt Tigers (Division 1A) don’t need any convincing to keep playing. Tigers have collected every piece of silverware up for grabs this year, winning the CDSFA minor premiership and Grand Final, the State Cup, and they completed the trifecta with the Champion of Champions trophy at season’s end. The team hasn’t lost a game in any of their thirty (30) outings this year.
At the core, Tigers are a bunch of good mates. There is no single player in the team who has not played with another at some stage in their footballing lives. Sure they might be headed up by the Little General formally of Sydney FC, Gianpaolo “Johnny” Buonavoglia. Sure they might have a litany of familiar names from the NSL and State League including Ralph Bove, Sammy La Rocca, Carlos Gonzales, Anthony Triest, Daniel Uchhino and Robbie Pirecca. But what has made this team successful is the bond they share, the desire to work for each other and the drive to still achieve something in football even though their bodies “ain’t what they used to be”.
The first piece of silverware was collected in July when Tigers entertained at the home of Football NSW, Valentine Sports Park, with an emphatic 7-2 victory over Como-West Jannali. Based on the score line one might be excused for thinking that Como weren’t worthy finalists. However, when you consider that Como have played in six (6) consecutive finals across various competitions in recent times, this clearly was not the case.
The regular CDSFA season provided Tigers with the perfect preparation for the state-wide competitions. Despite disposing of Hurlstone Park 8-0 during the season the Tiger’s bogey team showed courage and class in the Grand Final which was played at Tiger heartland, Lambert Park. Hurlstone Park led the Grand Final at various points in the game but Tigers claimed the draw to force the game into extra time. Tigers were eventual winners in a nail biting 5-4 on penalties. The closeness of the match only goes to show the strength of the Canterbury & Districts’ football.
In the semi-final of the Champion of Champions, Tigers were presented with a mammoth challenge against Glenwood FC whose team card included a string of former Socceroos with Tony Popovic, Zelko Kalac, Steve Corica and Alex Tobin. Despite the big names and expensive price tag, Tigers recovered from an early goal against them to claim an emphatic 5-1 victory at Arlington Oval, the spiritual home of the CDSFA.
This set the stage for the Champion of Champions final – the opposition being Narrabeen FC. Narrabeen were newcomers to the O/35s competition and made light work of Wakehurst, last year’s Champion of Champion winners, as part of their regular season. Narrabeen were well organised and balanced across the park. Tigers had a mountain of possession but were unable to convert. On occasions counter attacks from Narrabeen almost brought the Tiger’s dream to an abrupt end. While Tigers should have finished off Narrabeen in ordinary time, it took 6-minutes of extra time before player-coach, Buonavoglia, slotted home the winner and brought the fairy-tale to a fitting end.
So, why keep playing football when you are over 35? When asked, Buonavoglia said:
“It is just great fun going out there and playing with your mates. To win any silverware is a bonus. To win all the silverware on offer is the stuff that dreams are made of. I turned 40 the day after the Champion of Champions final and couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present. Thanks to all the boys, thanks to all of our competitors, and thanks to the CDSFA for making it all possible. We can’t wait for next year.”
