Dear Players, parents, coaches and managers.

The 2009 season is well underway and our teams are battling either to enter in the highest leagues or to be among the first in each of them.
After six rounds completed, we would like to congratulate all players and their efforts on the field, and the parents for their ongoing support.
We would also like to point out that in all age-groups; we have encountered fierce competition except in under 10’s where it has been a real mixture of opponents, either very strong or very weak teams in the respective leagues.
Our under 10’s are developing well, but at times they may find themselves under pressure due to our decision not to grade the teams but to integrate and combine all available players.
We are aware that, in all the four teams there is a mixture of more experienced and less experienced or younger players, but nevertheless we are generally pleased with the performance.
At this early age, it is our objective is to develop the player’s individual skill; team development and tactics will come later as players enter the junior years and competitive regulated leagues.
Nevertheless, it is our commitment to develop all our players but, also to cater for those players who are developing and maturing quicker than others and who have also spent more time working on their skills at the Academy.
That’s why; in the next few weeks, we will explore the possibility to form a Sub-junior River Plate Oceania representative team. The team will be a selection of all the best under 10’s players at the club and the Academy. This team will start training and competing against other clubs who have strong sides, under 11’s teams and other possible tournaments.
We are also looking to develop an under 14’s Junior River Plate Oceania team, to represent us in future in Inter-state and International tournaments.
In the junior competitions under 11’s, 12A and 13’s Super-league, apart from the traditional clubs who have always presented us with a strong opposition, there are a number of new teams who seem to be going out of their way, to play their best games against the River Plate Piranhas.
This makes us very proud in a way, but it is forcing us to re-assess our strategies and approach to the games.
In some teams, we had to quickly move away from trying to play good passing football in all parts of the field, to focus on more aggressive and direct strategies, to win games as required, but the question is: Where do we draw the line between playing just to win games or playing a football style consistent with the best in the world?.
For years in Australia, especially in the younger age groups the strategy used by many teams was to play the long ball upfront and in this way expose young defenders. Players were forced to chase or deal with high and long balls while strong fast strikers, charge to get close to goal and hopefully find enough space to score. Coaches then instructed to put numbers in the defence to stop the other team from scoring and in this way take a cheap win.
We have seen many games and championships won in this way, but, does this type of football contribute best to the development of young players?
At the Piranhas, we always encouraged our players to play good football and to interplay, but also to play a hard tackling football to dominate the midfield and arrive with number up front to increase our chances of scoring.
We have also won many games by adopting well rehearsed tactical plans.
The Piranhas started in 1999, and have earned a reputation for playing good football, nice to watch and effective, we believe that booting the ball forward at junior level is detrimental to the future development of our junior players, and it is a compromise that we are not willing to make. Instead we will teach our players, that there is a time and a place for a long ball and clearances but this should not be used as the norm for every ball in the game.
We also have maintained a high spirit in both victory and defeat and demanded good results for all our teams.
We trust in our recipe for success, which is hard work, dedication and good management, we believe that in the end, it always prevails.
We firmly believe in the development of players as individual first, that’s why the Academy has a very important role to play in the development of player’s individual skills and fitness foundations for the future.
We demand excellence from our more experienced players, especially if they have spent a number of seasons with us and patience with the not so experienced players who have just arrived to our club or Academy.
We believe in the final product, which is represented by results we have had with our older players, who have not only continued playing the game, but they have also been selected by teams in the higher leagues...
The large numbers of boys from our Club and the Academy, who have represented Victoria and Australia in the past, have exceeded our expectations and they have become our credentials.
We are very proud to say that our method of training has the capacity to accelerate the learning curve of many talented players and but also help all players to improve their football skills.
We also have provided players with a second home beyond the junior years. Many still feel part of the family and keep coming back to train with the Academy despite of playing for other clubs at senior level.
For other players and parents our demands have been too much and they have left the club and Academy. We always wish them well and remained friends, but we have always refuse to lower our standards to accommodate lack of commitment towards our organisation and the sport.
That is why, in 2009, we have offered the opportunity for all players to train at the Academy as many times a week as they wish, mainly to test player’s motivation, commitment and parental support.
While some players have taken that option, and are training everyday, there are many others who we don’t see enough of them.
Patience is the name of the game when developing young players. It takes years to develop a different footballer.
A lot of our players have selected in Victoria and Australia’s teams because they have unique skills and style that have been nurtured and encouraged all throughout the junior years instead of being repressed and adapted to win all the games in a junior league.
We have seen a many talented players who underperformed and hard working less natural players to exceed our expectations and have achieved far more in the game.
Our views are that until a player signs his first professional contract, he is only a potential football prospect and I have learned not to become too excited about their prospect until I have seen them train full time for a number of seasons.
Parents play a crucial role by providing mental stability, financial support and the encouragement for players during difficult times.
We are aiming for level headed ambitious young players who are not afraid to make sacrifices, to conquer the dream of becoming a professional footballer and know how, to place difficulties in perspective.
They must also be easy to manage and able to make smart choices when the peer pressure kick in.
Planning is very important, and we at the South Eastern Piranhas FC and the River Plate Football Academy Australia in conjunction with our Partners: CA River Plate, Lifecare Australia and the Rookie Australia Player Management services, are continuously working together to present a united front of support for those players who are serious about football.
Each player is an individual within a team, and it is our commitment to take care of both.
The South Eastern Piranhas FC main aim is to take care of the team performance in the junior years, the Academy, medical support and management takes care of the individual and our overseas affiliations provide the opportunities.
A player should never feel alone in his quest of becoming a professional footballer; we are working every minute to develop the necessary network to provide players with a chance in a very competitive environment.
We want to work with players who are committed to learn the skills.
They should also have the physical ability required at the highest level and the mental toughness to overcome the obstacles that football and life may bring.
Most importantly: After twenty five years working in professional coaching, club administration and player management, We would like to pass some words of advice for players, parents and coaches.
- Put football the centre of your life, don’t let football to be only a slice of it. If you want to become a professional, be aware of the physical, mental and social sacrifices that need to be made.
- Plan your football career. Set yourself goals and let your coaches, your family and club to be part of them.
-Before style, comes technique.
-Enjoy the ride. Accept the good and the bad results as part of the normal development process
-There is always room for improvement. Overreacting is the only difference between being the chief or one of the Indians.
- If something is not working, change it! Share your problems by communicating. But remember, there are not problems in the game of football instead many new situations to be dealt with day by day, which normally force us to change our view point. It may also create different opportunities.
- There always seem to be greener pastures out there. But from the distance you can’t see the holes in the ground until you walk on it.
- Dare to dream, Doubters never built cathedrals or skyscrapers
- Never ever give up!!! If you are not winning, then you are learning.
- In football matters everybody is entitled to their own opinion, talking is cheap and the grounds of this beautiful sport are full of weeds, so listen to the experts.
-Parents always try to act in the player’s best interest but their decisions at times may not be the best because their own feelings are involved.
- There is not bad luck in football only poor execution or lack of understanding in the tactics.
- Never put excuses in a player’s mouth, it is the shortest way to the bench. The bench cures players who create poor excuses.
-Play first for the colours, team, club and the supporters then for the dollars or your own recognition. If you don’t, your selfish attitude will show right, left and centre.
-Elite football is for elite individuals….Dare to be different…you don’t have to conform and walk the same path than everybody else...
-Take care of the invisible training as well. Your lifestyle must be consistent with the lifestyle of an athlete. There is no point to train 100% during the week to sleep poorly or eat junk food the night before the game. The events of the 48 hours before the games are crucial in the player’s preparation.
Finally, thank you for letting us to be part of the challenge.
Enjoy football in all weather!! We Love the cold and the mud!! Go Piranhas!!!

Daniel Santomil
River Plate Oceania Inc
President