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| CLOSE BY: Matt Smith and the Brisbane Roar will be taking on the Melbourne Victory at North Ipswich Reserve in a preseason match in September. Photo Credit: Joe Castro |
IPSWICH'S top soccer teams are on the right track to developing the next generation of A-League stars, according to the Brisbane Roar captain.
With teams in the Brisbane Premier League and the Queensland conference of the new National Premier League, Smith said the development of local talent was in good hands.
The Roar will play a pre-season game against the Melbourne Victory at North Ipswich Reserve in the lead-up to the 2013-14 A-League season.
While admitting support in the football loving public remained split between the two leagues Smith said the emphasis on developing young players was the right path to take.
"I think what's important isn't so much the leagues the clubs play in, but I think it's important the clubs place emphasis on development," he said.
"I think it's really important here in Australia that clubs really get behind their youth and really focus on grassroots level.
"And the long-term strategy behind that, we'll have a process where south-east Queensland and Queensland is certainly developing good players to then flow into the Brisbane Roar youth team, and in time flow into the Brisbane Roar first team. I think that's probably the biggest paramount."
While the Roar have played pre-season games against local teams in Ipswich before, the September 14 game against the Melbourne Victory is the first time two A-League teams will play in Ipswich.
Smith said the team had always received a great response from Ipswich football fans when they'd played in town.
"We've always had great days out at Ipswich; the matches that we've had there in the past, they've always been good numbers, they've always been competitive matches, and we always like coming out there because we saw the Ipswich community gets behind us and really comes to support us. It's a good thing we're coming back there again."
The Roar will also play Ipswich-based NPL team Western Pride in a trial game in Toowoomba. They have already played two pre-season games again NPL opponents, including a 5-0 win over Albany Creek this week.
Roar coach Mike Mulvey said the games against NPL sides as well as A-League teams were far from meaningless as they wanted a blistering start to the season.
"We're leading into a very important season for the club, which means it is imperative we make sure our pre-season is well planned as well," Mulvey said.
"We want to play regular football and work on all aspects of our game as well as visiting Roar fans that live in different areas around Queensland and northern New South Wales who may not get to see us play regularly.
"These matches against strong A-League opposition will allow us to strive for good performances, solid results and equally importantly, team cohesion within the playing group."
If selected, the game could be the first time former Roar star Mitch Nicholls faces his old club after he was signed from the Roar to play for the Victory. Midfielder Nicholls played 125 games for the Roar and was an integral part of the team that won back-to-back premierships and were unbeaten for 36 straight games.
He was poached by the Victory in a move that will see him reunited with former Roar manager Ange Postecoglou.
With the Ipswich game towards the end of the Roar's pre-season Smith expected local fans would see a near-full-strength side take to the Reserve.
"It's obviously a coaching decision but with the game against top competition and getting close to the start of the season I'd expect we'd at least start with our strongest line-up."
The Roar will face the Victory at North Ipswich on Saturday, September 14, and against the Western Pride in Toowoomba on Wednesday, September 18, at the Toowoomba Grammar School.
by Geoff Egan
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