ROAR TO KICK OFF ITS CAMPAIGN TODAY

14 February 2015

Shepparton News - Matthew Galea

Cobram will write the first chapter in its new, unified soccer history today.

The successful merger of Cobram Soccer Club and Cobram Victory has produced Cobram Roar and the new club will play its first official game today.

A somewhat makeshift Roar outfit will take on state league five team Glen Waverley at Apex Reserve in Cobram at 3 pmin the first qualifying round of the FFA Cup — Australia’s national soccer knock-out cup competition.

Inaugural coach Adam Gatcum said as the club’s first proper hit-out there was no expectation on his team, despite the town’s proud history in cup competition.

‘‘We’re shaping up all right . . . but it’s a work in progress,’’ Gatcum said.

‘‘We don’t know a great deal about them, we just know they’re a state five team, but if they’re willing to travel three hours to play here then they’re obviously taking it seriously.

‘‘For us, we haven’t played any practice matches, so we’re using the cup as part of the pre-season programand if we get some results along the way that’s great, but if we don’t, then it’s not a major concern at this point.’’

It has been a busy couple ofmonths for Gatcum as he goes about assembling Roar’s inaugural squad and he has not been helped by a number of Cobram locals taking their soccer elsewhere.

‘‘The whole reason behind themerger was to keep the locals in Cobram and get away from the mindset of bringing in a lot of recruits, so to lose some of the local boys has been disappointing,’’ Gatcum said.

‘‘We just want to change the ethos of soccer here a bit and stabilise this year and look at developing our own juniors.’’

The further loss of the ex-Tigers captain Ivo Madeira and Jamie England have been big blows to the talent pool in Cobram.

Gatcum will line up in the club’s first ever XI alongside fellow Cobram soccer mainstays Sam Grasso, Andrew Zito and Aaron Feldtmann, while there will be opportunities for younger locals such as Hussan Alsharifi.

A win against Glen Waverley, which finished sixth in state league five east (Melbourne’s seventh tier), would progress the Roar to round one of Victoria’s preliminary rounds where it would play at home to St Kevin’s Old Boys.

The club will also be having a meet-and-greet day tomorrow at Apex Reserve to enable interested parties to meet club coaches, committee members and players.