Les Murray, SBS Chief Football Broadcaster & Australia Football Hall of Fame
I am the first to admit that this job has its pleasurable moments. I write this in the midst of just one of those, from Kota Kinabalu, capital of Sabah state in Malaysia, a nice place. Penny Wong, the Australian finance minister, hails from here, which is likely the only reason most Australians have heard of it.
For me it’s more famous for being the home of Scott Ollerenshaw, the former Socceroos’ flying lefty who in 1988 so terrorised Brazil’s Jorginho that the latter got himself sent off for trying to stop him with a waste-high rugby tackle. He was a fiery red head, our Scott, with a combustible temperament on which his coach, Frank Arok, once commented: ‘What do you expect? He has red hair.’ Frank would be disappointed to learn that the hair is now gone, and not just its colour.
Scott, or Ollie to his friends, now makes a living running sports tourism events in this tropical Eden on the north-eastern tip of Borneo. It’s here where Ollie played out the final years of his career and just couldn’t bring himself to leave. It’s an idyllic place - as you might guess - with balmy temperatures, palm trees, quiet beaches and, not far up in the hills, wild orang-utans with whom one can have encounters of the third kind.
I’m here at Ollie’s invitation, although I’ve been coming here for various reasons - including on holiday at my expense - since 2006, even spending one New Year’s Eve here (which I don’t recommend unless you get off on excruciatingly bad karaoke). My not unpleasant chore is to contribute, as guest speaker, to Ollie’s premier event, the Borneo Football Cup, a two-week annual tournament for invited junior teams (anyone can apply), from ages 12-16. Craig Foster is here also, so that he too can impart some wise words to the kids, including probably something about Barcelona.
In the hotel lobby, one mingles with bright eyed boys from many corners of the region, all track-suited up like young professionals and displaying fine manners. They are in bed by the time I have a late night drink in the lobby bar with George Konstandopoulos, a one-time NSL player with West Adelaide, as some of you will remember. The blond Greek. He is here as the coach of Adelaide Olympic’s Under 16s. He talks passionately about his team playing an ideal brand of football, and it does try to, but then presides over a loss in the final the next day to a bunch of mainly Korean school kids from the TY Sports Academy, ironically a Brisbane-based institution.
It doesn’t please George, who seems about as blackened by the loss as Jose Mourinho would be after another defeat at the Nou Camp. George’s memory of a similar result in the final two years ago doesn’t help. The kids, being kids, shake it off and are soon seen happily frolicking around the pool at the Sutera Harbour Resort, where they are staying. It’s all the usual education about who responds how to a loss, and at what age. In any case, at this age it’s not about results and trophies, as we non-coaches find it easy to say.
What it is about, though, is development and experience. That’s why this event is more to the kids than splashing about in swimming pools while their parents drink at the swim-up bar. Down time is pleasant, to be sure, but it’s all primarily about the football and about playing well. They play in unfamiliar conditions (the heat and humidity alone can be sapping), against foreign teams, with foreign styles and philosophies. They are constantly challenged and it means a lot to them. Last year, when I handed out winning trophies to a team of Japanese 12-year olds, several of them broke up crying. That’s fine, by the way. What you don’t want to see is children crying because they lost. Nobody should care, provided they learned something.
Other familiars who arrive at various times include Brad Maloney, Milan Blagojevic and Terry Greedy, all former Socceroos of various vintages. Aytec Genc, who runs his own football academy and is the technical director of Sydney’s vast St George district, is coming in with a party of 65. It’s a wonder he didn’t hire a private jumbo. There is something serenely agreeable about watching - and mingling with - eager-faced, innocent young footballers, and teams acting as families on their collective little voyage of discovery.
Not all of them are so-called ‘elite players’, indeed most are far from it. And that goes for not just the Australians but the others from Korea, China and elsewhere (no team from Japan could make it this year because of the after-effects of the earthquake and the tsunami). They are kids trying to play and to learn, and trying to match their wits against foreign opposition. Most of these Australian boys will probably never become Socceroos or ever wear the green and gold at any level.
But as you observe them, you can’t help getting the feeling that they see these as fair-dinkum international games, a small way to a dream of playing for their country. They will scarcely forget it, not to mention how much good it will probably do for their human development, through comradeship, the team ethic and the building of a sense of cultural identity. And all through football, an almost unrivalled vehicle for such things. This naturally makes me, a football man watching it, very proud. Craig too, I am suspecting.
Scott Ollerenshaw spawned a good idea when he dreamt up this tournament four years ago. It’s a living for him, in a part of the world where income opportunities for an expat Australian can be a challenge, especially through the medium of football. But I’m not sure if he counted on the value and rich sense of fulfilment his idea now brings every year to at least a small group of impressionable people from beyond Borneo’s shores, Australians included.
Alan Davidson, Legendary Socceroo & Australia Football Hall of Fame
Well organized, impressive stadiums , quality international teams all held in an amazing and exotic destination – fully recommended
Steve Kalend, Executive Officer for School Sport Australia
I am writing to formally thank you most sincerely for your kind and generous invitation to attend the 2nd Borneo Football Cup in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah earlier this month. It was a truly wonderful experience for me and I’m sure for all the participants and the many parents who attended. I was immediately struck by the similarities in the way which you organise the event to our own School Sport Australia Event Philosophy – all about using sport to provide the kids with a total sporting, educational and cultural experience.
Highlights for me during the week included:
• The passion with which teams played their matches
• The commitment and enthusiasm of the team management and the accompanying parents
• The excellent stadiums used for the competition
• The superb location for the event
• The wonderful sighseeing and cultural opportunities available to teams
• The excellent accommodation provided for teams
• The positive reaction to the ex Socceroos - your event "ambassadors"
You are to be congratulated on both the concept and overall organization of the event. Everything ran smoothly - nothing was too much trouble and no request was denied. I will certainly be doing my best to assist in whatever way possible in promoting your event in 2010 through our state school sports associations. Our 2009 School Sport Australia Conference is on next week and I have already organized to include on the agenda a report of my visit to your event.
Robert Alberts, Ex Director of Coaching Korean FA, Ex Technical Director FA of Malaysia
It was a great honor and pleasure indeed to witness the first Borneo Football Cup. The organization was first class. It was obvious that the participating teams from overseas enjoyed their stay very much. The matches where played in the Likas Stadium and the field was of acceptable quality for an international tournament like this. And of course this is the main purpose of the football tournament, playing matches against foreign teams. I could observe the enthusiasm of the players. It meant a lot to all players to be able to play quality matches on a good field in a nice environment. It was indeed the best team that won the tournament, Marconi from Sydney. The players showed good discipline and also they had some real talented players. That's why this tournament is so important for the development of youth players.
Besides the matches the cultural side was also of the highest class. Foreign players, officials and their parents were entertained with sightseeing trips to enjoy the beauty of the many varieties that Sabah has to offer. Special mention to Scott Olleremshaw, a former Australian International who also gained great popularity in Malaysian Football when he was awarded the Golden Boot while playing for Sabah FA. It is with no doubt that this tournament will grow in strenght and I would be pleased to recommend any team that is looking for a quality football tournament.
John Economos, Australian Football Writer
THE inaugural Borneo Cup Tournament, blue-printed and promoted by former Australian International and St George Budapest striker, Scotty Ollerenshaw, staged in October in Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, East Malaysia, was absolutely nothing short of magnificent. So meticulous was this entire Soccer-Holiday Tournament planned by Mr Ollerenshaw and solidly backed up by his experienced, courteous, dedicated and loyal staff, not a single thing was left to chance. The entire production was totally and smoothly executed, without a single hitch. Training and playing facilities were excellent. All the Tournament matches were played in the spacious, lush Buffalo-grassed pitch of the Likas Stadium.
The Borneo Cup facilitated for the Marconi squad, most valuable exposure to foreign styles and formations of play. The six star accommodation at the spacious, plush and palatial Pacific Sutera Resort Hotel where the Marconi Under 16s squad was based, was unbelievably luxurious, embraced in a totally impeccable and relaxed atmosphere. Mr Ollerenshaw's extensive Borneo Cup Tournament planning, embraced not just the Soccer Tournament, but incorporated a vast selection of magnificent, colourful, enjoyable, exciting and educational sightseeing and activities. Crammed daily programmes scheduled, included sumptuous lunches and evening dinners, swimming, snorkelling, parasailing, a water launch trip, plus a relaxing and romantic BBQ on a private island. As another unexpected bonus, Mr. Ollerenshaw's staff organised a historical and most moving visit, a bus trip that climbed the highest mountain in Asia, Mt Kinabalu (4.250 ft above sea level). At the crest of this massive rugged Mountain, we sighted a magnificent World War 2 Memorial, in eternal remembrance by the Malaysian people for the 2,400 Australian prisoner-of-war soldiers that were killed by the Japanese in 1944, on the savage, brutal and infamous Sandakan trek.
Malaysia is a magnificent small South East Asian nation. The Malaysian people are calm, placid, warm, gentile and above all, very respectful, especially towards all Australians--a trait stemming since before World War 2. The Malaysian Government in recent years has seriously concentrated in opening and developing its Country borders to the major economic industry, Tourism. However, this rapid expansion into the Tourism sector, has been very strictly controlled, to shield Malaysia's history, culture and all of its traditions from being severely eroded by decadent Western trends. I highly recommend all Australian teams, (irrespective of age group), to participate in the '2009 2nd Borneo Cup Tournament'. It's an unforgettable experience, coupled with idelible and relaxing pleasure.
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