Cosmopolitan League

Standings, results and other stats

There was no love lost when New York Greek-American/Atlas ended Pancyprian Freedoms’ two-year title reign in the Cosmopolitan Soccer League with a contentious 3-2 victory in the “Super Final” at St. John’s University recently.

Chris Megaloudis and two-goal hero Hemir Niebles claimed the Hellenic bragging rights in local amateur football for Greek-Atlas in a hard fought affair on Pancyprian’s home ground. Julio DeSantos was on target for the fallen champs, whose other strike was an own goal.

The final -- between the regular season winners of the CSL top flight’s East and West zones – left Pancyprian crying foul over Atlas’ alleged use of late signings, while the Greeks dismissed the Cypriots as whiners.

“We were unable to register new players after the April 15 deadline, but the Greeks came in with new players. It was unfair,” charged GM Lefteris Eliades.

Lucio Russo, Atlas’ coach, dismissed Eliades’ claims. “I don’t know what they’re complaining about. We used the same guys we usually use. In fact, we were missing six players.”
The Greeks topped the West after fending off a strong challenge from promotion side Manhattan Kickers who actually lost fewer games than the newly crowned champs.

Atlas, sometimes fielding former MetroStar and Venezuelan international Giovanni Savarese, went 12-3-1 (37) after 16 games, while Kickers posted a highly credible 9-2-5 (32) record on their return to the First Division.

Kickers’ player-coach Mike Fitzgerald explained the difference between the side that became the whipping boys of the division in their maiden season two years earlier and his come-back kids of 2004/2005.
“ Two years ago, when we entered the First Division my main concern was that were “old” and “slow” and the speed of the First Division teams would be too much for the Kicker’s.

“In spite of starting the season 2-0-1, we struggled the rest of the way going 3-10-3.
“The year back in the Second Division allowed for a full restructuring of the team around younger, more talented players. Obviously, the solution worked as evident in our return to the top of the First Division. I continue to look for younger more talented players in an effort to improve the team even further.”


PANCYPRIAN WOES

Pancyprian’s loss to Greek-Atlas in the super final ended what Eliades termed a ‘difficult year’ for the previously invincible Cypriots.
The club had gone unbeaten in the CSL for two years before a 5-1 thrashing by Barnstonworth Rovers last December knocked them off their lofty perch.

In the spring, defeats by CD Iberia (0-2), Brooklyn Italians (0-2) and to the Greeks in the league (1-2) would further mar their once proud record. However, they still managed to finish atop the East (10-4-2, 32) six points ahead of a young Brooklyn Italians side (7-4-5).
Pancyprian are now entering a transitional period with players going and coming ahead of the 2005/2006 season starting next month.

“It looks Ben Hickey won’t be around and Rocky (Bojovic) may be on and off,” said Eliades.
“But we’ll bring in some new players. We’re going to promote six from the reserves, very good players who’ll be stars, and we’ll find some new players that will make a difference.”
No changes are expected on the bench, with Luca Lucovic returning as coach and Chris Chrystomou as his assistant.


DROP ZONE

At the foot of the East and West, Koha (4-11-1, 13) finished dead last in the former, four points behind Lansdowne Bhoys who survived relegation, while two clubs, Central Park Rangers (3-10-3, 12) and Shamrock (3-11-2, 11) went down in the West.
Koha, one of the most dangerous sides on their day during their long stay in Division One, were victims of circumstances both on and off the pitch.
Firstly, they lost 13 players three weeks into the season with two wins and a loss (to Pancyprian) under their belt.

“We struggled after that and had to use many of the same players or both reserve and first team games,” noted boss Omer Hakramaj.
Then Hakramaj himself suffered personal tragedy when his father fell ill and died in his native Albania. He spent an extended period of time in his homeland, during which Koha felt his absence with a run of poor results.
Back in the U.S., Hakramaj promises a new dawn, albeit in the Second Division. “We’re going to rebuild the team and get new players,” he vowed.


SHAMROCK MUSING

“What went wrong?” Shamrock’s Eltin Colman, ponders, almost rhetorically. “We lost our direction as a club.”
He continues: “After 13 seasons in the First Division we decided to put a side together to compete in a very tough semi pro division. People have said that we had the best side that never won the First Division.
“Through it all we lost the club’s soul that was put in place in 1960 by the original founders. We had a fine side, but unfortunately they were the new gunslingers in town without the Shamrock feeling for the shirt.
“We started rebuilding on the original club spirit 2 seasons ago, avoided relegation, just, but last season went down.

Instead of quitting the troops rallied and it looks like we will field three teams next season, bringing the Over-30’s back into the fold with two teams in the Second Division.
“During the off season we had a great boat cruise in late June sponsored by our clubhouse The Breffini (Claudine and Pat), McGuinness's (Marie and Johnny) and Gaslight (Miley and Eugene) to rebuild club spirit.

“We will have our Family Day in Sunnyside Gardens on Aug 28th featuring the Annual Memorial Billy Nolan 5-a-side Tournament (three spots still open).”
Shamrock begin pre-season training at Levitts Field, Flushing, on Thursday, Aug. 11 (7 pm to 9 pm). For more information, visit www.shamrockfc.com, or call the club house (718) 729-9803.

FirstTouch is published weekly by David Witchard
©2005, David Witchard/FirstTouch Online

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