Football Coaches Australia present ‘The Football Coaching Life Podcast’ #3 with Gary Cole interviewing Ron Smith

Staff Writer10/03/2021 9:18 am12/09/2021

Football Coaches Australia (FCA) present Episode Three of ‘The Football Coaching Life Podcast’ with Dr Ron Smith, hosted by former Socceroo Gary Cole.

The podcast highlights the stories behind the journeys of Australia’s football coaches, from current and former Socceroos and Matildas managers to those who coach at a community football level.

In Podcast #3 we feature Dr. Ron Smith (Smudger to his friends) who is well known in Australian Football circles. Often referred to as a ‘Coaching Guru’ and developer of many of Australia’s ‘Golden Generation’.

Prior to coming to Australia, Ron played at junior level at his beloved North London based Tottenham Hotspurs before ‘dickie knees’ impacted his professional ambitions.

He has coached in Iceland and Malaysia as well as in Australia’s A-League with Perth Glory. Ron has assisted many of our National Team coaches as an analyst attending both World and Asian Cups as well as been a part of Football Australia’s Technical Department on a couple of occasions.

Perhaps most well remembered as the hugely successful Coach at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra where many wonderful players like Viduka, Aloisi, Bresciano, Moore, Neil, Skoko, Grella, Simunic and Zelic, to name a few, came through.

Smudger has been arguably our greatest student of the game analysing thousands of EPL and International Men’s and Women’s World Cup games and sharing his knowledge and wisdom about the behaviours of the Worlds best. Perhaps his favourite topic is ‘How goals are scored’.

Ron received his PhD on ‘Goal scoring patterns in professional football from the University of Canberra in 2016.

Dr Ron Smith’s ‘The Football Coaching Life’ podcast.

Podbean: https://thefootballcoachinglifepodcast.podbean.com/e/ronsmith/

Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-football-coaching-life-podcast/id1553708797

Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/search/The%20Football%20Coaching%20Life

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/64csFwwx2Gl14NUkFJBUgt

Amazon Music/Audible: https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3915176d-0a11-438c-b25e-9da143ec0162/The-Football-Coaching-Life-Podcast

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Heidelberg United strengthens ties with Melbourne City Toyota

Patrick Irving14/01/2026 5:55 am13/01/2026

Heidelberg United FC

It was announced via social media on Tuesday this week that Melbourne City Toyota would be extending their longstanding collaboration with Heidelberg United FC ahead of the 2026 season.

A longstanding connection

The news of a collaboration between Heidelberg United and Melbourne City Toyota will come as no surprise to all those associated with the club. With a connection going all the way back to 2013, their professional relationship is built on solid foundations rooted within the Melbourne community.

‘Heidelberg United FC is pleased to announce the continued support of our valued partner, Melbourne City Toyota, a proud sponsor since the inception of the NPL,’ the club said via an announcement made on social media.

With a strong presence across several locations in Melbourne, including Heidelberg itself, Melbourne City Toyota represents an invaluable source of local support for Heidelberg United.

An exciting project

Since their first collaboration when the NPL first formed in 2013, Melbourne City Toyota have been an ever-present part of Heidelberg United’s journey to becoming one of the most formidable clubs in the NPL.

In the past three seasons, the club has consistently risen up the NPLM VIC table. A mere two years on from finishing 9th in 2023, the men’s team achieved huge success last season as they became NPLM Victoria champions and reached the final of the Australian Cup. Although the latter ended in defeat, victories against A-League giants like Auckland FC showcased Heidelberg’s quality.

The women’s team has also enjoyed plenty of success since joining the NPLW in 2016. Most notably, they achieved back-to-back Premiership titles in 2024 and 2025. With such success being showcased in both the NPLM and NPLW, there are certainly no question marks over Heidelberg United’s standing as one of the most exciting footballing projects not only in Victoria, but in all Australia.

New chapter, old partners

As clubs continue their preparations for the 2026 season, establishing local support and building community connections will be crucial. ‘The Bergers’ will no doubt be looking to count on the backing of Melbourne City Toyota as both a local and loyal partner in their endeavours on and off the pitch.

‘Back together!’ – SD Raiders FC announce partnership with GIOCA

Patrick Irving13/01/2026 6:05 am11/01/2026

SD Raiders FC

In an announcement made via social media on Friday, SD Raiders FC revealed they would be collaborating once more with sports brand and apparel supplier GIOCA.

Old partners, new goals

While the SD Raiders and GIOCA only announced the news of their upcoming collaboration on Friday, the bond between these two organisations goes back nearly a decade.

One of GIOCA’S first club partners was with SD Raiders FC back in 2016. The recent announcement highlights the strong connections established with the club which have endured nearly a decade later.

“Back together! A full circle moment as we re-join forces with SD Raiders FC – one of our very first club partners all those years ago,” GIOCA said via an announcement on social media.

As SD Raiders look to tackle their first season in the NPL NSW, reigniting a longstanding relationship with GIOCA will be an invaluable source of support for the club both on and off the pitch.

By footballers, for footballers

What sets GIOCA apart from other apparel suppliers in Australia is the links engrained within the company to the footballing world. The brand prides itself on being created by current and former professionals to ensure their clients and partners receive high-quality apparel, custom jerseys and football accessories.

Since its inception 10 years ago, GIOCA has grown into a highly-regarded sports brand in Australia, with operations expanding across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. SD Raiders FC will join several clubs due to partner with GIOCA in 2026, including Ormeau FC (QLD), Narellan Rangers Soccer Club (NSW) and North Coast Football.

A recipe for success

GIOCA stands as an exciting partner for SD Raiders FC not just for the apparel services they provide, but for their history of working with clubs aiming for success.

Just last season, the brand worked with NWS Spirit as they clinched the NPL NSW title, as well as with Melbourne-based side, Bentleigh Greens, who achieved promotion to the NPL VIC. SD Raiders FC will no doubt be hoping that their reestablished connections with GIOCA will lead to similar levels of success in 2026 and beyond.

Click here for more information about the services offered by GIOCA.