The Professor, Mark Fiorenti and Paul Dalligan talk Women’s World Cup, review the Matildas trip to the semi-finals, look at the surprise packets of the tournament, discuss whether the tournament has been a success and preview tonight’s final between Spain and England. Mark Fiorenti previews the Premier League season predicting who will finish in the top 4 and bottom 3 and talks about Ange Postecoglou’s start at Spurs. Paul Dalligan reviews round 5 of the NRLW and round 25 of the NRL.
Tag Archives: mark-fiorenti
4 red hot tips for Caulfield races on 19 August 2023 & the Professor’s Parlay
The Professor and the Gelding had a reasonable day at Moonee Valley last week with two winners and the successful Professor’s Parlay. They’ll be looking to improve on that today at Caulfield where the track is currently rated a Good 4 but could be downgraded if there is rain during the meeting. The rail is out 9 metres for the entire circuit.
Caulfield
Professor’s tips
Race 1 Horse 2 – First Mate (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 2 Horse 1 – Life Lessons (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Gelding’s tips
Race 3 Horse 10 – Va Via
Race 8 Horse 2 – Cylinder
Professor’s Parlay
Race 8 Horse 2 – Zaaki (Randwick) into Penrith Panthers to beat Gold Coast Titans (NRL) into Melbourne Storm to beat St George Illawarra (NRL).
Join the Professor and the panel of Paul Dalligan and Mark Fiorenti tomorrow on the Sportzfan Radio YouTube channel. We’ll look at the Matildas performance in the Women’s World Cup and make predictions on the winner of the cup and the player of the tournament. Mark will give his predictions for this season’s Premier League and Paul will review round 25 of the NRL and round 5 of the NRLW.
Good luck and good punting!
The Professor
Sportzfan Radio show 350 – 18 August 2019
Sportzfan Radio celebrated the 350th show in fine style welcoming back some panellists from the past in Daniel Eade and Chris formerly from Barwon Heads who joined the discussion with the Professor, the Gelding, the Judge, Coutta and Nick the Saint.
The Panel spoke to former steeplechase jockey, Leigh Woodgate about her early years, her career, the race fall 25 years ago, her recovery from the injuries she suffered in the fall and the inspirational speaking role she now has.
We also talked Premier League with Mark Fiorenti and NRL with Paul Dalligan.
You can hear the podcast here at Southern FM.
Sportzfan Radio – 7 July 2019 – Show #348
On yesterday’s show the panel spoke with US correspondent, Dan Butterly about the the recent NBA draft and free agency period and the season so far in Major League Baseball. We also spoke State of Origin with Paul Dalligan and Mark Fiorenti previewed the women’s soccer World Cup final between the USA and the Netherlands. A new panellist was introduced to the show too.
You can hear the podcast of the show now.
Gelding’s red hot tips for Flemington on 2 November 2013
This Saturday the Gelding’s attention is on Flemington with the Spring Carnival continuing at racing’s headquarters with all the fine horses out on show vying for a piece of history.
While winners are always hard to pick at this time of year, there is definitely no shortage of horses to fancy.
As always the bets are on an each way and all up basis.
Flemington
Race 1 Horse 2 – Hucklebuck
Race 2 Horse 3 – May’s Dream
Race 4 Horse 1 – Zoustar (for the ladies at the Tennis club)
Race 5 Horse 6 – Jet Away
Race 6 Horse 1 – Criterion (one for Guy)
Race 7 Horse 1 – Red Tracer (also for the ladies at the Tennis club)
For the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday the Gelding’s early tip is (Mark) Fiorente & Hawkspur (and add the winner of the Lexus on Saturday as a each way bet).
Early Oaks tip is May’s Dream (conditional that it must win the Wakeful Stakes this Saturday & pull up well).
Good luck and good punting!
The Gelding
Friday musing – Cox Plate, Fiorente, Arsenal, Wenger…..
It was disappointing to see Atlantic Jewel is out of the Cox Plate as she was the clear favourite and it would have been great to see her win the race. It is now a lot more open with Itsadundeel likely to start the favourite, but having missed a run with a foot abscess, I think he is vulnerable. I am going to get in before the Gelding and tip (Mark) Fiorente to keep it in the Sportzfan family!
Also disappointing to see the Gunners concede a late goal against Borussia Dortmund and not escape with a draw. Arsenal has had a great run since their opening loss of the Premier League season against Aston Villa. The Champions League group stage has got a bit to play out so all is not lost.
I did finally get a look at Jack Wilshere’s goal scored against Norwich City. What an absolute cracker and an early nominee for the Goal of the Season!! In the newspaper article they suggested that it was a goal that had Arsene Wenger written all over it and I would agree it is the type of slick football that is the trademark of his teams. Perhaps a bit more focus on defence will take them further in all competitions though.
Mark Fiorenti on the search for the Socceroos coach
Whilst it was a good result for the Socceroos against Canada, I am not sure we can read too much into this result for the following reasons:
1. The players were always going to be fired up after Holger Osieck was sacked and the shellacking’s the media has served up to the them in the last few days.
2. Canada haven’t qualified for the World Cup so are they a worthy opponent? Would the Canadians have taken this game as seriously as the Socceroos given the events of the last few days?
3. Canada is nowhere near the calibre of football team that Brazil and France are. In hindsight, I 
consider Osieck shot himself in the foot opting to play friendlies against these two nations, especially considering: (a) Brazil never take friendlies easy, especially ones they play at home (their fans expect to win all the time!) and moreover, they don’t have to qualify for the World Cup as they are hosts and (b) France were shooting blanks up until last week so the Aussie game would have given them and their strikers, particularly Karim Benzema (who hadn’t scored for the French national team in over 1,000 minutes) some good shooting practice.
I still believe and moreover, am concerned that our national team is in danger of embarrassing itself next year. Luckily, we have eight months to try and steady the ship and get the broom out to clear some old wood. Lucas Neill and Brett Holman immediately come to mind – they could still be handy squad players, but not starting players in my opinion. The new regime should blood some youngsters like Rogic, Davidson, Lowry and Williams and take a serious look at the problem left back position. McKay is a midfielder and not an option whilst Carney is a shambles. Lowry and/or Davidson are good options.
Finally, the coach, whoever it is, can start to bring back the competitive spirit and self belief our players have been lacking in recent months.
As for the coach, it looks like it will be a local appointment and moreover, over a five year period. It 
appears the FFA has learned the lessons of the past and the new appointment will incorporate next year’s World Cup, the Asian Cup in 2015, qualification rounds for the 2018 World Cup and the 2018 World Cup, assuming we make it!.
The most likely candidates are Ange Postecoglou, Graham Arnold and Tony Popovic.
Poppa had a great year at the Wanderers last year, especially considering their limited budget and experience and it was in their first season! Nevertheless, I feel he is still a little too raw.
I don’t warm very well to Arnold, but in his defence he has done wonders at the Mariners considering their limited funds and constant sales. This has forced him to regularly re-invent the team.
I like Ange. When he joined the Roar they were a shambles – they allegedly had a culture unsuited to top level sport and a number of egos ruled the roost. He eradicated the culture and cleared out the dead wood in his first season, remembering he was appointed mid way through that season. He then won the minor premiership and Grand Final in his second season and the Grand Final in his third
season. A fine effort! He then joined Victory and implemented his plan and did very well considering his ideas were quite foreign to the team. Victory are now favourites for this season’s A-League flag. I also like the style of play his teams adopt.
For me, it should be Ange but I wouldn’t lose sleep if Graham Arnold was appointed.
Professor’s rant – Osieck over and out!
On a recent Sportzfan Radio show we discussed at length with our soccer expert, Mark Fiorenti, the notion that the Socceroos coach should be appointed for a period well beyond the next World Cup. The rationale behind such an appointment was to encourage the coach to rejuvenate the playing squad at regular intervals with younger players so as to not be left with what we have now……a lot of players that are past their use by date. The average age of the team that lost 6-0 to Brazil several weeks ago was 32.7 years. The average age of the Brazilian team was 26.3.
In fact, the Sportzfan Radio panel has been discussing the average age of the Socceroos players since the qualifying rounds for the last World Cup and said way back then that youth needed to be infused. This didn’t happen and now we are left with the sad reality that, whilst Australia is going to the World Cup, we look like we are simply making up the numbers.
Who then to appoint to replace Osieck? This will depend on whether the FFA has learnt anything
from the current situation. I have heard calls to bring back Guus Hiddink or to insert a credentialed coach from Europe. Both suggestions are not the answer. Guus at 66 years of age (67 when next year’s World Cup is on) is yesterday’s man and also past his use by date. He will only be thinking about achieving something in the World Cup (like Osieck) that will not take care of the Socceroo’s future. Same could be said for any profiled European coach.
I am all for giving one of the current Australian A League coaches a shot with the mandate to coach for the future of the Socceroos and not be blinkered to think the future only extends as far as next year’s World Cup. As an example, look at the great building job Tony Popovic has achieved at Western Sydney Wanderers in one season.
The FFA needs to insert KPI’s into the contract that reflect the need for identification of young talent and the need for youth to be injected into the squad. Only then, will the national team be capable of approaching the past glories that the Australian public has become accustomed to!
Sportzfan Radio show #267.2
14 October 2012 267.2 – The Professor and Daniel talk about their production meeting at the Great Western Hotel on Friday. Daniel assesses the opening round of the NBL season. He thinks Melbourne Tigers could finish last on the ladder. Mark Fiorenti looks at the Socceroos upcoming World Cup tie against Iraq. He says if the Socceroos lose this game, qualification for the World Cup will be very hard. Whilst he is worried about the result, he thinks Australia can squeeze out a one goal victory. He also reviews the A-League and says Melbourne Victory and coach Ange Postecolglou are in trouble after a record loss to Brisbane Roar. Paul Dalligan comes on the show to talk NRL and last night’s test win by Australia over New Zealand. He also says the race is on for getting Craig Bellamy’s signature on a contract for the 2014 season with three clubs in the running.
Sportzfan Radio show #266.2
07 October 2012 266.2 – Daniel continues with his preview of the NBL season. He thinks Sydney Kings will finish on the bottom and Perth Wildcats will win the title with the Adelaide 36ers being the big improvers. Mark Fiorenti previews the A League season. He sees a wide open season with Brisbane Roar winning the minor premiership and Western Sydney Wanderers being wooden spooners. He also briefly looks at the Premier League with WBA being the surprise packets so far. The Panel have no real interest in the Bathurst 1000. Paul Dalligan wraps up the NRL season with some comments on last week’s Grand Final between Melbourne Storm and Canterbury-Bankstown. Gelding queries the biting incident involving James Graham and Billy Slater.