Recently the hummel F-League caught up with one of the new Victorian sides in the 2012 hummel F-League. Garry Liakoureas from the Vic Vipers Futsal Club gave us some incite into the Melbourne based club.

F-League: Can you tell me about the Vic Vipers and how they started?

GL: VVFC is the brainchild of Milton Sakkos (our current head coach) and was formed in 1999 to cater for players living in the outer Southeastern suburbs at the time, who had no club to play for in the then Victorian Premier League. It has remained as a club and participated in countless tournaments and leagues since then, in Australia and overseas.

F-League: What are you most looking forward to in the 2012 hummel F-League?

GL: Just having a league that demands that we test and push ourselves even further (players, coaches and even administrators). Being in a “National League” scenario is also a very appealing factor.

F-League: How do you see Victorian Futsal at the moment?

GL: I think the passion and talent has always been here, however the difference now is that most participants and administrators are pulling the same way, which in turn grows the sport, instead of individual centers’/coaches taking from the sport. We now have a healthy dialog between most of the major ‘players’, which benefits everyone.

F-League: How do you see Futsal currently in Australian, do you think the hummel F-League will help lift the profile of the game in this country?

GL: Absolutely!!! Especially now we are able to conduct a legitimate round robin league with teams from other states/territories. We must use this opportunity to gain as much exposure over the little time we have and really ‘show’ the game to as many people as we can. It’s great that FNSW futsal have taken the initiative and created this league, and we have to embrace it, however, if we are going to have a sport that has true pathways (Men, Women and Youth Men/women), we need FFA, as the designated custodians of the sport in this country, to step up and give further support to this initiative.

F-League: Who are the players in the Vipers squad that fans of the hummel F-League should keep an I out for?

GL: There are a few we can mention and I’ll cop flack by those who I don’t. Players of the caliber of Jonathan Barrientos and young gun Adam Cooper spring to mind off the cuff, for their relentness running and support. Mirza Pedic and Thiago Priori with their experience, and of course it would be negligent of me not to mention Fernando De Moraes who as a current Futsalroo will help guide the team on court.

F-League: How do you think the Vipers will fair in the 2012 hummel F-League?

GL: Without sounding too arrogant, and without seeing how the other teams have recruited this year, I think we will perform better than ok. We are a competitive bunch at the best of times and entering a competition or tournament for the sake of being an ‘also ran’ is not our style or thought we would entertain.

F-League: With two Series to be held in Victoria do you think the Futsal public of Victoria will get behind the local teams?

GL: I think Victorians and particularly Melbournians are famous for their support of anything to do with sport, so between the “let’s go have a look’ spectators and the futsal diehards, I expect decent a crowd will be at hand to show their support (for the Vics that is).

F-League: Thanks for your time and Good Luck in the 2012 hummel F-League?

GL: Looking forward to it, and we take this opportunity to wish all the other seven clubs the best of luck also. To the administrators of the league, we express our gratitude and wish them luck also. Thank you.