Aussies OS

[Dogwatcher]

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/ ... 88,00.html

FORMER Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos has made a public apology for his seven-goal debut nightmare for Norwich City.

The Canaries were hammered 7-1 at home by Colchester United in their first game in League 1 at the weekend after relegation from the Championship.

Theoklitos, 28, was making his first competitive appearance for Norwich after leaving Victory at the end of last season.

But the dream move turned into a nightmare, with Norwich 5-0 down by half-time in front of an increasingly hostile home crowd.

Norwich City fans are already demanding that Theoklitos be sacked, although Canaries manager Bryan Gunn, a former goalkeeper himself, has vowed to stand by him.

Theoklitos went on radio in Norwich yesterday in a bid to win back fans.

"It's the worst performance I've had in my career," he told the BBC.

"I want to apologise to the fans on behalf of myself and the team.

"It was the toughest game I have ever been involved with, one you want to forget quite quickly.

"We have been doing well in pre-season and dish that out in front of our home supporters was really disappointing. It wasn't good enough."

Gunn promised to get Theoklitos another go and tonight's Carling Cup tie gainst Yeovil which could determine his future at City.

"Michael is a strong character, that's one of the reasons we brought him to the club," Gunn said.

"We need to asses him to make sure everything physically and mentally is right and I am sure if he was put down on the teamsheet, he'd be the first to try and make up for individual errors made on Saturday."

Theoklitos's chief rival between the posts is Ben Alnwick, 22, who is on loan from Tottenham Hotspur.

[johntheclaret]

Not just the keeper at fault though DW. I watched the highlights on Saturday and the Norwich defence was pretty static. It was almost like they were making a statement.

Maybe it is time for Gunn to move on. He has been a great servent for the club as a player but has no managerial experience.

[Dirko]

Well they won 3 nil so a clean sheet helps....

[Swooper16]

Rumour is that Lucas Neill could be signing with Athletico Madrid. Major reason apparently is because he wont be taxed as much in spain. Neill reminds me somewhat of another money hungry aussie who ended up in Spain....

[Il Duce]

Well they do have a team on the island of Mallorca that play in la liga, maybe he should end up there and then when it comes time to retire he can apper with a breathing mask and say he is to ill to fly

[Il Duce]

Name - Country - Club - Division - Games - Goals (loan clubs will be the club listed after the /)

Nikita Rukavytsya - Holland/Belguim- FC Twente/KSV Roeselare - Eredivisie/Jupiler League - 6/14 - 2/5
David Carney - Holland - FC Twente - Eredivise - 8 - 0
James Holland - Holland - AZ Alkmaar - Eredivise - 0 - 0
Brett Holman - Holland - AZ Alkmaar - Eredivise - 32 - 6
Mark Bresciano - Italy - Palermo - Serie A - 22 2
Richard Porta - Italy/Uruguay - Siena/River Plate de Montevideo - Serie A/Primera División -1/24 - 0/5
James Troisi - Turkey - Kayserispor - Super Liga - 24 - 0
Harry Kewell - Turkey - Galatasaray - Super Liga - 28 -14
Lucas Neill - Turkey - Galatasaray - Super Liga - 14 - 1
Bruce Djite - Turkey/Turkey - Genclerbirligi/Diyarbakirspor - Super Liga - 9/7 - 0/0
Mile Jedinak - Turkey/Turkey - Genclerbirligi/Antalyaspor - Super Liga - 2/33 - 0/7
Michael Petkovic - Turkey - Sivasspor - Super Liga - 34 - 1
Osman Uyanık - Turkey - Denizlispor - Super Liga - 0 - 0

[mickey]

Australian international striker Nikita Rukavytsya has signed a three-year contract with Hertha Berlin, the German second division side announced on Wednesday.

The 2010 World Cup representative spent last season on loan at Belgian side KSV Roulers who were relegated from the top flight, having previously played for Perth Glory in the A-League.

"Nikita is very quick and very adaptable up front," said Hertha's sporting director Michael Preetz.

The 23-year-old, who was born in Ukraine but moved to Australia aged 14, was out of contract at Dutch side FC Twente.

Rukavytsya played for Australia at the 2008 Olympics - an under-23 side - and has since played six times for the Socceroos.

He also made two appearances off the bench in this year's World Cup.

Hertha finished bottom of the Bundesliga last season, winning just five times, and were relegated to the second division.

[Il Duce]

Mickey I am in posseson of something u may like. Its a perth glory flag from the nsl with all the players signiture from the final ever nsl game against paramatta and a couple others like bradley hassell...

[mickey]

Would love to get my hot little hands on that !!!!

I made the trip over with my now wife to watch the game and get absolutly drowned in the proccess...

[mickey]

Socceroos star Harry Kewell has signed a new one-year deal with Turkish club Galatasaray, putting to rest talks of leaving the club.

It's believed Kewell's deal, which was confirmed on the club's website, is conditional on the winger passing a medical.

The Australian has proven a hit with Galatasary fans after making the switch to the club from Liverpool in 2008, despite missing most of the back-end of last season through injury.

The injury concerns also hampered Kewell's build-up to the World Cup and he ended up playing less than 30 minutes for Australia at the tournament in South Africa after being sent off for a handball during the 1-1 draw against Ghana.

Kewell has scored 16 goals in 41 appearances for Galatasaray.

[mickey]

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce expects Vince Grella to remain with the English Premier League club despite fresh reports linking him with Galatasaray.

Reports in England suggested the Turkish club were ready to make another bid for the Socceroos midfielder, after an initial deal fell through before the World Cup.

But Allardyce said after his side's pre-season Festival of Football win over Sydney FC on Saturday night there had been no new contact from Galatasaray.

"There's no movement in terms of Vince since the end of last season where there was a bid that was accepted and for whatever reason between that and Vince going to the World Cup, it broke down," Allardyce said.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/sport/ ... ella-move/

[mickey]

Former Perth Glory wing back Jimmy Downey has secured a dream move to one of European football's big leagues.

The speedy 22-year-old has been signed by Dutch second division club Sparta Rotterdam just four days into a two-week trial.

Australian Four Four Two says Downey has signed a one-year deal with an option for another.

Downey left Glory last year in a swap deal that took Daniel McBreen to Perth on a short-term deal.

"Three years ago when he was signed by Glory, Ron Smith was a massive fan and we thought he'd kick on," the player's agent Richard Rudzki told au.fourfourtwo.com.

"He didn't get a gig with the Olympic team in 2008 which was very disappointing and which we didn't understand.

"He then got injured and in his last season at Perth, he got reinjured - and the net result was that he didn't really get fit enough and became a fringe player.

"Then David Mitchell needed a striker to save his season and very hurriedly we organised a swap."

Queensland-born Downey was a victim of the Fury financial collapse earlier this year and left the club, training back at Glory in the pre-season before trying his luck overseas.

"We didn't think he was ready but he really, really backed himself," Rudzki said. "His first trial was at Sparta Rotterdam and there he showed his extraordinary pace."

[mickey]

Former Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Danny Vukovic has been left in the lurch after having his new contract with Turkish club Konyaspor terminated.

In what Professional Footballers Australia chief executive Brendan Schwab says should serve as a warning to others thinking of a move overseas, Vukovic was informed last week his three-year deal with the Turkish Super Lig club had been ripped up.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,865 ... 15,00.html

[mickey]

Australia international David Carney will move to the Barclays Premier League after Blackpool confirmed they had received approval to sign the former Sydney FC player.

It had been feared the move may not have happened before the transfer deadline, however the 26-year old has completed a medical and will move to Bloomfield Road from FC Twente on a one-year deal.