As the ball breaks through to Bentleigh Greens forward Chris Lucas, the Queenslander seems destined to score and double the Greens’ lead over the newly promoted Bulleen Lions in their season-opening NPL Victoria clash. Just as Lucas gets his strike away, he is halted by a stretching Felix Rosman, whose perfectly timed sliding challenge manages to block the ball away for a corner and prevent an almost certain second goal.
The game eventually finishes 1-0 in favour of the defending Champions, but Rosman earns many plaudits for his timeless display at the back, where he marshalled and organised the defence effectively – despite having suffered a setback early on in the contest after Tyson Holmes’ fourth minute goal seemed to hint that the floodgates might open.
Given his performance, it’s hard to believe the veteran centre-back is now 40-years-old and showing no signings of slowing down. When Rosman made his senior debut back in the early nineties, Europe was in the process of transition after the collapse of the Eastern Bloc and the introduction of the European Union, Bill Clinton had just defeated George H. Bush in the U.S. Presidential elections, while Alex Ferguson was on course to win the first of his 13 titles with Manchester United.
Back then, Rosman was playing for the now disbanded East Richmond, who were participating in the third tier of Victorian football. A move to VPL side Oakleigh followed at the beginning of the new century, with his debut season seeing the newly promoted Cannons side finish last on the table to immediately go back down to State League One.
Despite the setback, Rosman stayed on at Jack Edwards Reserve and promotion back to the top flight was achieved once again in 2003 under the management of Michael Chatzitrifonas.
A further six seasons in the VPL followed for the seasoned defender, who was a regular starter under Chatzitrifonas’ successors Stuart Munro and John Anastasiadis.
A decade long stint with the Cannons came to an end in 2010 when he joined Port Melbourne and immediately helped the Sharks achieve promotion from the third tier. Two more successful seasons in State League One followed for Eric Vassiliadis’ side, who were promoted back into the VPL for the first time in eight years.
A respectable sixth place mid-table finish in 2013 was the end note for Rosman’s time at JL Murphy Reserve, as he dropped down to the second tier to feature for the St Albans Saints – featuring in a memorable 2014 campaign, with Dinamo making it to the FFA Cup Round of 16.
Despite many expecting the clash against Perth Glory to be his swansong, Rosman extended his playing career by agreeing terms with Bulleen ahead of the 2015 NPL1 Season. 21 league appearances and a goal in a 3-1 victory over Nunawading City helped the Lions return to the top flight after nine years away from it.
Despite beginning the season with a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Bentleigh, Rosman saw plenty of positives from the game, which was the first for many of the Lions’ players at that level.
“On the one hand it was disappointing to start the season with a defeat because we feel that we could have snatched a point from the contest, but at the same time it’s an experience from which we were able to gain a lot of positives from heading into next week’s clash,” Rosman said.
Having previously been a part of a promotion winning squad with the Sharks, Rosman is in a good position to compare the similarities and differences between the two clubs.
“Like Port, we’ve managed to keep together most of the boys from last year, and even if the Sharks squad in 2013 was more experienced and older, the aim is still nonetheless to survive with many of the boys enjoying their first state of top flight football,” he said.
“I believe there is enough quality in that dressing room to stay up.”
While most of his former teammates are long retired, Rosman gave an insight into the drive that’s been keeping him going for the past few seasons.
“I still get that enjoyment from playing, having banter with the boys, and as long as I make a contribution and feel like I am not embarrassing myself, I’ll keep on playing,” he said.
“I didn’t intend on playing until 40, and heading into the game I was a bit cautious, but as long as I can play a part and pass on a bit of experience to the younger boys then I will stick around for a bit longer.”
The interview is interrupted by one of Rosman’s former Oakleigh teammates in Nick Tolios, who partnered him in defence over a decade ago and now finds himself on the touchline at Kingston City.
“On the record, Felix is the best centre back I’ve ever played with, he’s still got another 10 years in him with that longevity of his,” the 34-year-old manager said.
Rosman responds: “You know you’re getting old when you see your old teammates play in Legends games (referring to Tolios’ appearance in a recent Oakleigh Cannons Legends match) and every week I’m playing against guys who have either coached me or that I’ve come up against on the playing field or been teammates with.”
His current manager, Dominic Barba, had not only coached against Rosman in the past but also refereed him in the past two decades, and had plenty of positive things to say about the oldest member of his senior squad.
“Felix is amazing because he shows that age is just a number as he’s done all the training in pre-season,” he said.
“He’s there every night with us and is a true leader which we will need in this team, and any club that thinks he’s one of our weaknesses will quickly find him to be one of our biggest strengths.”
His opposite number on the night in Anastasiadis also heaped praise on Rosman, having coached him during his first season in charge of Oakleigh in 2009.
“Felix is a great kid and a stalwart at the back and I actually told him that I’m surprised he’s not sitting back on the couch on Friday nights relaxing his feet given his age,” Anastasiadis said.
Tonight will be no different, with Rosman swapping the couch for the synthetic surface of David Barro Stadium, as the Lions entertain his former side Oakleigh in their first home game of the season as top flight football returns to the Veneto Club.
While Rosman’s sole focus tomorrow night will be trying to keep the Cannons scoreless for another 90 minutes, he does admit that matches against his former employers are memorable for him.
“Games against Oakleigh are always special for me having spent 10 years at that club and I’ve definitely got a soft spot for them, but come Monday night we will be looking for the three points above all else,” Rosman said.
Onlookers at the game might be surprised to see an outfield player of Rosman’s age still out on the football pitch at a high-level fixture, but with nearly two and a half decades of senior experience behind him, expect the imposing defender to be as influential as ever throughout the course of the campaign in which survival is the ultimate goal for Barba’s primarily youthful squad.
Image: Con Deves