Dandenong City sign former A-League midfielder Kalmar

by Damir Kulas 0

Dandenong City have unveiled their latest high-profile recruit with the recruitment of former Melbourne City and Western Sydney Wanderers midfielder Nick Kalmar.

The 29 year-old moves to Frank Holohan Reserve after most recently plying his trade in the Indonesian Super League with Arema Cronus.

A Melbourne Knights junior, Kalmar made his senior breakthrough in 2004 with State League One outfit Altona East Phoenix, scoring three league goals over the course of two seasons.

After a short spell with the Preston Lions in 2006, the teenager midfielder featured for western suburbs based sides St Albans Saints and Sunshine George Cross – the latter in the top flight.

A move to Altona Magic followed in 2008, with Kalmar playing a vital role for Vlado Tortevski’s men, who claimed consecutive Championship honours.

Kalmar next joined the Oakleigh Cannons in 2010 and spent half a season working under John Anastasiadis, scoring twice in nine league appearances, which included a famous winner away at rivals South Melbourne.

The A-League beckoned next for the box-to-box midfielder, who became a foundation player at the Melbourne Heart, which included a surprise starting role in the club’s maiden A-League fixture.

Kalmar spent the next four and a half years at Bundoora, making a total of 69 league appearances for the club that was later renamed Melbourne City, netting a total of six goals.

A move north saw him join the Western Sydney Wanderers in January 2015, as he netted a further two goals in 10 games during his short spell with the then-Asian Champions.

After an unsuccessful trial with K-League side Daejeon Citizen, Kalmar moved to Thailand by agreeing terms with Samut Sakhon in the Thai Premier League.

A return to Victoria followed in 2016, as the midfield workhorse rejected the advances of several NPL suitors by joining fourth tier Geelong, who were managed by his former Magic teammate Steve Laurie.

He netted three times in his half-season stint at Stead Park, which culminated in Geelong winning promotion by taking out league honours.

Kalmar jets into Dandenong following his latest spell in Asia and is to be reunited at Hajduk with former Heart teammate Mate Dugandzic, who agreed terms with the club in October.

The ex-A-League duo join brother pairing Shaun and James Kelly (Port Melbourne and Moreland Zebras respectively), Steven Topalovic (Oakleigh Cannons), Paul Harvey (returning to Victoria) and David Stirton (also Port Melbourne) as arrivals at City under the management of new coach Stuart Munro.