Australia’s opening 4-1 Asian Cup win against Kuwait in Melbourne also acted as a homecoming for many players that were born and raised in Victoria. Of the 23 Socceroo squad members, seven hail from Victoria, making up almost a third of the squad. While the likes of James Troisi, Mitch Langerak, Robbie Kruse and Mark Milligan are renowned for their stints at Melbourne Victory, none are Melbourne raised. The following players grew up and honed their early skills in the nation’s south, before moving on to bigger and better things.
Aziz Behich
Position: LB
Age: 24
Club: Bursaspor (Turkey)
Caps: 7
Debut: 2012
A Green Gully junior, Behich broke into their senior side at the age of 17 and soon attracted the interest of Melbourne Victory. After starring for Victory’s Youth side, he made his senior team debut in the latter stages of the 2009-10 season, which became infamous for his glaring miss in the 2010 A-League grand final to Sydney FC.
Subsequently released that season, Behich served a stint in the VPL with Hume City, before Melbourne Heart signed him and moved him to left-back. His good form earned him a long-term contract and he became a regular in the Heart line-up in the next few seasons. A Socceroos call up for a friendly against South Korea in November 2012 beckoned, as did a move to Turkish side Bursaspor, though he initially saw little game time there. He was loaned to Heart for another season, before returning to Turkey where he is now a first team regular and winning many plaudits this season.
Did You Know?
Behich was the first player to be sent off in a Melbourne Derby after receiving his marching orders for two bookable offences in the very first fixture in October 2010.
Mark Bresciano
Position: CM/AM
Age: 34
Club: Al-Gharafa (Qatar)
Caps: 81
Debut: 2001
Now a squad veteran, Bresciano started his career as an alumni at Marcellin College while playing his junior football across the road at Bulleen Lions. After a stint at the AIS, he returned to play for Carlton in the NSL before moving to Empoli in Italy’s Serie B with teammate and close friend Vince Grella. A move to Parma and Serie A football followed in 2002, and during this time he also established himself as one of the Socceroos’ top players.
Bresciano scored the crucial goal against Uruguay in November 2005 to help Australia qualify for the 2006 World Cup. He moved to Sicilian side Palermo in 2006 and was on the verge of signing for Manchester City the following year, but remained in Italy for the next four seasons where he also played for Lazio. A move to the Middle East and a hiatus from Socceroos duty appeared to signal the end of his international career, but he returned in February 2012 to help Australia qualify for a third successive World Cup, where he was a once again a vital cog in the Socceroos’ machine.
Did You Know?
Bresciano holds the appearance record for an Australian in both the Serie A (with 250 games to his name) and at the World Cup (joint with Tim Cahill on 8).
Jason Davidson
Position: LB/CB
Age: 23
Club: West Bromwich Albion (England)
Caps: 13
Debut: 2012
The son of former Socceroo Alan Davidson, left-back Jason honed his skills and development as a junior in Japan before joining Broadmeadows based outfit Hume City in the VPL in 2009. He was named VPL Under 21 Player of the Year by the time he moved to Portuguese Liga side Pascos de Ferreira. Whilst Davidson struggled in Portugal, a move to Dutch Eredivisie outfit Heracles Almelo rejuvenated his European career.
A dream-come-true Socceroos debut followed in August 2012 against Scotland, though it quickly became a nightmare as he headed in an own goal minutes after coming on as a substitute. A shortage of left-back options in the Socceroos setup saw Ange Postecoglou turn to the youngster to fill the void, and he went on to start all three games at the World Cup. Subsequently, Davidson earned himself a transfer to EPL club West Bromwich Albion in the process, where he has since struggled for first team opportunities.
Did You Know?
After arriving late to one training session at a Japanese Academy, not only was he punished by being forced to shave his head, the whole squad suffered the same fate as a consequence.
Ivan Franjic
Position: RB
Age: 27
Club: Torpedo Moscow (Russia)
Caps: 12
Debut: 2012
A junior at Meadow Park, Melbourne Knights and St Albans Saints, Franjic began his senior club career at the latter before moving to big brother Croatia where he featured alongside Mate Dugandzic in Chris Taylor’s title-challenging outfit. After moving to Oakleigh in 2009, Franjic was called up as a short-term injury replacement by Brisbane Roar. Newly appointed Roar manager Ange Postecoglou became an admirer of the right-back, and over the next few seasons Franjic became an integral part of championship winning squads under Postecoglou and Mike Mulvey.
Postecoglou’s appointment as Socceroos coach would see Franjic become the team’s preferred right-back ahead of veteran Luke Wilkshire. Franjic featured at the 2014 World Cup, assisting Tim Cahill’s goal against Chile with a cross. An injury in the same match ended his tournament, however his form earned him a move to Russian Premier League outfit Torpedo Moscow.
Did You Know?
Prior to becoming a full-time professional in the A-League, Franjic worked as a carpenter and admitted that he was on the verge of quitting the game in 2009, right before the Roar came calling.
Eugene Galekovic
Position: GK
Age: 33
Club: Adelaide United
Caps: 8
Debut: 2009
The Socceroos’ current third-choice goalkeeper was a junior at Chelsea Hajduk (now Dandenong City) and Bulleen Lions, before finding his feet at senior level with Morwell Falcons and South Melbourne in the NSL. Galekovic spent Year Zero (between the NSL’s end and A-League’s beginning) in Portugal with Beira-Mar, before joining hometown club Melbourne Victory for their inaugural season.
After losing out to Michael Theo in the battle for a starting berth, Galekovic moved to interstate rivals Adelaide United in November 2007. The 33 year-old hasn’t looked back since, establishing himself as one of the A-League’s leading shot stoppers. Now United’s captain, he has been named in the A-League PFA Team of the Year on four occasions, and earned selection for both 2010 and 2014 World Cups.
Did You Know?
Galekovic completed his secondary education at St Bede’s College in Mentone, with two of his schoolmates being former Socceroos Vince Grella and Ljubo Milicevic.
Matthew Leckie
Position: FW
Age: 23
Club: Ingolstadt (Germany)
Caps: 16
Debut: 2012
Hailing from Sunshine in the western suburbs, Leckie spent his formative years in junior football with the Bulleen Lions. Despite an impressive knack of goals for their senior side as an 18 year-old, he was ignored by Melbourne Victory and instead signed for rivals Adelaide United. He became one of their shining lights in a disappointing 2009/10 season and started his second season in the same manner, before an injury following a poor tackle by Victory utility Surat Sukha stalled his progress.
By then, Leckie had done enough to catch the eye of German powerhouse Borussia Monchengladbach, who signed him to a team consisting of both Marco Reus and Dante. A lack of game time saw him drop down a division to FSV Frankfurt, where his performances improved and culminated in Socceroos call-ups and a move to ambitious 2. Bundesliga side Ingolstadt. He shone at the World Cup in Brazil and has continued his good form at his new club, who are currently seven points clear at the top of the second tier of German football.
Did You Know?
The round ball was not Leckie’s first sport of choice growing up, as he was an avid Aussie Rules player up until the age of 11 and is also an Essendon Bombers fan.
Matthew Spiranovic
Position: CB
Age: 26
Club: Western Sydney Wanderers
Caps: 21
Debut: 2008
Born and bred in Geelong, the tall centre-half began his junior career with local side North Geelong Warriors before spending time at the Melbourne Knights, the VIS, AIS and even a short trial with Melbourne Victory in their inaugural season. However, Ernie Merrick passed on the opportunity to sign the 17 year-old, believing he was to good for the A-League at the time. Spiranovic promptly signed for Bundesliga side Nurnberg in 2006 and won the German Cup in his first season at the club.
However, a combination of club relegation, injuries, and a loss of form followed, before Spiranovic moved to Japan in 2010 with heavyweights Urawa Reds. He fell out of favour the following season and moved to Al-Arabi in the UAE in 2012, before returning to Australia in 2013 and playing a key role in the Western Sydney Wanderers’ recent ACL triumph. Spiranovic made his Socceroos debut in 2008, but it was not until Postecoglou’s appointment he became a regular starter in the green and gold.
Did You Know?
Matthew’s younger sister Laura is a talented footballer herself, helping South Melbourne and Melbourne Victory to titles in the WPL and W-League respectively.