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davieG

Aussie Trialist

By davieG, in Leicester City Forum

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davieG

davieG

Posted
Posted

According to the Merc we've got a midfielder on trial 26 year old Joel Griffiths, apparently we were interested in him in the summer and he's currently with Swiss side Neuchatel Xamax - fee is said to be £450, 000, was in the Aussie squad in August.

Griffiths riding new wave of success

By Michael Cockerill

August 3, 2005

Five years ago, Joel Griffiths was a precocious surfer-turned-striker destined for bigger things - these days he is a seasoned European-based professional determined to prove his talent hasn't gone to waste.

Griffiths, 25, will be called up for the national team for the first time when new Socceroos coach Guus Hiddink names his first training squad, possibly later today. It has been a long, often frustrating apprenticeship for a player who burst onto the scene as a striker for Sydney United, but is now more often used as a wide midfielder by his Swiss club Neuchatel Xamax.

Griffiths's early promise earned him a place in the Australian under-20 team for the 1999 world youth championships in Nigeria. But while six of his Young Socceroos teammates - among them Jason Culina, Mile Sterjovski, Vince Grella and Marco Bresciano - have gone on to play for the senior national team, Griffiths has had to bide his time.

Now, as he starts his third season in Switzerland, his chance has finally arrived.

"To be honest, I'd sort of given up on the idea," Griffiths said.

But Hiddink's arrival has opened the door, and Griffiths is determined to seize the moment. Not just on the international stage, but also at club level.

A planned move to English premiership hopefuls Leicester City was scuppered by Neuchatel's €500,000 ($800,000) asking price, but selection in the Socceroos squad means Griffiths should be more in demand.

"This is a very important opportunity for me," he said. "Obviously I'm happy to be in the squad, now it's up to me. I want to play for Australia and I want to find myself a new club. Neuchatel, it's a good club but it's not a big one. If I'd been at a bigger club, I'm sure I would have been recognised by now.

"I'm out of contract at the end of the season and I'll be ready to go. England is where I'd like to be. I've just got to go into [socceroos] camp and give it my best shot. Hopefully it will lead to something."

Griffiths is one of two uncapped players believed to have been selected by Hiddink (along with goalkeeper Nathan Coe), but any suggestions of wholesale changes are wide of the mark.

The 30-man squad, which gathers for a four-day camp in Hoenderloo, north of Amsterdam, on August 15, will be largely similar to that left behind by Hiddink's predecessor, Frank Farina.

Hiddink's decision to scrap a planned friendly match against Colombia in favour of the get-together has reduced what was already a short preparation for the World Cup play-offs in November. Football Federation Australia is hoping to compensate by arranging an extra match three days after Australia play Jamaica in London in mid-October.

AUSTRALIA

BartonFox

BartonFox

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Has Levein got some sort of auzzie fetish?!? :huh:

To be fair I would to after the way they spanked the next World Cup winners ( <_< ) at Upton Park.

Sly

Sly

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Joel Link

What a great goal scoring record in a league that is a 3rd of the standard of the Championship. 2 buts (Goals???) in 29 matches.

Sly

Sly

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If he signs that will mean we've got about 6 Australians! We only have about 2 English players aswell, that needs rectifying if you ask me.

Smith, Dublin, Stearman & Morris are the only English first team players that spring to mind.

If Craig insists on having Australians, can't we at least have some decent ones?

I'd have Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton, Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka and John Aloisi any day.

Maybe Milan will accept a swap deal involving Douglas for Kalac, what do you think???

fosseman

fosseman

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Not another Aussie! I know they are combative players (and we've lacked spirit) but we must get people in who have a balance of enthusiasm and skill. I'll reserve judgement on this fellow if we sign him.

Ric Flair

Ric Flair

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Out of the Aussies we've got currently Henderson and Wesolowski are the only ones worthy of being at our club. Tiatto and Kisnorbo are both extremely crap and get rewarded with the captaincy!

Wesolowski will keep Kisnorbo out of the team soon anyway.

Sly

Sly

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what a weird site. good to see the aussies are as modest as ever

Striker

Right wing back

Right back

Right midfield

MC Prussian

MC Prussian

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OK, and now for some Swiss expertise.

Neuchatel Xamax were once famous for being the "giant killers" in European football. That was in the late 70ies/early 80ies. Since then, the club has gone down a bit, financially and professionally. They lost their most prolific striker, Mobulu M'Futi, in the summer to Istres in France. Current coach is Miroslav Blazevic, who trained Croatia in the 1998 World Cup in France, where they went 3rd.

Joel Griffiths is one of the better players out of that mediocre squad as of right now and is a rather offensive midfielder/striker with a taste for goals. He is used more often as a striker, though. Unfortunately, he hasn't shown that scoring hunger in the recent past, but I guess it's partially because the team he's playing for is just not good enough and the way the managers play him. Is slated "inefficient" by the Swiss press.

HB9VGika_Pxgen_r_180xA.jpg

Here's some personal information:

Born on the 21st of August, 1979. Is 1.83 metres (6 feet) tall and weighs 75 kilograms (150 pounds).

Scored 18 goals in 21 matches for Newcastle United in Australia in 2002/03, then went to Switzerland and scored two in 29.

This season, out of a total of 18 matches, he has played 13 for 1006 playing minutes. Was subsituted twice and brought in once. Goal tally: 1. :ph34r:

Parsons

Parsons

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tis on sky sports news now... :rolleyes:

do you think he is being brought in too add depth to the squad? or is he coming in to replace someone going out?? (joey or williams)

Jonbluefox9

Jonbluefox9

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This is only a trial to begin with so if he doesn't look as good, if not better, than what we've already got then we won't sign him. That's the beauty of a trial. The only bad thing is he may do blindingly well in his trial but then look painfully mediocre when he signs permanently. I would hope someone connected with the club have been to watch him on more than a couple of occasions plus this trial before we consider buying him.

Gené and Tonic

Gené and Tonic

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It sounds like he has the potential, but I would much rather he'd have been a proper right winger, it's a position that needs filling urgently.

His goal rate is appalling, and that's in the Swiss league!

If he is used as an offensive midfielder or a right winger, I think he'd be of much better use than as a striker.

We need a goalscorer, not a hit and miss!

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