By Roger Vaughan
February 10th 2010 @ 1:40am
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Mrdja defends move to Victory
Melbourne Victory striker Nik Mrdja can see the lighter side of the bitter controversy that has erupted over his A-League transfer.
The ongoing backlash over his move from the Central Coast Mariners will prompt Australian soccer officials to review the league’s injury replacement rule.
A loophole in the rules means Mrdja has joined the Victory for the rest of the season and the following Asian Champions League before returning to the Mariners for the 2010-11 A-League campaign.
He will play against Sydney FC in this weekend’s minor premiership decider and Sydney vice-chairman Scott Barlow said the transfer was not in the spirit of the competition.
Mrdja is caught in the midst of this drama, but the striker says he will enjoy some A League notoriety if officials have to create “The Nik Mrdja Rule”.
“That’s always a positive, too – my name is always going to be there as the guy who done (sic) it,” Mrdja joked.
“But if you looked at it, everyone was capable of doing it … it just fell right for the Victory and they came through with it.
“At the end of the day, it was all legal, both parties were happy, it went through and I’m happy about it.”
Asked if it was one of the stranger football situations he had found himself in, the injury-cursed striker said: “of course – it was an overnight thing.
“But I look at the positive side of things and for me that’s to keep ticking over after such a long time out.
“To come to a team that’s top of the ladder and competing (for) the championship, it’s great.”
Mrdja, who made his debut for the Victory in Friday’s 2-0 win over North Queensland, said it was easy to fit in with his new team.
“I really haven’t put much in throughout the season with them, but to be coming here at the business end of the season is definitely a positive and hopefully I can help the boys out,” he said.
“The ball came to me and I could have had a couple, to be honest.
“The more times I put myself in those situations, the better.
“It suits me down to a T – I’m facing forward every time I’m getting the ball, facing towards goal and my job is to finish.”
Mrdja said the Victory remained a strong team, despite Matthew Kemp’s season-ending knee injury adding to their long list of absent players.
“From what I saw on Friday night … there’s nothing understrength about the team,” he said.
“It’s the confidence the boys have within themselves … and the coaching staff have made them believe in themselves.
“They’ve gone out there and done the business.”
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MV Dave said | February 10th 2010 @ 3:28pm | Report comment
The way Mrdja was shooting the other night our rivals should be thrilled we have signed him
Towser said | February 10th 2010 @ 3:41pm | Report comment
Once a player has continuing major injuries,very rarely are they the same player. I see Nik Mrdja that way.