When the midnight chimes welcome in 2009, few will be looking forward to the New Year more than Adrian Leijer. Because make no mistake: 2009 is Leijer’s certus annus. His defining year.
The former Melbourne centre back and A-League Young Player of the Year has been at Fulham since August 2007.
The 22-year-old was the subject of an insightful interview on Fox Sports FC on Wednesday when Fulham coach Roy Hodgson was quizzed about Leijer’s spot in the premiership club’s squad.
He rightly pointed out that while Leijer might be on the young side, he could not be considered a young player anymore.
Hodgson said Leijer’s Olympic sojourn – in which he was away for months, yet did not play a single minute at the tournament – had hurt his player’s fitness and thus his chances of first-team football.
It appears that a loan, or even a transfer away from Fulham, is the now the right move for Leijer.
Despite making the first-team squad on a handful of occasions, his London adventure has yielded only reserve team matches.
Leijer mustn’t underestimate the importance of the next year in his football career. He needs only to look at another Australian plying his trade in England to see how easily things can change.
Shane Cansdell-Sherriff burst onto the scene as part of the Australian side that reached the final of the Under 17 World Championships in New Zealand in 1999.
Along with teammates Jess Vanstrattan (Juventus) and Carl Valeri (Inter Milan), Cansdell-Sherriff secured a move overseas, with Leeds United bringing the left-back to England.
The future seemed bright.
Harry Kewell had showed an avenue from the youth team to the senior squad was navigable. But by the time that Cansdell-Sherriff appeared ready to make his mark at United, financial disaster had struck for the Yorkshire club and he was released without making an appearance.
A move to Denmark with AGF Aarhus followed, before shifting back to England and bouncing around the lower leagues with Tranmere and Shrewsbury.
He has not been seen in Australia colours since the 2004 Athens Olympics.
Leijer had not reached that point yet, of course. He even got a first senior cap for his country after coming on in a friendly with Singapore in March.
But the lessons learned from Cansdell-Sherriff must be heeded.
As Leijer is finding, winning a contract at a Premier League club does not guarantee a successful career at the top level.
Getting that chance is only half the battle.
Hodgson praised his Dubbo-born charge for his work rate since returning from the Olympics, so that cannot be in question.
The only question marks exist over his short-term future as 2009 ticks over. It’s these next few months that will more than likely define Leijer’s career.
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