Mark Viduka’s Socceroos career is essentially over. Surprisingly, there haven’t been many articles, tributes or analysis of his career as a whole.
This is probably because we haven’t heard it from Mark Viduka’s mouth himself that it is all over.
Nevertheless considering he is holidaying away in Australia without a club as the football seasons is well into motion, we can safely say that barring a miracle, we are not going to see the Big Dukes in the Green and Gold ever again.
So how do we evaluate the career of this player?
On one hand he is probably one of the greatest players we have ever produced. On the other hand, people also view him as an underachiever both at club and international level and this “will he or won’t he” retire from the Socceroos issue for the entire Pim Verbeek’s reign has damaged his reputation amongst many fans.
To me both opinions are right.
Viduka is a fantastically gifted player and an absolute joy to watch. His ball control skills are unparalleled to any other Australian player including the great Harry Kewell himself. When it comes to controlling the ball with his first touch, there aren’t many players in the world who can match that.
He is also a natural goal scorer as shown by his record. He has dominated the NSL, in his early years scoring 40 goals out of 49 games for the Melbourne Knights.
Viduka had an excellent stint with Croatia Zagreb scoring a goal in every two games for that club. His goal scoring record for Celtic was also exceptional scoring 35 goals in 48 matches before moving to Leeds United where he excelled for four seasons including his famous four goals against Liverpool and making the semi-final of the UEFA Champions League.
For the Socceroos, Viduka was the focal point of the Australian national team during Guus Hiddink reign at the 2006 World Cup and we built the team around him. He was our play maker and his ability to hold the ball was essential in us in keeping possession, controlling the game and playing attractive entertaining football.
I am of the belief that if Viduka was fit and playing at the same level as he was in 2006, then this whole style debate that has plague Pim Verbeek reign would never have occurred.
It’s quite hard to play attractive attacking football, keep possession especially at the opposition half when your forward keeps on losing possession whenever the received the ball at his feet. I believe that Viduka’s absence is the difference between the dour Socceroos now and the relatively more exciting Socceroos in 2006.
Nevertheless the lack of goals Viduka scored for the Socceroos has always been a point of contention to many detractors. Also, people have always say that Viduka should have been scoring goals and winning trophies playing for big clubs instead of saving clubs from relegation.
According to Craig Foster during his conversation with Barcelona President Joan LaPorta, Viduka was the only Australian player they were seriously considered buying, but instead Viduka moved to Leeds United.
He has rejected offers from the likes of Roma and Valencia and spurn Champions League opportunities to stay in England. Fair enough that Viduka wants to put his family above his sporting career and you can’t blame anyone for that but it’s always gives us a “what if?” thought that we had a potential World Class player who never really showed his full potential
However, I guess we shouldn’t look at Mark Viduka on what he could have been but instead on what he has achieved.
He was a classy premiership standard striker, he was the focal point of the national team and I am grateful to have seen such a talented skillful player.
No matter how people may believe he hasn’t reached his potential, he is still the most talented Australian striker we have produced. I only wish he has a fitting farewell for the national team that he deserves instead of the inglorious elimination from the Asian Cup.
Mark Viduka, it has been a pleasure and I hope you enjoy the last few years of your career and your subsequent retirement.
Mike
Guest
easily Australia's best ever... shame he's retired, he's never relied on his pace and may have had his best years yet if he stayed on.
dm74
Guest
Name another player that has scored more than 15 goals in a top flight European league - and I am not talking Belgium. Once in a generation
Greg
Guest
Australian great in my view. Defining moment- back to goal against Croatia in th 1st half. Big Dukes was imposing; he took a battering from the Croatian central defenders, and kept feeding the ball back to his team mates. I was at the match, just behind the goal, and he stood up to the punishment like a Rugby League prop (albiet with that maginificent 1st touch still in play). We could not have played the possession football we played in that half were it not for the big man.
Eamonn
Guest
Good point Da Silva about fitness of Hiddink and Viduka and the whole squad come last World Cup. No-one seems to get that the Socceroos who performed in the way they did at the World Cup performed that way because of the fitness regime of Hiddink. Verbeek couldn;t send his teams out to play in the same way after travelling 24 hours or so to Australia or even 10 to Japan. players are generally much less fit during the season, with knocks and things...the Aussies did a pre-season before the last World Cup which even Emerton found tough. This must impact on the way our team of limited stars perform with or without Viduka....Fozzie, Fink and all the other whingers need to get a grip on what's actually going on with the Socceroos
dasilva
Guest
Thanks for the compliment Midfielder _____ Considering that European players especially in England probably get into pretty bad scandals as well. I think it's a bit more then just making it in Europe I believe it is because football was never that popular to the mainstream audience in Australia. The Australian players were never superstars even if they starred in the NSL. When they are developing their ego aren't as stroke as much as other players in more mainstream codes. I remember Viduka saying he was shocked when he played in the WCQ against Soloman Island under hiddink that their were crowds of people asking for his autograph which seldomly happen before So therefore they developed as a player in a far more humble background then players from other codes as well as football players overseas. Due to lack of professional opportunities offer in Australia they had to fight for any success they can get. That's why I think they seem more well-rounded and adjusted people. However saying that. The recent popularity of football seems to be changing things as well. One of the things that Frank Farina and Bernie Mandic was saying about the current generations is that they believe they are superstars after playing well in a very few matches and Frank believes that's the biggest (and most overlook) problem in youth development. Mike Salter's blog theorise why the likes of Danning and Mitch Nichols were disappointing in the U20 world cup as they were talked up as superstars by the media in Australia and they ended up believing in their own hype.
dasilva
Guest
Thanks a lot Cpaaa I really just wish that Viduka just come out and officially announce his international or complete retirement. I thought when Pim said that Dukes is now out of the plan after he miss out on the Holland and the Oman squad. That would have precipitated the official retirement followed by tributes, dedications and praised by the football media. Instead we get nothing. I just think someone has to do it when no one else is doing it.
Justin
Guest
Well if numerous years as Number 1 i the world and 2 major trophies is underachieving I'll take it. Mentioning Norman and Viduka in the same sentence is an insult to one of our greatest ever sportsman, make no mistake.
Midfielder
Guest
Cppaa Well said, and i agree 100%... A moving SBS show a few years back was ...""" The Away Game""" ... it showed just how much effort goes into as a kid leaving the shelter of home to try and make it in Europe ... in a very competative environment ..... The Duke is in any Australian first 11, and along with H, & Ray Baartz prehaps the only three selections no one would argue with.. That he made it in Europe and away from home proves he has that ...steel in his character ... some say he lacks... Slightly off topic ... but a comment I have often heard about the Socceroos is how well they speak and they do not seem to get into as much trouble as some in other codes off the park... I have always felt ... for any player to make it in Europe they must be very strong willed and determined and with that comes a high degree of behaviour otherwise it's out the door... Das great article ... mate ... well written ... posters too on the whole well done...
Epi
Guest
In some respects the Mark Philipoussis of football - but probably better off financially... Oh, and less of a twat.
Cpaaa
Guest
i felt like crying reading this. a beautiful article dasilva. the Duke really is the missing link in Verbeeks plans. he is also possibly the savior to the A-League attendances. im sure the Duke would put more in the stands than Fowler. crazy but true. Thanks again for the read, the bigman deserves it! i really thought that destiny would bring Mark Viduka to the Melbourne Victory. after all they share the same initials.
Norm
Guest
Michael C as underachiever Greg Norman is in a class of his own.
Norm
Guest
Hilarious.
dasilva
Guest
Apparently the exception to that was the World Cup Guus hiddink apparently called him a fatty when he first met Viduka in training and thought that it was unbelievable that we are having a professional footballer packing a few pounds. Then Viduka came back next camp losing fair amount of kilograms This made Hiddink think that Viduka should be captain as he was determine to impress the boss. If only Viduka had Hiddink far earlier?
Hammer
Guest
The problem is Viduka wouldn't know what hard training is - throughout his career he's been too lazy and hardly in peak physical condition - he got away with doing the bare minimum .... as Andyroo says makes you wonder what would have been if he had the drive and steely mentality of others to really see where he could have gone
midfield general
Guest
Dukes always gave an impression that there's more to his life than football, and good on him for that. I wish he hadn't moved to Boro when he had a chance to go to a bigger club. But he seems to be a sensitive type perhaps lacking a little confidence, as ridiculous as that might sound.
Robbos
Guest
Cannot disagree with too much there. Great player, but could've been greater, whereas Kewell could've been greater but for injuries, the Dukes, could've been greater but made some bad decisions & was never hungry enough to succeed.
Robbos
Guest
Yes please. It waould been great to see a hungry Mark Viduka. He was a great player.
Michael C
Roar Guru
In the same category as Greg Norman and Mark Webber (even after his 2nd win overnight)???
Art Sapphire
Guest
Mark will always hold a special place for the people from the western suburbs of Melbourne. Everyone realised back then then that we were watching a Australian football legend in the making as he was ripping my team back in the NSL days, South Melbourne. He was only eighteen but we knew he was destined to become a great striker. Please Mark do a Roger Milla and come back from retirement for the WC 2010. 3 months of hard training and you will be sorted :)
AndyRoo
Roar Guru
Was a great player to watch and I miss that. Made other players around him play better by holding the ball up and playing them into the game. So he was great but could have been greater, shouldn't hold that against him. I do wonder what would have been if he had the same drive and mentality of Kewell (who despite horrific injuries is our best in my eyes).