While Naum Sekulovski, John Hutchinson and Eugene Galekovic are current A-League staples, a former teammate of theirs is expected to be leading out Perth SC in the upcoming West Australia state Grand Final where Perth SC will face the Western Knights.
Robbie Puca was a member of the Eastern Pride squad of 2000/01, the club formerly known as the Morwell Falcons or Gippsland Falcons folding during the season, which also saw Carlton SC fold.
To many longtime followers of the game in Australia, it was the straw that broke the camel’s neck: a sure sign the days of the NSL were numbered, despite the fact the competition continued to the end to be blessed with some worthy footballers, no few of which are still to be found in today’s A-League.
Coach that season was Jeff Hopkins, a former Welsh international noted for his playing days at Fulham and Reading, who’s enjoyed success in the W-League with the Roar.
Another notable player in that side was Mike Conroy- a Scottish striker who played in the Premier Division with Clydebank, as well as the English lower leagues with Blackpool, Preston North End and Fulham, in each case scoring goals that helped those clubs away from the basement division.
Paymaker Robbie Puca returned to his native Perth to play for Perth SC, where he became a key player, following the Eastern Pride’s demise, and is now captaining the side.
Followers of the local game over the years consider him to be one of the most naturally gifted players in the league. The NSL did have its share of homegrown ball players, the like of which have yet to produced by A-League clubs in any prolific number.
In any case, some local league fans have even argued that Puca and a few other state league players might have done a better job than some of the players to have “graced” Perth Glory in their first few A-League seasons.
A few times during his career injuries have hampered him, but when fit and firing Perth SC can count on Puca’s experience and leadership.
Among the ranks of former NSL players he would be considered something of a forgotten one, but also an interesting case of the different paths taken by players from that league, and especially from a club whose demise was a sad blow for what was one of the game’s undoubted strongholds in country Victoria.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
There have been a seemingly endless number of negative, doom-and-gloom articles about the A-Leagues, most of them related to the APL’s mismanagement. This article…
Nestory Irankunda was denied a parting gift in his final A-League appearance before heading overseas, with Central Coast's Danny Vukovic pulling off a spectacular…
The Liverpool great was enjoying himself with the Borussia Dortmund fans and tried to rope in Jadon Sancho to the celebrations.
It would prove costly for PSG as they went down 1-0 to Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League semi.
Borussia Dortmund won the first leg of their Champions League SF clash with PSG 1-0. They could've improved their aggregate with another goal but…
Borussia Dortmund have given themselves a huge chance of making an unlikely UEFA Champions League Final appearance with a pulsating 1-0 win over PSG.…
