That’s not to say he wasn’t a great addition to the A-League. The Jets looked capable of anything while he was on the park, and achieved nothing on it while he was injured, which was most of the time.
While history, especially from a European perspective, will summarise Bridges’ career as robbed of potential by an injury plague, it has set the Englishman up as the A-League’s best advertisement.
In his new role as International Football and Business Development Manager, he has the perfect platform to re-create his new fairy-tale life for others.
Let me take a step back.
Why would anyone other than a washed-up desperado or homecoming Aussie want to leave Europe to play in the A-League?
It is a long way from big leagues, literally and psychologically, and English football aristocracy will happily tell you it is football’s antipodean invisibility cloak. It doesn’t pay especially well, the pitches are often rugby league grounds of dubious quality and the crowds are only occasionally big.
Worse still, it’s hard. Athletic, hungry, brave young Aussies show respect for someone who has achieved at the highest level by turning themselves inside out to break him on the pitch.
It’s not cynical, quite the contrary, the Australian competitive spirit and the lack of opportunity to test themselves against a great brings out the best in the colonials.
It doesn’t matter who you are, you won’t wander around any A-League pitch showing off your silky skills, embarrassing the locals without breaking a sweat, and walk off to collect your big fat pay packet.
So why do it?
“We love it here,” Michael Bridges’ wife told me as my daughter kissed her dog at a beachside playground on a perfect autumn day.
“I never thought this is where we’d wind up but – look at this.”
A few nights before I had been to the restaurant she, Michael, and former rugby league player Luke Davico have opened on fashionable Darby Street. It was the scene of the after-party when Bridges’ boss Nathan Tinkler successfully bid to take over the Newcastle Knights.
The Aussie dollar is a bit more competitive than it used to be but I bet that classy eatery cost a lot fewer of those Sunderland and Leeds United pounds than would be required to do something similar in London or Newcastle-Upon-Tyne.
So Michael Bridges, who counts the likes of David Beckham and Harry Kewell as friends, has been given the job of convincing great players from around the world to spend some time in Newcastle with the Jets in particular, but more generally in Australia with the A-League.
How will he do it?
Knowing Tinkler’s mob, he will probably have slick video presentations, glossy brochures and competitive contracts, but mostly – he will have his own story.
He will chauffeur potential A-Leaguers past the beach and wave to his lovely blonde wife as she pushes the children on the swing, past the beautiful real estate with views to the blue horizon, before parking his lovely new car out front of his restaurant and offering a range of wines.
He’ll probably look up from pouring a Hunter Valley red and wink and say in his toon tones; “I know mate, it’s not Hull in winter but we do our best.
“And it’s a lot bloody cheaper than the South of France.”
At that point, the next Dwight Yorke or Robbie Fowler or Michael Owen or Wayne Rooney, won’t be worried about the crowd figures or the rough spots on the pitch or the fact that 5 o’clock Sunday games in Australia in summer as are as hot as Hades.
And a few days later, an English tabloid will sport the headline; “Kanga-Rooney”. It will talk about the succession of Europeans choosing the Australian league and the Australian life and they will talk about the restaurateur Michael Bridges, the Englishman selling Australia to the English.
No, Michael Bridges’ contribution to Australian football didn’t end at last week’s retirement announcement, it just began.
Sheppo
Guest
Another piece of high grade intelligence and reasoning! Who votes for Ljubo as the new FFA CEO and for him to bring back the old NSL? Oh the glory days of semi-professionalism, playing on surburban dust bowls and nationalist based crowd violence. Must be another anglo conspiracy!!! (please) Stay where u are Ljubo and hide under a rock.
Ljubo
Guest
Sociological Experiment! How many of you that critique me are Anglo's?! Not being racist ;) I mean surely we were not racist when we got rid of all the old NSL teams, I mean those clubs that produced all the juniors that graced European League's still have a good path way don't they?! Or am I wrong again?! KEEPING IT REAL!
Ljubo
Guest
Bravo Janek! Glad they have not fooled you!
Sheppo
Guest
Ljubo, the only way you get in the news these days is to run your mouth off in this fashion. Do us all a favour and stay in some backwater league in Moldovia and make a d--khead out of yourself over there. No one here gives a s--t about your conspiracy theories or your lack of cognitive ability.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Isn't that a Britney Spears song? :)
Ljubo
Guest
Mahony stop acting like your part of my family! BTW my bro's name is Steve! Whoops I did it again ;)
TARDIS
Guest
Ljubo, didn't you leave your home and live on the other side of the world where you don't know anyone?
whiskeymac
Guest
=)
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Ljubo, to be fair some us travel for the adventure and the challenge. I didn't know anyone in Cambodia when I first turned up here for work, the same with a few other Asian and Pacific countries I've worked in, and it has been a sensational experience and one that I wouldn't change for the world.
Dan from limeburners ck
Guest
Good article aaron i tend to agree shame lubo cant keep mouth shut we are better off without him. hope he enjoys watching us go 2 finals while he play 4 some vic premier league club lol.
damos_x
Guest
just curious as to which sentiment it is you want us to take , the f--k you all bit or the peace & love bit ? clearly Aaron is not the only one with his head up his arse.
Janek Speight
Guest
Ljubo is the MAN! As a Jets supporter I was sad to see him leave the club. Imagine, he helped transform Topor-Stanley into a rock in defence, he was shaky as before Llubo shaped him up. Without Ljubo I honestly don't see the Jets performing next season unless we get a decent replacement, attack starts from the back... Anyway on the Bridge issue, I'm pretty angry at the Geordie. Why the hell did he not leave when we still had the chance to keep Jeffers? He was constantly talking up a return to action which never eventuated. Complete bulls--t. He has never really performed for the club and his stay reminds me of Owen's at the Toon. Sure he's a nice bloke and all but he's spent most of his time on the treatment table. Compare this to the way Jeffers transformed our team, the way he taught Jesic how to make decent runs and how to play the game! The difference between the Jets with Bridge and without is nowhere near as massive as the difference between the Jets with Jeffers and without. Outrage! It baffles why we kept a crocked player on our books and let a guy go who could've helped our youngsters come of age. Bridge should have offered to end his contract but he didn't, and I believe the only reason he is now out of the playing roster is because he was offered MORE money to sit on his a--e by cashed-up Tinkler. That is all. Get off Ljubo's back he's what we need in this country to improve the beautiful game.
nordster
Guest
all well and fine, the league isn't anything like what most of us want it to be ultimately. We have to get there somehow though. I agree with a lot of what Ljubo has said also... he just oversteps at times and is full of contradictions. Read Mahony's post further up.
nordster
Guest
+1 @ Hoof ... even if Bridges isn't your cup of tea Ljubes, doesn't mean he has nothing to offer Newcastle football going forward.
Brian
Guest
Ha I reckon Ljubo has been hanging around in those Melbourne nightclubs with those evil AFL players again snorting some of the good stuff, then coming on the Roar to tell the world how it is.
Matt F
Guest
oh dear ljubo so modest as always. didn't you leave the jets to go and play in Europe? It seems the only thing worse then your humility is your sense of geography
Madzaman
Guest
"He (Bridges) did f-k all for us on the pitch," Milicevic fumed. "We qualified for the second round of the ACL without him. "We actually did well in the league, knocking out Gold Coast without Bridges and in the second year we were firmly in the finals hunt, yet again without bridges." Q "He [Bridges] always wanted a retirement plan," Milicevic wrote. "He has not played anywhere regularly for more than six years. A Neither have you ... Talk about glass houses Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1998–1999 Melbourne Knights 1 (0) 1999–2001 Perth Glory 29 (3) 2001–2004 FC Zurich 45 (3) 2002–2003 → FC Basel (loan) 2 (0) 2004–2006 FC Thun 56 (4) 2006–2007 BSC Young Boys 12 (0) 2007 Melbourne Vic 2 (0) 2009–2011 Newcastle Jets 44 (0) 2011– South Melbourne 5 (0 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ljubo_Mili%C4%8Devi%C4%87 Q "Do you ever ask yourself why a person would leave their home and go live on the other side of the world where they do not know anyone? A Ever asked yourself why your in a country that you have openly stated that you disrespect (hate) the people of (cause we cant pronounce your name) and have called the country rapists?? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoonwzNFKVI Q "What about family? Friends? Why isn't he involved in one of his other former clubs? F_k you are all so naïve and dumb in this country." A What former club have you been involved with??????????
Peter Wilson
Roar Guru
Ljubo still is a great player. Only just turned 30 I think and still a few good years left in him yet. He should have been selected more often for the Socceroos and is still one of our best defenders. But this is the sort of football cullture we have developed in Australia from the failed NSL days - everyone having a go at everyone else and complaining and moaning. The FFA blamed for everything from stealing little kiddies lunch money to defrauding the Australian public. Just read anything written by Jesse Fink or Craig Foster lately. Do you hear this sort of thing from the AFL camp? No and a sport that doesn't rate higher than the Socceroos or NRL on Pay TV or free TV is laughing at us and rolling in hundreds of millions of dollars in TV money. When will we learn - maybe we don't deserve a decent national football competition.
mahony
Guest
I had the honour to meet "Papa & Mama Milicevic" at Oakleigh one evening when Lubjo 1st stepped out for Melbourne in a game against the Cannons. Wonderful people both of them. Very kind and happy to talk at length about their son and his achievements up until that time. His brother Andrew (if I remember correctly) seems like a very nice chap also. Lubjo baffles me in comparison.
mahony
Guest
That is true. He was such a gifted player. What a terrible waste.