Australia’s Dario Vidosic (centre) takes the ball up field despite pressure from Paraguay’s Dario Veron. AAP Image/Dean Lewins
While most of the pre-season attention has been on a pair of big name returning Socceroos, in Harry Kewell and Brett Emerton, less heralded in the mainstream was the return of another 2010 World Cup representative, Dario Vidosic.
After four seasons in Germany, where his career never quite took off at FC Nuremberg and a couple of other clubs he was loaned out to, Vidosic returned home in the off-season, aged only 24, keen to re-ignite his club and national team career.
For a player, nothing quite stacks up to the feeling of playing regularly, a challenge the likes of Mathew Leckie and Matt McKay currently have to deal with.
For Vidosic, there’s little doubt the motivation was to get back home, have a few good seasons, and see where that eventually leads him.
Perhaps even seeing the career of his former Roar teammate McKay take off over the past year or so, for both club and country, at the age of 28, has provided Vidosic with the confidence to come home and work on his game over the next couple of seasons. He has time.
On Friday night, in what I thought was a high quality affair at a packed Hindmarsh Stadium, Vidosic gave Adelaide United and A-League fans a taste of what we might expect throughout the season, turning on a man of the match display to steal the show from Kewell.
Indeed, it was rather ironic that Vidosic, who started his career at the Roar in a wide area, played an influential role in the hole behind Sergio van Dijk, while Kewell, who Mehmet Durakovic admitted would be playing behind the strikers when he was signed, was often left isolated up front, in the number nine role.
The move by Durakovic, no doubt designed to accommodate the returning Carlos Hernandez, back-fired, with Kewell becoming an increasingly peripheral figure as the pumped-up Reds controlled most of the match with their up-tempo pressing style.
Vidosic, a modern day attacker, blessed with great mobility and a very strong work-rate, was a key influencer in this space.
Indeed, while much was made of the Fabio error in the lead up to the only goal of the game, look closely at the highlights and you’ll see it was Vidosic closing down the Brazilian, forcing him to rush his distribution.
It’s the type of detail that will please not only Rini Coolen, but Holger Osieck, who has taken to the pressing work of Alex Brosque at national team level, a trait he showcased in his time in the A-League.
While Vidosic’s defensive work was a feature of the week two blockbuster, it was also his movement, set piece work and subtle work on the ball that caught the eye.
Finding space in and around twin holders Grant Brebner and Leigh Broxham, and drifting into wider areas when the space opened up, Vidosic’s combination with his front third team-mates van Dijk, Andy Slory and Zenon Caravella was always in-touch.
Indeed, there was seamlessness about the way he slotted into the 11 after missing Adelaide’s opener in Perth. No doubt this understanding was honed in the off-season, a luxury neither Emerton nor Kewell had after signing late for their respective clubs.
While Vidosic spent most of his formative years, for club and country, playing out wide, it seems Coolen is determined to use him centrally, as a replacement for the wonderful Marcos Flores.
Like Flores you can expect to see him not only occupying the central corridor, but using the flanks when the likes if Caravella and Slory drift infield.
Whether Vidosic can be as influential a creator and finisher as Flores remains to be seen, but on the evidence of his first display, where he managed nine shots and a couple of finals balls, he’ll go mighty close.
After upstaging Kewell last week, he gets his chance to match-up against Emerton on Saturday, and there’s no doubt he’s determined to put on a show.
Speaking after Friday’s win, Vidosic stopped short of throwing down the gauntlet to Kewell and Emerton, but emitted a steely tone of determination.
He is here to get the business done and make a statement or two of his own.
Hamish Alcorn
Guest
These coaches haven't proved themselves yet. They can choose good players and arrange them on the field, but the proof that they can coach is players getting better under their custody. In short there is a good argument that Australia's best players should seek to sign with the Roar because we know that they will be developed there, and be better players at the end of the season than at the beginning. I know that's absurd in practice and provocative, but we do need to put the pressure on Australia's coaches to actually coach players, especially those who may be in the national team. We need them to improve. Notably both Osiek and Vidmar are working toward a very similar philosophy/system as at the Roar. Who were Mackay, Nichols, Solozarno, before Ange got hold of them? Dario was coached by Farina (and staff) and then in the Bundesliga (very well). Is he still being coached to be better?
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Realfootball If a fact is disproved then it was never a fact, but someone's opinion or theory. The nearest I've come to studying taxation was a unit of study at the SIA over 10 years ago. Whilst I found the material reasonably interesting - e.g. Tax implications of cross border finance, FX transactions, etc. - it never grabbed my attention strongly enough to pursue a career in the field. And, yes, I do have lots of time on my hands during the day - the beauty of semi-retirement and a job that is 100% online. I don't work for anyone so I can spend my day as I please. Ben of PP Even when I studied physics at Uni back in the 80s, I never read about Einstein claiming "nothing moved faster than the speed of light". There are very few facts in science - rather there are lots of theorems, theories and opinions. Regardless, the facts i refer to in a football match would be regarded as "verifiable observations"- what actually occurred; not theories or opinions of what occurred.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Rojas is class. Just a pity he's a Kiwi :)
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
nothing moves faster than the speed of light; Einstein told us. Then a few weeks ago some neutrinos turned up earlier than expected at the CERN.......
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
ah, reminds of the wonderful Monty Python sketch with the Norwegian Blue: Mr. Praline: Um...now look...now look, mate, I've definitely 'ad enough of this. That parrot is definitely deceased, and when I purchased it not 'alf an hour ago, you assured me that its total lack of movement was due to it bein' tired and shagged out following a prolonged squawk. Owner: Well, he's...he's, ah...probably pining for the fjords. Mr. Praline: PININ' for the FJORDS?!?!?!? What kind of talk is that?, look, why did he fall flat on his back the moment I got 'im home? Owner: The Norwegian Blue prefers keepin' on it's back! Remarkable bird, id'nit, squire? Lovely plumage!
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Fuss has a point, facts are facts. Adelaide 1, Victory 0 :D
Stevo
Guest
I think the Accountants and Tax Officials Union will be calling on you soon and asking for a "please explain" :-)
JasonA
Guest
Loving the banter on a slow Wednesday afternoon/ night. If I may offer my opinion I thought the game was far more even than everyone is saying. Adelaide had about a twenty minute period of dominance from leijer being sent off to the 80 minute mark. Melbourne dominated the first 20 mins with Rojas in particular causing havoc down the right. For the rest of the game it was an even affair, played well, nothing extraordinary in my opinion. Both teams haven't found their rhythm yet and I predict both teams will be there at the pointy end of the season. Remember the Roar took 2 months or so to go top last season. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Realfootball
Guest
Fuss, every time you start to type the word FACT, please try and remember how many FACTS have been disproved in the last 100 years. Something about your myopic dogmatism suggests to me you were an accountant or a tax official in a past life. Not now - you have far too much time on your hands, clearly. And, please - stop SHOUTING at us.
Realfootball
Guest
What you call FACTS, Fuss, are often simply your opinion. "Facts are facts and can never be disputed." Really? Even when, as science constantly demonstrates "facts" are no more than subjective interpretations of reality, and are in fact subject to constant change? Methinks you have really overreached yourself here. Really, Fuss, you would do well to hold back on the high handed pomposity. Less is more, as they say in the film industry. Browbeating other posters is unseemly, particularly in CAPS. The examples you cite here are still only a partial, highly selective view of a larger context.
punter
Guest
Yes jmac, always very impressed with him at Gold Coast & he looked good too last Friday. Very rarely loses the ball or put a stray pass.
Futbanous
Guest
Please Fussball,Football fans dont want facts its too painful to accept. "In fact you lost that match because of that penalty" "C'mon it was never a penalty in the first place" "But it was a blatant handball" "No it wasnt it was accidental" "How could it be accidental when he was protecting his privates" " No he wasnt he needed a piss" "You saying he's got a weak bladder?" "Well not really ,but it couldnt have been a goal because the goalie moved" "all goalies move nowadays" "No they dont" See you on page 315 of this saga resulting from a FACT.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
AGO74 totally agree that analysis will be subject to personal bias; but FACTS are FACTS and can never be disputed. So, it is a fact that Danny was 1-on-1 with the Reddy on three occasions, H's header was going in to the top right corner and Solorzano had a 1-on-one that Reddy saved. These events actually occurred and can never be disputed, irrespective of subjective biases.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@ Futbanous Totally agree- every fan's assessment of an event will vary but, surely, FACTS can never be disputed. So, what occurred is always set in stone and cannot be tainted by bias. Emmo missed a penalty - that's beyond dispute. Was it a bad kick or a good save? That's subject to interpretation and bias. On Friday, it is beyond dispute that Levchenko was penalised for several fouls in the first half and, on each occasion, the ref spoke to Levchenko, but gave no yellow card. These are all FACTS that are not subject to biased interpretation - these things occurred, regardless of whether you watch the game with MVFC-lenses, AUFC-lenses or neutral-lenses.
AGO74
Guest
Fuss - fans of opposing teams never ever see a match between their teams the same way!
Futbanous
Guest
"Sometimes I wonder if we all watch the same games" We do but not through the same lens. Heres an example:- http://www.jeffwinterentertainmentandmedia.co.uk/rangers/0910001.php
jmac
Guest
now there's a player I'm happy to talk up, punter. nothing like a bit of exaggeration to ram home a point ;)
punter
Guest
Sorry not in the world, in the A-League :)
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Wow - big statements about "not finding the back of the net" from a team that found the back of the net ... ONCE after defensive error. In R1, Allsop had three separate 1-on-1 with the GK, Solorzano had another, H had a header bound for the top corner that was saved beautifully - that's 5 "looked likely" in my mind. In R1, Perth should have scored 7-8 goals against AUFC if the attacking players weren't so selfish - Smeltz, in particular, had 3-4 opportunities but chose the "Ronaldo" option (selfish) rather than the Oezil option (unselfish square ball for a tap-in) In R2, H scuffed a shot that he would normally bury, Solorzano took one extra touch instead of shooting or squaring the ball for a tap in and Leijer missed an open goal. Sure we didn't score but it's revisionist history to say we "didn't look likely to score"! Sometimes I wonder if we all watch the same games.
Kasey
Guest
Fuss, let's not forget your mob were already a goal down when Princess Leijer let your team down badly by getting a second Yellow. By that stage United had already demonstrasted that it was he better team on the pitch. All Leijer getting marched did was solidify the end result. United were terrible againt Glory, but were without Vidosic and lost Mullen to a hammy injury. Susak came in for Mullen and vidosic has proved the worth of his inclusion after recovering from illness. If United play against other teams in the comp like they did in the first half, then they will score goals. McKain bossed our backline and I thought Caravella was instrumental in keeping control of the midfield. Slory and Cassio were dangerous on the left flank. We know that SvD is a proven goal scorer. I am cautious about getting ahead of myself as I think we've got a long way to go to get near BrisRoar. But if we've got a long way to go, then you've got even further to travel. Bloody hell, your mob haven't even found the back of the net yet, or looked likely. KFC Family Feast had a dead ball tipped over the bar by Hugene and that was as close as you came to troubling the scorer in ADL. No team can rely on the right boot of a free-kick specialist for a full season. I mean he's not exactly Stevie G is he?