Fresh from winning the A-League championship and premiership double, the A-League’s most successful club, Melbourne Victory, have signed the most capped keeper in the league’s history, Danny ‘Rhino’ Vukovic.
Although Lawrence Thomas has showed convincing signs between the posts for Victory this finals series, competition for all places is key if the team are to build on from this season’s success.
With the shock departure of ex-Socceroo Nathan Coe, is appears Vukovic will slot nicely into the Victory starting eleven for the upcoming 2015-16 season.
Vukovic’s resume is an impressive one. Having started his professional career with Parramatta Power back in 2002, he has since played more than 100 games for both the Central Coast Mariners and Perth Glory, not to mention a brief spell in Wellington Phoenix as well as abroad in Konyaspor and Vegalta Sendai respectively.
A foundation player in the league, Vuka is currently the A-League’s second most capped player behind the recently retired John Hutchinson, so this wealth of experience will prove extremely valuable to a Victory defence which has looked shaky at times.
No doubt Lawrence Thomas will provide adequate competition but in the end Vukovic’s presence between the sticks will be too great for the 23-year-old.
Vukovic also created history in 2011 after becoming the first and so far only keeper to score in the league with a 93rd minute penalty for the Phoenix against the now defunct North Queensland Fury.
Vukovic sights the birth of his first child as the main reason for moving back east but with the Perth Glory salary cap dramas the move may have an ulterior motive. As long as he can keep his hands away from referee Mark Shield the mighty Victory can expect another strong season.
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