Mark Bosnich is something of an enigma. Returning to Australia in 2008 appears to have been wonderful for his personality, family and career.
In a settled role at Fox Sports, he has begun to craft a persona based on fearlessness and honesty in his analysis of the issues that divide and excite fans.
Bosnich could never be accused of remaining silent around issues on which he holds a strong personal view. Many of those views seem logical and accurate, however every now and again he can let fly with a barrage of vitriol about individual players, teams or the state of the game itself.
Controversy and scandal have shadowed Bosnich for much of his career. Some, no doubt his own doing and others more situational, where he was nothing more than the meat in the sandwich, while others grappled for power and leverage around him.
Being of similar origins and age to Bosnich meant I was fortunate to see his career, both on and off the pitch, in its entirety. The full show is far from over, yet to say it has been an interesting ride is something of an understatement.
The boy from Liverpool in the south western corridor of Sydney was born nine months before me and lived approximately fifteen minutes away by car. Our paths never crossed, more’s the pity.
My focus was more golf, league and tennis-driven at the time, yet the young man was showing some of the talent that eventually took him to the highest of heights in the footballing world.
The passion and bravado in his words and opinions is perhaps reflective of the courage required for a brash young man following a dream to relocate overseas.
His early days with Sydney Croatia were formative for Bosnich, yet his subsequent move to Manchester United was indicative of his talent and where he really belonged.
Playing without a formal contract and making limited starts, Bosnich eventually returned home, disappointed to Sydney Croatia before Aston Villa rejuvenated his career.
Villa proved to be the longest stretch Bosnich would experience at a single club. There was some sense of stability, obvious success with a League Cup victory and a developing reputation in the English game, however the signs of future problems also began to surface.
The shocking headlines of Bosnich taunting Tottenham Hotspur supporters with Nazi salutes was not only offensive to the high level of Jewish support in the Club, but also to the broader football world. It went well beyond the acceptable.
The movement many footballers undertake, as money in the game has increased, has made players expendable and disposable.
When Bosnich lets rip at the establishment, it’s hard not to feel that his own personal experiences lace his commentary. Not so much that he is purely agenda driven, more a subtle awareness of the realities of professional football.
He’s seen it all before, the used-up pro sent on his way after years of loyal service and the selfish superstar who shows no loyalty to a club that was brave enough to give him his first shot at the big time.
Whichever side of the fence you sit, Bosnich can relate. His career was littered with moments of elation and joy where he was lauded by both Villa fans and the Club itself, as well as times where he was kept at arm’s length at Manchester United, underused it seemed, so no other club could enjoy his services.
As a third-string keeper, there appeared too much time for other temptations and influences and Bosnich’s drug issues were simmering away behind the football frustrations he was feeling.
The frustrations of his three seasons with United bled into his short, injury-affected time at Chelsea. Just a handful of games, a positive drug test and an eventual termination of his contract was a sad way for him to leave English football.
There were little glimmers of hope and cautious advances by other clubs, thinking he may have had something to offer, yet Bosnich had developed a substantial cocaine addiction, of which the details don’t require extrapolation.
The Bosnich we now know, was somewhat saved by his return to Australia. His short stints at the Mariners and Olympic were not football successes, yet were building blocks providing some stability to allow him to rebuild as a man.
That same man is the one we now see roaring confidently with that raucous laugh, as John Kosmina and Tara Rushton egg him on during Foxtel’s Shootout.
Overnight, Bosnich has suggested that Tim Cahill would not be out of place as Melbourne City player/manager. Surely a bridge too far in modern football with time limitations and media commitments ensured to drain every last drop from someone foolish enough to take on the role.
Yet he rightly points out that Cahill is contracted to coach in some capacity towards the end of his tenure at City. Maybe the loony goalkeeper has a point.
Tim Cahill has done the unthinkable for Australia for years and consistently surprises. Perhaps Bosnich is a visionary and sees something that we don’t.
The scathing criticism he delivered on the Wellington Phoenix, suggesting they offered the League ‘nothing’ was tough to hear. The Club held on, seemingly by the skin of their teeth last year with the extension of their license granted.
The new broadcast deal suggests their position will remain safe for some time, just as it puts into question what changes the FFA will be permitted to make in terms of expansion with a contract already firmly in place.
Is Bosnich correct in his analysis? Hard to tell. The Phoenix are incredibly inconsistent in their current form, yet do have a well-credentialed team with a host of high calibre players.
Maybe the long term evolution of the A-League doesn’t include a Phoenix team. The Wellington team has had some time to stick and as yet, there is little evidence of growth and progress in terms of becoming a team that can draw ten thousand plus fans each week and build a base of at least ten thousand members.
His goalkeeping analysis is incredibly sharp, intuitive and informed. Andrew Redmayne can testify to that.
It’s hard to believe that the basic flaws in some of the Australian ‘keepers techniques could be so easily spotted by a skilled technician like Bosnich, without other coaching staff acting upon the deficiencies.
Generally, Bosnich is close to the mark with his game analysis, he almost works a ‘good cop, bad cop’ routine with his fellow analysts such as Mark Rudan and Ned Zelic, who play a more conservative card in the most part.
Adam Peacock does a wonderful job of asking open ended questions and giving Bosnich the forum in which to present his passionate views, despite the fact that he might get snotted one day after ‘geeing’ up the boy from Liverpool one too many times.
At times, Bosnich can be touching, thoughtful and measured in his comments, particularly around some of the human stories in football. Elsewhere he can appear a bitter ex-player, looking for a fight with a football administrator with little more than a business or law degree.
Maybe the best thing about ‘Bozza’ and his greatest asset as a broadcaster is the challenge he presents for all of us; to work out which one is actually him.
paul81
Roar Rookie
Well said Stuart.
paul81
Roar Rookie
Remember when the back pass was legal.
paul81
Roar Rookie
Boz...help me out. Why would a keeper playing on a soggy, bouncy, unpredictable pitch, continually put his defenders under pressure and risk losing possession of the ball ball by playing out from the back , playing the short pass when the opposition are marking high ? To my way of thinking, you'd have to be an idiot ? I looked at Ryan this morning , great stopper that he is and thought jesus man grow a brain. Or is that the result of instructions from Ange. Who ever it is needs a boot right up the clacker. So do those poor excuses for linesmen this morning. In 60 years of football, i can't remember ever seeing such incompetence running the line. My other beef is, given the fact i wouldn't risk Cahill's ankle on such a pitch, Juric is way too heavy footed to be of value on a pitch like that. Rukka should have started the game with Juric on the bench. As for commentators saying, we'd be happy to lose one nil or even a nil all draw....on an away leg ? Who taught those clowns to count ? Honduras now hold the advantage. Now the PRESSURE is right back on the Ozzy side. " Old and exasperated ".
Mark
Guest
That's right. He was being taunted by the Tottenham fans about a German, so he thought it would be funny to walk around the penalty box like another famous German. Needless to say, he is the only person who thought it was funny...although he didn't think it was funny for long.
SM
Guest
Bosnich famously knocked out Klinsmann while challenging for the ball outside the penalty area at Villa Park in 1995. The next time the two teams met was at White Hart Lane and that's when the unfortunate salute incident occurred after copping it from Spurs fans the entire match. The Klinsmann foul was on the same day as Cantona's kung fu kick so was overshadowed somewhat.
Mark
Guest
He has 'hosted' a number of Fanatics' Socceroos tours, so anyone who has travelled on those tours has heard the story. Apparently it was a jibe towards a German striker at Tottenham at the time who he was having a tit-for-tat with (I think it was Klinnsman, but might be wrong), rather than insulting Tottenham's supporter base for certain historical events. He was quite candid in saying he was too stupid to properly understand the significance of his actions until the deed was done and it was pointed out to him. One thing I have to say, having been on one of those tours, was I was quite pleasantly surprised about how refreshingly honest Bosnich was about all the ups and downs of his career, and how we didn't try to make excuses or deflect blame for the downs. I think society is generally quite willing to forgive people who make mistakes, but are willing to own them, cop their punishment and move on from them. Compare that to a certain AFL personality who has been in the news this week, who despite having been found against by all respectable tribunals up to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, continues to portray himself as a victim.
j binnie
Guest
Apaway - While the name is not widely recognised in this era, the coach of that great Hungarian side was one, Gusztav Sebes. Here is a quote made by the man himself " We play football the way Jimmy Hogan taught us.When our football history is told,his name should be written in gold letters". Remember this is a Hungarian talking about an English -born coach. Cheers jb. ps Thanks for the reminder about the other old clubs in England. As stated elsewhere I think that the source I was quoting was from the point where the rules were standardised and the game became "codeified". Cheers jb.
AGO74
Guest
yes. a keeper being two footed was a rarity even at the turn of the century. Similarly a goalkeepers ability to start a play was far more agricultural not that long ago with a big hoof of the ball up the middle of the park. Very different to the way, some teams play on the counter straight from a keeper's quick release and arrow-like distribution of the ball by boot or throwing it out.
apaway
Roar Guru
In his defence, Eamonn, he didn't "have" to play the ball with his feet in the way of modern keepers, and neither did any of his contemporaries. You could almost label the same deficiency at his peers of the time such as Peter Schmeichel.
apaway
Roar Guru
Not to mention JB, that in 1953, Hungary went to Wembley and destroyed England 6-3, the first home international loss England ever suffered.
apaway
Roar Guru
Actually, JB, Notts County, Stoke City, Notts Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Reading are all acknowledged by the EFL as being older than Villa. But I do agree with your point about Bosnich's playing career being "falsely" linked to Manchester United. At Villa, he was an automatic Number 1 choice and at the time was one of the world's best keepers. Strangely, Bosnich's best keeping years appear to have come by the age of 26, when most keepers find their peak career years occur after the age of 30.
apaway
Roar Guru
While I don't condone his actions, the incident with the Tottenham fans was the first time I was made aware of the fact that Spurs had a substantial Jewish supporter base. He should perhaps have known that, playing in the EPL, but I would say to this day that his actions were stupid and thoughtless, rather than deliberately inflammatory and offensive.
apaway
Roar Guru
While I don't condone his actions, the incident with the Tottenham fans was the first time I was made aware of the fact that Spurs had a substantial Jewish supporter base. He should perhaps have known that, playing in the EPL, but I would say to this day that his actions were stupid and thoughtless, rather than deliberately inflammatory and offensive.
mattq
Guest
keepers not moving. frustrates the hell out of me too. Golekovic is another big culprit of this!
Post_hoc
Guest
I've had enough of crap like this, I intend to report comments such as this by people like you, who have no interest in discussing football but see to want to come here and cause trouble. So if you ever do get moderated, I will stand up at take responsibility for it, I'm tired of the crap you and others bring to this tab.
j binnie
Guest
Stuart = An angle (the triangle), that probably has it's origins back to 1928 when a diminutive team of Scots,nicknamed the Wembley Wizards,thrashed England 5-1 in front of 80,000 spectators with England only getting their goal in the dying minutes. The newspapers of the day described the Scots as playing "one-two football in little triangles" all around the park. making their much larger opponents totally ineffectual against the constant ball movement.. The widely recognised "father of modern coaching", Jimmy Hogan, an Englishman, was ostraciised by the FA .the ruling body, for daring to suggest that England should adopt the style of play practised by the Scots. Hogan's story is a tale on it's own. He left England and moved to Austria and Hungary where he spread his gospel. You will know that by 1936 Austria were recognised as the top team team in Europe and after the war the emergence of Hungary as a world force is well known. Just co-incidence.???? That's another story. Cheers jb.
j binnie
Guest
Gnasher - Thanks for the info. As you say there were teams before 1874 but AV (probably alphabetically)are recognised as the oldest club by the powers that be who, as you again correctly point out ,is based on the "codification of the rules" . Keep up the good work . Cheers jb.
Bob Brown
Roar Guru
I remember when Mark Bosnich turned out in goal for the Mariners in a pre-season game against Sydney FC. That was his first professional football game since his dramatic fall from grace because of drugs and other poor life choices he’s made in the past. That pre-season A-League match did not make front page headlines around the world, but the return of Bosnich to football from the depths of depression and drug abuse is a remarkable and inspirational story, not just for football lovers but also for all of us who have fathered a son and dreamed that one day he would become a famous sportsman. Born in Fairfield, in Sydney’s West in 1972, Bosnich made his trial debut for Manchester United on free transfer from Sydney Croatia, but he wasn’t signed by United and moved to Aston Villa in 1992. Bosnich won two Coca-Cola Cups with Villa, but found himself in trouble with the football authorities and became famous for making a Hitler salute during a game at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane. However, the keeper’s form in goal was so good that he attracted the attention of Old Trafford boss Alex Ferguson. A dream return to United and a very lucrative professional contract followed. Within weeks of moving back to Manchester, Bosnich was arrested after an incident at a lap-dancing club. Then an unfortunate injury robbed him of his starting place and he lost the prized United keeper’s shirt to France custodian Fabien Barthez. Bosnich fell out with Ferguson and he went to Chelsea in search of first-team football. He started as first choice keeper at Stamford Bridge, but again after another injury setback, lost out to Carlo Cudicini. Mark Bosnich then made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Following a scathing attack on former boss Ferguson, Bosnich was admitted to medical care diagnosed as “suffering from severe clinical depression.” In December 2002, came the bombshell that destroyed his Premiership career. A failed cocaine test ended his days at Chelsea. He was banned for nine months and at that point he made no attempt to reform or to try and resurrect his professional football career. He admitted to the cocaine addiction, which had spiralled into shameful drug abuse, depression and tawdry tabloid tales of video sex romps, along with a destructive relationship with English supermodel Sophie Anderton, after walking out on his then pregnant wife. Also revealed a few years later was the attempted murder of his father, who he had held in a headlock and pointed a pistol at his forehead. Bosnich claimed he thought his father was a burglar, but his father said that he knew it was him. Bosnich was high on cocaine. That was the turning point. As Bosnich had grown into a man, his father had been very proud of how he had realised his dream of helping his much-loved son leave the suburbs of western Sydney to become the world’s best young goalkeeper, with unlimited potential and the chance of millions in earnings. The same son who almost shot and killed him. The turnaround was so complete that now the father’s challenge was to still love the son, and the son’s challenge was to change his life and to receive that love. Bosnich’s dad didn’t abandon him; he worked very hard to help him get his life back together. He worked very hard to get the family back together. It’s been a long hard road for all concerned and it wasn’t going to be easy. Six years after his last professional football game in the English Premier League, he ran out on Bluetongue stadium to play professional football once again for the Central Coast Mariners. The way he has kept his head together to go on and become a professional sports commentator is a marvellous tribute to the man and the way he has turned his life around. I will always respect Mark Bosnich as a human being who has experienced, braved and conquered the highest and lowest and cruelest of the vicissitudes of life as a professional footballer.
Gnasher
Guest
Though Villa were one of the dozen foundation clubs of the Football League, there are lots that are older. Notts County (1862) are the oldest professional club, followed by Stoke City (1863). Hull FC (1865) and Wakefield Trinity (1871), who both now play Rugby League, were formed as football clubs before the firm codification of rules divided the game into distinct sports.
Midfielder
Guest
Sorry mate your the goose