There is a famous saying from the old country: ‘Da padne na leđa, razbio bi nos’, which in English loosely translates to: ‘If he fell on his back, he would break his nose’.
Tomi Juric must’ve walked under his fair share of ladders, broken multiple mirrors and come across thousands of black cats in his 29 years on this earth. He had the potential to be one of Australia’s greatest ever strikers but his body has continually broken down over the course of his career.
Eyebrows were raised when Tomi completed a move to Adelaide United, after yet another injury-riddled European season – this time with Bulgarian powerhouse CSKA Sofia.
His agent had received minimal interest from A League clubs – who were weary of Tomi’s injury history, as well as his pay demands.
Director of football Bruce Djite started a charm offensive for his signature by using not only their friendship, but Juric’s love of the city – Adelaide is not a football fishbowl like its counterparts on the east coast, there are not as many eyes on players here and the laid-back lifestyle appeals to many.
Adelaide United was the club that gave Tomi his introduction to the A-League back in 2013. Even though he was not a local, the loyal fans soon dubbed him as one after they saw his dedication, work ethic and never say die attitude for the red shit.
Fast forward several years to 2020 and to have signed a player of this quality on such a small wage was a coup not only for Adelaide but the league itself – the fact Juric was concerned with wanting to play more regularly than choosing a lucrative deal with an overseas team is a testament to himself as well as Adelaide.
Coach Carl Veart had promised Juric he would be the No.9 and start every match when fit – the only issue was that Juric’s horror run with injuries continued this season.
He began the season carrying a calf injury that he was still unable to shake off by the end of the campaign – the club has begun an off-season independent review of the strength and conditioning team after Adelaide was the league’s leader in soft tissue injuries.
(Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)
He cut a frustrated and forlorn figure at training multiple times this season.
While other players were engaging in full contact training, Juric spent many a session gently riding a bike and recovering with swimming pool sessions as his persistent soft tissue injuries were prohibitive in participating in too much more.
Tomi was playing on one leg this campaign and still boasted one of the best goals-to-minutes ratios of any striker this season – his nine goals is a very respectable return.
Imagine what he would’ve been capable of, had he been fully fit?
One of Adelaide’s key tasks for the off-season is trying to secure the former Socceroo on a longer contract.
This task has proved to be a lot harder with multiple clubs that were unwilling to take a risk prior to the season now wanting to sign him.
Macarthur FC have lodged a contract more than double what Adelaide has offered and there has been interest in Europe yet again for Tomi’s services after his successful season.
The next club that procures his signature will be aware of his European exploits in Croatia, Holland, Switzerland and Bulgaria; his success in Australia winning the Asian Champions Leaguel; and hoisting the Asian Cup with the national team.
Whichever club Tomi signs for will know on his day and when fit he is an absolute predator in the box.
The problem is due to his battered body those days don’t come around as often as he would like.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
i knew tomi was going barely a month into the season, adelaide was always going to be a stepping stone in trying to get his career back. id spoken to him several times throughout the season and he wanted to be closer to his family Adelaide never was realistically in the race to sign him after the season he had, financially it was too much. We could appeal to his heart as much as possible, but we weren't going to match the bulls offer He's taken one of macarthurs designated player out the cap spots that is being introduced this season as well, on a very nice wage
TK
Guest
Yep. Written a few articles here over time.
RbbAnonymous
Roar Rookie
This is why he should have taken the big money move to China way back when. When a club is ready to throw stupid money at you that will secure your future for life..............you take it. Lesson learned, pity its too late for Tommy. Nothing is guaranteed in football.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
see above reply for response on spelling
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
you do realise that editors go through these articles right? they're the ones that alter sentences and change around paragraphs
Winter A League is Awesome
Roar Rookie
He fades in and out of games. Sometimes he looks like a big game player that can score 20+ goals a season and sometimes you don't realize he is even playing. Consistency of belief could help playing when he is not injured. Maybe he doesn't want to take his body to the edge anymore due to the injuries.
TK
Guest
I had a laugh at that too John. No view either way on Juric, though thought he mainly struggled for impact with the Socceroos and I never felt like we were going to score when he came on.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
Do you realise there is a misspelling of “red shirt” in your article? Thought it was only the east coast teams you didn’t hold in high esteem?
Buddy
Roar Rookie
AA - I hoped he'd have a really good season back in Adelaide - loved having him at WSW and to be honest his goal-scoring when there made me quite a few dollars and of course he may well go down in history as being the only Aussie goalscorer that meant an Australian side won the ACL - well it looks that way for now!
Franko
Guest
He can go to Macarthur, it's the one area of Adelaide's squad that is very strong.
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
"you cant do a direct comparison with the 2 players" Why not? Both players were competing for the Number 9 shirt for country. And in Cahill's case at the end of his illustrious midfield career for Everton FC. Cahill, was fashioned into the No. 9 because there was no one capable of scoring goals consistently enough in that position. The old man Tim Cahill was a much more affective No. 9 than a young at his prime Juric for country.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Juric had no problem outrunning Aldred, he is a a good finisher on the ground and has a good technique his main problem is positioning and the runs he is doing. Case in point grand final Strain takes advantage of Baumjohan and he is a few meters from the post. Juric goes back post behind his marker when it was impossible for Strain to hit a cross from so close, if he went center of the goal and hit the line he would have done two things for Adelaide, Strain would have looked for him, and then Strain could have tried to thread ball to him for a tap in, or if juric was covered strain would have noticed mauk coming in behind him because he had to look back at Juric. Juric improved his tally in the finals but before that he had 3 penalties out of 7 goals . His heading could use work three heading opportunities against Sydney two weak headers and one at the keeper.
Punter
Roar Rookie
Yes another potentially great player, but another could've would've have player, a if not for.... player. Oh thank him for the Asian cup & for WSW fans the champions league trophy.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
you cant do a direct comparison with the 2 players, that's unfair as they played in completely different positions for club and country. 'a fair to good a league player' wouldn't have spent several years in Europe, he's had a career that many players dream of and will never experience
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
i would've like kewell to move to a different league, he did his time in england; he had nothing left to prove. if he had gone to somewhere like italy/spain (which he was capable of) he mightve got an extra year or 2 of quality in a much warmer climate that could've helped
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
Juric has been coached by several different ones and theyve all tried different things in terms of trying to get rid of the niggling injuries. He was on a completely different training schedule to every other player whilst at adelaide, he came to the club carrying an injury; the wider public werent aware of that. the club did everything it possibly could to get him right this season, unfortunately due to a culmination of things it didn't go to plan. the season was decimated by injuries, if we didnt get the several weeks of 6/7 players out consistently through injuries we would've won the league. the fact the club are doing an indepedent review of the strength and conditioning department currently, which will result in them being sacked as there was some "issues" which i cant reveal in public - thats another club matter though. some players are just cursed with injuries, many a career or potential has been cut short because of this. Training and coaching cant alter this, the players mentality will only take them so far. daniel arzani is heading this way, much like tom rogic (who needs to move to warmer climate to help his body out)
Para+Ten ISUZU Subway support Australian Football
Roar Rookie
No disrespect to Juric, but an old, over the hill, past his prime, Tim Cahill, always out performed the much younger Tomi Juric for the number 9 Socceroo shirt. Juric, is a fair to good A-League player, that is all.
Remote
Guest
Always a shame to see an injury prone player and wonder how good is he, or indeed how good could he have been without the persistent injuries. For Australia there’s been a few including Tomi, but for me Harry Kewell stands out as the Australian player who was and could have continued to be a genuine world class player. Who knows the outcome vs Italy in that 2006 WC knockout match with a full fit Harry.
Waz
Roar Rookie
A good coach, or maybe a really good coach, finds ways to fit players in that have different personalities/attitudes and also manages players fitness/injuries better than other coaches - as I said, I don’t think Tomi has found the right coach. As you will know, many clubs/coaches treat players like cars coming off a production line - if this one doesn’t fit or isn’t quite right, there’ll be another one along soon that does fit/work the way we want so discard him/her. Unfortunately Australian football doesn’t have the same production line that other countries do so he is a missed opportunity for a top class Aussie striker.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
on his day when fit, (and that is the key sentence lol) he is the best pure australian number 9 in the a league