90 Minutes: Adelaide City tracks Flores, McGowan makes move, Isaias still news in Spain
An NPL SA powerhouse shows interest in former Reds star Marcos Flores, Dylan McGowan makes his Danish move, Comets’ Spanish import rates Isaias and young Croweaters pull on the green and gold, all in our 90 Minutes soccer column
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FORMER Adelaide United playmaker Marcos Flores is attracting strong interest from National Premier Leagues SA powerhouse Adelaide City.
The Argentine had been a free agent since leaving Indonesian club Bali United in late 2017 and sat out last year after returning to Buenos Aires due to the death of his father.
But he had been linked with a move back to Australia, where he played 38 games and scored nine goals for the Reds from 2010-11.
Rumours had been circulating that Flores, 33, had been training with three-time National Soccer League champion City.
A club spokesman denied that was the case.
But he said the Johnny Warren Medallist, who had also appeared for Melbourne Victory, Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets, was on the Black and Whites’ radar.
“We would be interested,” said the spokesman, when asked if the Oakden-based outfit was in discussions with Flores.
“We see that a player like that could do a lot for the competition in this state and create some interest.
“But we have nothing else to confirm.”
Flores spent time last year coaching disadvantaged children in locations such as Madagascar, Palestine and Israel.
McGowan on the move
ANOTHER ex-Adelaide United favourite has returned to European club football following a stint in Korea.
Dylan McGowan last week penned a two-a-half-year deal with Danish Superliga side Vendsyssel FF, after the end of his loan spell with K-League outfit Gangwon.
The SA-born defender was signed by Portuguese club Pacos de Ferreira in 2017, but managed just a single league cup appearance before heading to Asia in search of game-time.
One-cap Socceroo McGowan hoped the transfer would rekindle his international career, given the success of fellow ex-Red Awer Mabil and youngster Mustafa Amini in Denmark.
“Going back to Europe was obviously a goal of mine, as I’m still young enough to be testing myself at the best level possible,” McGowan told The World Game website.
“The Korean experience was a good one it got me some game time in a new and different culture.
“Denmark is a much better league and a chance to do well and propel myself back into the national team set up.
“I spoke with both Awer and Musti before moving and they both spoke highly of the standard.
“As you can see they both have improved and are playing for the national team currently at the Asian Cup.”
McGowan joined a Vendsyssel side sitting third from bottom in the Superliga during the competition’s winter break.
Spanish connection
ADELAIDE Comets pulled off one of the biggest recruiting coups in recent local soccer seasons when they signed former La Liga defender Jon Aurtenetxe.
But the former Athletic Bilbao and Celta Vigo left back, who regularly played against Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, had an SA reference point to entice him Down Under.
Aurtenetxe said he knew little about the sport in Australia, after arriving in town last week to link up with the NPL SA club’s pre-season.
The 27-year-old was however familiar with Adelaide United captain and fellow Spaniard Isaias.
“I saw him when he played in Spain,” said Aurtenetxe, of the ex-Espanyol, Ponferradina and Badalona midfielder.
“I think he’s a very good player.”
Aurtenetxe was lured to Comets as he wanted to experience a new lifestyle while continuing his playing career.
The 2011 European under-19 champion had enrolled in English language lessons and hoped to travel throughout the country.,
New job for radio host
A FAMILIAR voice for SA soccer fans has found a new role within the game.
Radio host Paul Marcuccitti began his position as Football Federation SA’s general manager of football this week, after a long involvement in local football.
Marcuccitti will oversee the administration of the governing body’s development programs, from MiniRoos through to its male and female National Training Centres.
He will also be heavily involved in strategic planning and funding applications for the federation.
Marcuccitti has co-hosted the weekly Soccer on 531 radio show for the past four years and has also written an online column on the sport.
He previously worked in a range of State Government posts, including as an adviser to former Premier Jay Weatherill.
Young guns on tour
A TRIO of SA talents are representing the Australian Schoolboys on an eight-game tour of the UK and Ireland.
Croydon Kings’ Yusuf Ahmed, Rian del Nido (West Adelaide) and Louis Lattanzio-Lawrie (Adelaide United) were selected for the under-16 squad after impressive displays at the School Sport Australia National Championships last August.
The Croweaters were part of the side which went down 5-1 to England independent Schools in the opening match of the tour on Sunday.
Australia will face schoolboy representative teams from Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland over the next fortnight.
It will also take on professional youth sides from Swansea City, Cheltenham Town, Fleetwood Town and Queens Park Rangers.
Foxes pitch in
WORK is well underway to install a new artificial pitch at Cumberland United’s Bailey Reserve home ground.
The Foxes posted photos on their Facebook page this week demonstrating the progress in replacing their grass field with an all-weather playing surface and new perimeter fencing.
The upgrade at the Clarence Gardens club was one of seven projects worth a total of $13.5 million announced by the State Government in July 2017.
Cumberland was due to face Playford City in its first State League One fixture on its new pitch on Saturday, March 2.
A-LEAGUE GOLDEN BOOTS
Round 12: Adelaide United 2 (Craig Goodwin 18, Ken Ilso 21) Melbourne Victory 0 at Hindmarsh Stadium. Crowd: 12,115
Votes: Val Migliaccio: 3. Isaias, 2. Ben Halloran, 1. Craig Goodwin
Rob Greenwood: 3. Isaias, 2. Craig Goodwin, 1. Nathan Konstandopoulos
Amelia Mulcahy: 3. Isaias, 2. Ben Halloran, 1. Craig Goodwin
Round 13: Sydney FC 2 (de Jong 13, Tratt 48) Adelaide United 1 (Goodwin 50) at Jubilee Stadium. Crowd: 11,560
Votes: Val Migliaccio: 3. Craig Goodwin, 2. Michael Jakobsen, 1. Nikola Mileusnic.
Rob Greenwood: 3. Craig Goodwin, 2. Nikola Mileusnic, 1. Michael Jakobsen.
Amelia Mulcahy: 3. Craig Goodwin, 2. Nikola Mileusnic, 1. Michael Jakobsen
Leaders
48. Ben Halloran
38. Craig Goodwin
35. Isaias
18. Paul Izzo
16. Vinni Lia
13. Michael Jakobsen
10. Nikola Mileusnic
9. Ryan Strain
9. Scott Galloway
9. Michael Marrone
8. Taylor Regan
5. Ken Ilso
4. Mirko Boland
4. Apostolos Stamatelopoulos
1. Nathan Konstandopoulos
Goalscorers
Craig Goodwin 6
Nikola Mileusnic 3
Ken Ilso 3
Ben Halloran 2
Scott Galloway 1
Apostolos Stamatelopoulos 1
OG 1
W-LEAGUE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Round 11: Canberra United 1 (Carpenter 59) Adelaide United 0 at McKellar Park. Crowd: 1486
Votes: Val Migliaccio: 3. Amber Brooks, 2. Gunnhildur Jonsdottir, 1. Michelle Heyman
Rob Greenwood: 3. Amber Brooks, 2. Gunnhildur Jonsdottir, 1. Emily Hodgson
Leaders
25. Veronica Latsko
15. Michelle Heyman
12. Gunnhildur Jonsdottir
10. Fanndis Fridriksdottir
10. Amber Brooks
9. Sarah Willacy
9. Emma Checker
1. Charlotte Grant
1. Emily Hodgson
Goals
Veronica Latsko 8
Fanndis Fridriksdottir 1
Isabel Hodgson 1
Michelle Heyman 1
Emily Condon 1
Georgia Campagnale 1
OG 1
SA PLAYERS ABROAD
Brandon Borrello — Freiburg (Bundesliga): Recovering from an ACL injury.
Alex Chidiac — Atletico Madrid (women’s Spanish Primera Division): Not in the match day squad for the league-leader’s 3-1 away win over Logrono.
Paris Duffield — Hamrun Spartans (Maltese Premier League): Not in the match day squad for the 1-1 draw at Floriana FC.
Ben Garuccio — Hearts (Scottish Premier League): Competition on a winter break.
Bradden Inman — Rochdale AFC (English League One): Came on as a 61st minute substitute in a 4-2 loss to Manchester City’s under-21s in the English Football League Trophy last Wednesday. Also played the last 12 minutes in a 2-1 league defeat to Peterborough United on Sunday.
Awer Mabil — Midtylland (Danish Super League): Scored Australia’s second goal in its 3-0 Asian Cup victory over Palestine.
Andrew Marveggio — Macva Sabac (Serbian Superliga): Competition on a winter break.
Ryan McGowan — Bradford City (English League One): Played 90 minutes and booked in a 3-0 away loss to Barnsley.
Dylan McGowan — Vendsyssel FF (Danish Superliga): Joined Danish club on a two-and-a-half year deal from Portuguese side Pacos de Ferreira.
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