Shane Smeltz returns home to Gold Coast and joins forces with Clive Palmer
A-League great Shane Smeltz has come out of retirement to rejoin Gold Coast United, and has joined forces off the field with Clive Palmer in a development role.
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A-League great and former New Zealand international Shane Smeltz has returned to Queensland, coming out of retirement to again play for Gold Coast United, now an NPL club. The 38-year-old striker tells MARCO MONTEVERDE he also intends making waves off the field, where he has joined forces with Clive Palmer.
You were forging a successful coaching career in the Sydney FC system, so what made you come back to the Gold Coast?
My wife Nikki and myself are working with Clive Palmer on some developments he’s doing on the Gold Coast. It’s a good change and a bit of stability. It was an opportunity for not only myself but my family as well. It was the right one to take and if I had have shut the door on this one, it probably wouldn’t have come up again.
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Which developments with Clive?
He’s got plans for some things happening on the Gold Coast and myself, having grown up here, and played under Clive when he was Gold Coast United owner, we’ve always been in touch. We’ve always had that relationship and this opportunity came our way. It’s really exciting going into the business world. It does make you realise there are things other than football. In football it’s not always easy to see the pathway. You can always step in and out of football. In the past couple of years at Sydney FC I got some really good experience and enjoyed myself, and managed to get my A (coaching) licence. I ticked a few boxes there, but for now this was the right decision for me.
If Clive asked you to run for his United Australia Party, would you?
No, I don’t think so. I’ve had conversations in the past with him about that, and he’s tried to entice me that way, but I’ve declined. I’m not sure it’s for me. I’m happy doing what I’m doing now.
How did the chance to again play for Gold Coast United, who are now in the NPL Queensland competition, come about?
I knew I was coming back, and I’ve always kept in touch with Kristian Rees, who is the head coach of the club. I’ve also always kept tabs on the club. I had fond memories from there and although it’s not completely the same set-up, you could say it’s under the same family. I still felt like I wanted to throw the boots on. I didn’t really know at what level I wanted to play at, but there was something in me that felt like I could still do something. I’m not doing this for money or the spotlight. It’s just pure enjoyment and giving back to a club that I like, and to Gold Coast community football. It was an environment where I knew I’d be comfortable. I know the club’s got some nice ambitions for getting places and bringing youth players through. If I can help in any way with that, I’m all for that.
When was the last time you played competitively?
The end of 2017 for Borneo in the Indonesian league.
Have you missed the competitive nature of playing?
Yeah, 100 per cent – the competitive nature and the enjoyment of the game. When I did throw on the boots and trained with some of the boys at Sydney FC from time to time, I still wanted to do well, I still wanted to win, even though it was just training. You never really lose that competitive edge. I’m looking forward to what lies ahead. This season will be interesting and I’ll hopefully have a good time along the way.
Do you think you’ll be a target for defenders wanting to make a name for themselves by cutting down a striker who scored against Italy at a World Cup?
I feel that with what’s happened over the years, playing all over the place, all over the world, I’ve had to deal with that every day of the week. That doesn’t bother me. I’ll enjoy that if that comes to be the challenge.
Was scoring for New Zealand at the 2010 World Cup against the Azzurri your career highlight?
Without a doubt, mainly because it’s always a talking point. There’s not many moments in your career that last the test of time. It was a really special time, not just the goal, but the whole period, being at the World Cup. You dream of it when you’re a boy and then halfway through the tournament, you’re pinching yourself that you’re actually there. And we didn’t lose a game. It was really special, with that group of players, and that squad we had. There might be a 10-year reunion this year. It’d be nice to get that group of boys back together.
The Gold Coast United team you were a part of in the A-League was also pretty special, wasn’t it?
I still speak to Clive about it. We have a few laughs over the good times here. Every player that I bump into, it always comes up about the time here. Every player I speak to who was here in that first year or two has such good memories of it. It is a shame that it couldn’t last, but not all the good things last forever. It certainly was an amazing time, and that team we had, especially the first year, to do what we did and come so close to winning the A-League, it was pretty amazing.
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How zany was it when the club was under Clive’s ownership?
You hear all stories and rumours floating around, and half of them are really quite funny. A lot people hear stuff and do blow it out of proportion, because it was an interesting time for football in this country and how this team was being run. But when you’ve got characters like Clive owning the club, and Miron (Bleiberg) coaching the team, you’re always going to get some quality moments.
Should the Gold Coast eventually have an A-League team again?
Yeah, I genuinely think the Coast should. From growing up here and knowing the region really well, there is a really decent football community here. It needs to be tapped into again – at the right time. You’ve just got to do your homework beforehand and make sure you’re ready. Certainly I think the next A-League club needs to be in Queensland. There needs to be a derby up this way. The days of the Gold Coast-Brisbane derbies were fantastic. Where else would you put it? No matter who it is, there needs to be an A-League team on the Gold Coast in the future.
QUICK OFF THE MARK
First car? Holden Barina
Best advice received? You’ll have plenty of coaches and you’ll meet plenty of people along the way, it’s about taking the best from each individual.
Favourite food? Italian
If you were down to your last $10, how would you spend it? A gamble to make it more or on a couple of beers.
If there was a movie about Shane Smeltz, who would play you? Bradley Cooper
Worst habit? People think I’m a bit OCD. I’m always fixing things up and tidying things.
Favourite holiday destination? Dubai
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