Robbie Kruse set for A-League swansong, Alen Stajcic’s reward
Robbie Kruse is ready for the next — and potentially final — stage of his career, with a lucrative move to the Middle East high on the agenda. But the A-League remains a real possibility as well.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Socceroos winger Robbie Kruse is ready for the next — and possibly final — stage of his career, and faces some big decisions over where that will be.
Confidential hears that Kruse is about to leave German side Bochum, having played there only twice since the Asian Cup.
Potential suitors have been told that Kruse is open to all offers, though the player himself is keen on finding a lucrative home in the Middle East.
That’s despite having been burnt by one abortive deal in Asia, after his move to Chinese side Liaoning Kaixin went sour just four games in. Kruse only secured part of his salary thanks to intervention by the players union.
The A-League remains an option, but Kruse would have to take a substantial pay cut for that to happen, and it remains to be seen how realistic that is.
For the time being Kruse is still part of the Socceroos too, and likely to be part of the squads for two friendlies in Asia in June.
MARINERS LOCK IN STAJCIC
After weeks of just holding the fort since the firing of Mike Mulvey, expect a flurry of activity at the Mariners next week as they accelerate the revamp for next season.
Most prominently of all, former Matildas boss Alen Stajcic will sign a three-year deal as head coach, having impressed with his deft handling of the team since being made Mulvey’s interim replacement.
It represents a remarkable turnaround for Stajcic, after his world caved in three months ago with his dramatic sacking from the Matildas job just months out from the World Cup.
His first task will be to make some fast decisions on players’ futures for next season. Around a dozen of the underperforming squad are off contract and it’s obvious how much of a makeover is needed.
FFA legal types shouldn’t relax too much, though, despite all that Stajcic has on his plate at the Mariners — there’s still legal action bubbling away in the background over his sacking and the way FFA handled it.
GREATEST A-LEAGUE PHOTOBOMB?
What’s a club owner supposed to do when his team has finally won some silverware after years of not coming close? Photo bomb any passing TV interview straight after the game, of course, as Perth owner Tony Sage proved while striker Joel Chianese was being interviewed.
LANGERAK’S ANGE CURSE
Maybe Socceroos goalkeeper Mitch Langerak is just destined never to have a happy evening in front of Ange Postecoglou. Back in 2014 Langerak got a red card 12 minutes into his first game under Ange with the Socceroos and never quite recovered.
Fast forward to last weekend, and Langerak was playing against Postecoglou’s Yokohama F Marinos — having conceded early on, Langerak was kneed in the back of the head by a teammate and eventually carried off with concussion.
PLENTY ON HIS PLATE
The chairman and the newly appointed CEO of the Macarthur South West United A-League club should be on extremely good terms, not least because they are the same person.
Gino Marra has told A-League bosses he is acting as interim CEO while they seek a long-term appointment, but Marra assures Confidential that will be in the near future, with several candidates under consideration.
RASO’S FRENCH DETOUR
In terms of detours to France, Hayley Raso is taking a pretty big one.
The Matildas forward wasn’t expecting to be back in Australia before the Women’s World Cup, but is on home soil for a few days to clear up a US visa issue.
The untimely trip means the 24-year-old is missing the opening games of the NWSL season with Portland Thorns but is keeping fit by training with the Future Matildas.
BROSQUE AND HIS BEARD
Much is about to change in the life of Alex Brosque with his imminent retirement — but not everything. Confidential hears the Brosque Beard is here to stay.