Osama Malik can become Adelaide United’s Mr Versatile

OSAMA Malik can offer Adelaide United coach Guillermo Amor so many more options than the boss has seen since he arrived in Adelaide last year.

12/12/15 Adelaide United recovery training in Elizabeth after their game last night - Osama Malik - Picture: MATT LOXTON

OSAMA Malik can offer Adelaide United coach Guillermo Amor so many more options than the boss has seen since he arrived in Adelaide last year.

Amor has played Malik as a stopper and that’s where he also impressed Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou when he was invited to a pre-2014 FIFA World Cup camp.

Malik, 25, moved permanently to the stopper position in 2013 but he has also starred as a central midfielder and winger in his early years.

He excelled on the wing when he made his debut for Adelaide in 2008 at the FIFA Club World Cup where he dazzled the globe as an 18-year-old off the bench against Gamba Osaka at Toyota Stadium in Japan. And Malik scored 12 goals in 37 matches for NPL club Raiders in 2007/08 as a wide forward.

“I was always a central midfielder in my junior days and when I was about 15 or 16 I wasn’t strong enough to play in the middle and I was pushed out wide and spent a couple of years there,’’ Malik said.

“At North Queensland Fury I played in all positions except goalkeeper.

“But I’m just happy to play wherever I’m needed.

“I was more of a central midfielder until Josep Gombau arrived.”

Malik is finally fit and firing after fighting off a hamstring injury.

He travelled with the side to Newcastle to face the Jets (0-0) on Friday but ended the game as an unused substitute.

But breaking back into the defence will be a tough ask for Malik, given Adelaide has been settled and conceded three goals in the past four matches after 15 were given up prior to his injury. The defence also tightening up coinciding with captain Eugene Galekovic’s return from injury.

“I almost made the Sydney game to be in the squad,’’ Malik said. “We’re starting to get back to where we were last season. It’s been positive, the team is doing well.”

Malik said watching the game from the bench and the grandstands had been beneficial; he was seeing the good and bad habits of the Reds.

He’s hoping he can put what he has learned during his enforced break into practice when Adelaide hosts Wellington Phoenix at Coopers Stadium on Boxing Day.

“You get more of a perspective in the stands and you do learn,’’ he said. “You start to think about things a bit more and you definitely appreciate training and playing a lot more.”

Originally published as Osama Malik can become Adelaide United’s Mr Versatile