Norwich City ideal platform for Theoklitos
COMMENT: Michael Theoklitos has well and truly landed on his feet at Norwich City.
The former Melbourne Victory goalkeeper signed with the Canaries on a Bosman yesterday and immediately is installed as the club's outright No1.
After his time at Blackpool, Theoklitos knew the score. There was little chance of a Championship club, let alone a team in the Premiership, giving a 28 year-old Aussie No1 status from the off. He would have had to do an apprenticeship and wait for the odd chance of suspension or injury opening the first team door.
However, the move to Carrow Road couldn't be better for Theoklitos.
He joins a big club, a squad which is more than capable of winning the League One Championship, never mind scraping into the promotion places, and has been signed by Bryan Gunn, once of club's greatest keepers. If any Norwich fans had their doubts about the little-known Aussie, the endorsement from Gunn will put him well onside with the supporters in the opening weeks of the new season.
Treated shabbily by the national team powerbrokers and the Sydney clique in the local soccer media, there wasn't much reason for Theoklitos to hang around in Australia. Melbourne fans will tell you he's been the A-League's outstanding keeper for the last four years - and the continued snub from the national team has been a scandal.
He should now put down roots in East Anglia and play the long game. Norwich are capable of fulfilling all his ambitions - if he is prepared to get his head down and work hard.
Mark Schwarzer was a similar age to Theoklitos when he won his move to Bradford City.
The Melbourne man has a good ten years ahead of him in England, he just needs to settle and buy into what Gunn and Norwich are trying to achieve.
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Results & Fixtures
Matches
| Home | Away | Score | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri Feb 17th | |||
| Melbourne Heart | Gold Coast United | - | 09:00 |
| Sat Feb 18th | |||
| Central Coast Mariners | Wellington Phoenix | - | 06:30 |
| Brisbane Roar | Melbourne Victory | - | 08:45 |
| Perth Glory | Newcastle Jets | - | 11:00 |
| Sun Feb 19th | |||
| Adelaide United | Sydney | - | 06:00 |
Tables
| Team | P | W | D | L | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Coast Mariners | 20 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 40 |
| Brisbane Roar | 21 | 10 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 35 |
| Wellington Phoenix | 21 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 5 | 33 |
| Perth Glory | 21 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 31 |
| Newcastle Jets | 21 | 8 | 4 | 9 | -2 | 28 |
| Melbourne Heart | 21 | 7 | 6 | 8 | -1 | 27 |
| Sydney | 21 | 7 | 6 | 8 | -7 | 27 |
| Melbourne Victory | 21 | 5 | 10 | 6 | -5 | 25 |
| Adelaide United | 21 | 5 | 8 | 8 | -13 | 23 |
| Gold Coast United | 20 | 3 | 6 | 11 | -11 | 15 |
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Jan 16 A-LEAGUE WRAP – Week 15: Mariners held as Brisbane close in at the top
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Feb 13 Australia boss Osieck has no problems with Melbourne Victory’s Kewell
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Comments (1)
Pim Verbeek has an overinflated opinion of the European Football Leagues. Not every club in Europe is a Man Utd or Barcelona, yet overseas based players seem to get preference.
I believe Melbourne Victory can beat Norwich City more often than not anyway.
I wonder if Pim Verbeek was watching Gold Coast - Fulham last night. The game was a friendly for both clubs not just Fulham, yet a club that has yet to play it's first A-League has come out on top.
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