Kiwi Players Elsewhere

Keegan Jelacic - AUS (Melbourne Victory | A-Leagues)

73 replies · 15,224 views
almost 4 years ago
Another Kiwi on a pro deal. Happy days!

Hopefully he can make an impact at this level this time around. Go well lad. 👏👏
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almost 4 years ago
YoungHe.\rt
Another Kiwi on a pro deal. Happy days!

Hopefully he can make an impact at this level this time around. Go well lad. 👏👏

In reality he’s about as Kiwi as Stensness, Aussie born and bred. But he’s already played U17s for NZ so we’ll take him

And he’s a genuine AM by the sound of it. Not just another CB or winger
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almost 4 years ago · edited almost 4 years ago · History
I hope he doesn't pull a Stensness though. You give kids opportunities, including taking them to world cups and Olympics, then you expect them to play for the country at a senior level.
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almost 4 years ago
Up to us to lock them in then asap... as soon as there is a 'official game' against one of the weaker island nations, boom, call up son.
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almost 4 years ago
MetalLegNZ
Up to us to lock them in then asap... as soon as there is a 'official game' against one of the weaker island nations, boom, call up son.

Lets see if he is any good first? The kid is very highly rated but he wouldn't be the first promising kid to fail to make the step up.
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over 3 years ago


First A-League assist for young Jelacic to set up Clisby's brilliant curler.

Full 90 minutes for the lad too. From accounts across social media, the Perth fans were impressed with him.

Promising signs. 👏
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over 3 years ago
Nix with the long distance derby 23rd Dec. Hopefully Jelacic gets a start.

Pity he never got a chance at a U20 WC. Turned 20 in July this year.
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over 3 years ago · edited over 3 years ago · History
The Aussies are on to Jelacic 


The tweet about having a word with Gianni Stensness first before commiting though. 😆
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over 3 years ago
Started tonight and put in a good shift over 82 minutes. Definitely looks comfortable at this level.
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over 3 years ago
YoungHe.\rt
The Aussies are on to Jelacic 


The tweet about having a word with Gianni Stensness first before commiting though. 😆
I fear it'll play out similar to how Stensness/Champness has played out, where his career trajectory in the next couple seasons could dictate who he represents. Stensness got his Eliteserien move and decided he was now good enough to represent the country he always wanted to, whereas Champness had probably given up on representing Australia after his career break, and now might not even play football again.

You'd think Arnold, or whoever takes the U23s, would already be taking serious notes, especially given the Volpato situation. They could easily sell the idea whether he would want to spend his international career in 35C heat, avoiding ACL injuries on torn-up pitches in Port Vila, Noumea, Port Moresby, Honiara or test himself in a better team against the Japanese in Saitama, the Koreans in Seoul or Saudis in Riyadh.

There are also few opportunities to cap-tie players for NZ, the next being the OFC Nations Cup, possibly two years away, which, looking at the 2016 squad, can easily be skipped (Tyler Boyd). I mean, even Sarpreet Singh isn't yet cap-tied and could theoretically still represent India and he debuted for the All Whites nearly five years ago. If the Australians were desperate, though not sure they would be, they could cap-tie Jelacic next year in the Asian Cup or 2026 WC qualifying with a minute versus a minnow, and, as he'd be over 21, he'd be gone for good.
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about 3 years ago
The kid is gonna be a good un. At this rate, he might be a bolter for the next AWs squad.
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about 3 years ago
Thought he did well last night with some good touches... but can still work on his decision-making.

Perth had 14 odd shots at goal last night, he didn't have one by memory despite playing up top all game. Little gun shy? I did think he had a chance to shoot on a couple occassions but didn't.

Would be a good addition to the u20 squad it available. Him, Herman and Karutanae (sorry on spelling) are a lively attacking midfield trio.

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about 3 years ago
Zac Duncan got on last night - is he also a potential kiwi?
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about 3 years ago · edited about 3 years ago · History
MetalLegNZ
Zac Duncan got on last night - is he also a potential kiwi?

Nope, Oliver Duncan who came thru at the same time as him was the other Kiwi at the Roar.
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about 3 years ago
MetalLegNZ
Thought he did well last night with some good touches... but can still work on his decision-making.

Perth had 14 odd shots at goal last night, he didn't have one by memory despite playing up top all game. Little gun shy? I did think he had a chance to shoot on a couple occassions but didn't.

Would be a good addition to the u20 squad it available. Him, Herman and Karutanae (sorry on spelling) are a lively attacking midfield trio.


Jelacic unfortunately too old for the U20s (born July 2002).

A prospect for 2024 Paris Olympics, but hopefully new AWs coach gets a commitment in advance that it's NZ and not Australia where his heart lies, ie not another Stensness (or Boyd) scenario.
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about 3 years ago
Good on him. But will Arnie now reach out to him for the Olyroos, I wonder?
AFC Paris Olympics qualifying I presume is later this year.

Could be a little Trans Tasman upcoming tug of war.
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about 3 years ago
coochiee
Good on him. But will Arnie now reach out to him for the Olyroos, I wonder?
AFC Paris Olympics qualifying I presume is later this year.

Could be a little Trans Tasman upcoming tug of war.

Even more reason for him to be in the AWs squad for the China matches! His form deserves a call up at the expense of someone like de Jong or Old.
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about 3 years ago
What are you doing Smeltzy?

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about 3 years ago
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about 3 years ago · edited about 3 years ago · History
Smeltz is either not the sharpest knife in the drawer or not being very kiwi.

Possibly a bit of both = ausi

Auckland will rise once more

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about 3 years ago
AucklandPhoenix
Smeltz is either not the sharpest knife in the drawer or not being very kiwi.

Possibly a bit of both = ausi
Some Aussie caps would be better for his client's overseas prospects, so looking after his interests 
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about 3 years ago
I guess we will know where Jelacic's loyalties know soon enough.

Doubt he is close to Socceroos selection, but the U23 Olyroos are having a training camp in Italy, in late March. That's as they build up to the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers, taking place in September. Get through that, then is the U23 Asian Cup in Jan 2024, that provides AFC teams for Paris Olympics 2024.

Otherwise yes it's the AWs or Olywhites in March for their respective Chinese friendlies.

Wonder if they Nix were monitoring Jelacic as a 'Kiwi' killing it in the QLD NPL last year. Welly is as close to Brissy as Perth where he signed.

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about 3 years ago
If Smeltzy is worth his agent fee, he better have been in Domey's ear about him. 

Moving to the Glory was probably the better move tho, he wouldn't be getting anywhere near this amount of minutes with us.
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about 3 years ago
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about 3 years ago


So when exactly does he have to change his allegiance with FIFA? I'm assuming these matches being friendlies, don't require it just yet. Would it be the Olympic qualifiers?
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about 3 years ago
Win some - Champness, Weemac, Tommy Smith, Winny Reid, young Herdman etc etc

Lose some - Stensness, Jelacic
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about 3 years ago
coochiee
Win some - Champness, Weemac, Tommy Smith, Winny Reid, young Herdman etc etc

Lose some - Stensness, Jelacic
Well, if we're being honest, Reid might be the only 'foreign' call up ever for the AWs that would have had any chance at playing for the other country. I can't think of any others. So it's possibly a case of we win the ones when the opposition doesn't show up and lose when they do. 

Tyler Boyd is the big loss for me. Probably the only one that is truly annoying. He was actually developed in the NZ system and made the breakthrough here from youth into senior. His career peak coincided with the AWs quiet period around 2018-19, but he'd definitely still be a key player now. 

If there's a lesson to be learnt, it's possibly to focus more energy and resources on the New Zealand talent, rather than cast offs from Australia.
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about 3 years ago
Keegan has been called up to the Australian u23 training camp in Italy later this month.
FB_IMG_1678600588951.jpg 205.68 KB

English based All Whites fan! Would love to watch an All White game one day.  

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almost 3 years ago
And he's off to Belgium after only one season, having turned out in the QLD NPL just last year. 😳

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almost 3 years ago
carlind wrote:

Well, if we're being honest, Reid might be the only 'foreign' call up ever for the AWs that would have had any chance at playing for the other country. I can't think of any others. So it's possibly a case of we win the ones when the opposition doesn't show up and lose when they do.

What is meaning of ‘foreign’ here?
And ‘ever’?
Jock Aird, Ken Armstrong, Ken Hough, Bill Hume all actually played for their respective ‘home’ countries.
Wynton Rufer would have been a decent shout for Switzerland had he not committed to New Zealand.
Jeram, Roux, Kalua, Singh even, who knows whether they may have had a call up had they not committed to NZ. Bound to be a few with Aussie claims too.
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almost 3 years ago
coochiee
Win some - Champness, Weemac, Tommy Smith, Winny Reid, young Herdman etc etc

Lose some - Stensness, Jelacic

Joe Gauci (who got his aussie debut vs Ecuador in the recent friendlies) is another one to add to the 'lose some'. Not cap tied but as expected his loyalities appear to be with the aussies - probably didn't help we had no coach to try and talk him around (we played China in the same window).

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