The Goal, not very nice, but I wish the Nix had one like this yesterday:
http://www.3news.co.nz/sport/marco-rojas-scores-on...
Game ended 1:1
Coach said: The three new players adjusted well to the game and special Marco played good in the second half when he had the confidence playing with ball.
Highlights:
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid2344262030001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAB3OVQoyE~,bQIJFW4YgkSAcqiAMKK4W3j6jM523fde&bctid=4038954922001
Just glad to see him getting game time. Most important thing from an All Whites perspective is that he gets a constant run in the side, really.
Couldn't have asked for a better start to his time in the Swiss Super League. Good luck Marco. Excellent to see him get 90 minutes aswell, not just being some bit part sub getting 5-10 minutes here and there.
Another win for FC Thun 1:0 Zuerich.
Marco seems to have a good game 'dribbling Zuerich defenders dizzi'
FC Thun came from behind to grab a draw against Vaduz.
Marco didn't start this game, but managed to get a solid 30 minutes after coming on for defender Alexander Gonzalez.
Rojas is going well in the Swiss Super League - has played in all five of Thun's league games since signing (four starts), including yesterday's 3-0 away loss to Basel in which he played the full ninety - their first loss since he started playing for them.
http://int.soccerway.com/players/marco-rojas/69360...
FC Thun now fourth on the Swiss table.
sounds like the move to Thun has been a good one. Rojas has almost played more minutes in the last month than he had in the previous 2 years. Once he got a decent run at Victory he stepped up a level. Can only be good for his confidence and form. Who knows, if he keeps putting in 90 minute performances like this he may end up back at Stuttgart next season. I assume they'll want him back for ore season to see how he looks anyway so with half a season at Thun he might be firing again.
Stuttgart are rooted to the botom of the Bundesliga. It could work out well for Marco.
Stuttgart are rooted to the botom of the Bundesliga. It could work out well for Marco.
Or the loan move becomes permanent...
doesn't look like Marco played in today's draw with Grasshoppers. Injured?
Unused sub as Thun throw away a two goal lead in 2-2 draw.
FC Thun just managing to hold on to 4th spot in the Swiss League for the moment, but St Gallen who are two points back, have two games in hand in the race for a Europa League spot.
FC Thun lost 3:0
Marco played 90 minutes. The video showed his best chance around 2:45
http://bcove.me/kipkrs9m
two quality goals there. Thanks mate
Big feature and interview with Marco in a major Swiss paper recently:
http://www.bernerzeitung.ch/sport/fussball/Neuland...
"NEW LAND FOR THE NEW ZEALANDER"
By Philipp Rindlisbacher. Updated 07/03/2015In Australia, Marco Rojas was higher rated than Alessandro Del Piero. In Germany, the 23 year-old could not make an impression. In Thun he has to prove himself - on Saturday at FC Basel.
The joy is back: Marco Rojas feels very comfortable in Thun.
Photo: Patric Spahni
On YouTube it is almost all there to see. A video, dedicated to Marco Rojas . Six and a half minutes of montage, it has a greater effect than a well-worded letter of recommendation. On display are 15 goals of the New Zealander, he scored in the 2012/13 season in the top division for Australian team Melbourne.
Once he meets through duster, then he dribbles three players and pushes the ball past the goalie.Outstanding his shot from 25 yards into the top corner, the wonderful volley from the edge. The viewer sees this man can do something.
At the end of the mentioned championship Rojas is voted the best player in the league, allowing some Alessandro Del Piero behind. Is rumored interest from Liverpool, Bremen and Hanover; but the 23-year-old joins to the VFB Stuttgart, is hired to 2017.
Change of scene. The morning session of FC Thun is over, some players do stretching, others fool around. One is still on the artificial turf; sprints, juggling, practicing free kicks. It is Marco Rojas, the loanee from the Bundesliga.
After one and a half years of injury he needs extra shifts. In Stuttgart the shrewd technician had been allowed to play in the reserves; soon he was deported to the lower league Fürth, came there just to play 26 minutes. The career start in Germany Rojas had imagined otherwise.
"It feels like a personal defeat." A metatarsal fracture and bursitis threw him back. The professional is because even said to be physically fragile. Fürths ex-coach Frank Kramer let announced meanwhile, Rojas thinks too much on the field and after, cramps up.
The last difficult months had left their mark on Rojas over, notes Thun's sporting director Andres Gerber. "He has, however, increased, can still be very valuable to us." Gerber regrets that the New Zealander will move in the summer. "His contract in Stuttgart is very well endowed.We are able to barely hold him."
In a way Rojas enters new territory in the Oberland. "In Australia, I was a talent that allowed much, but little had. In Germany, I had little impact.Now Thun is expecting me to help solve the problems on the offensive. "
The underrated circumstances
He grew up in New Zealand but in Marco Roja's veins also flows South American blood. His father is Chilean, but due to political unrest, he fled to Oceania. Son Marco was mentored in New Zealand among others by Wynton Rufer.
The former Zurich, Grasshoppers and Aarau professional advised him to move from Australia to a smaller league. Rojas opted for the large step; now he speaks of having underestimated the circumstances. "I was very far away from home, experienced a culture shock." In Thun he now feels in good hands, "it comes to family and forth, after training does not vanish at any home immediately."
In connection with Rojas it can be written that he is a model professional without airs. So restrained is he off the field (favorite food: salad, Favorite Drink: Water, Hobbies: reading), that his everyday life is ordinary. It is on the ball, that he tries to make the action. "In football it comes to creativity. This I want to live. "
The special nickname
Down Under he succeeded pretty well. With fans and journalists, he is at a premium, is referred to as "Kiwi Messi". As Argentina star Lionel Messi he does not measure 170 inches, weighs less than 70 pounds. As Argentina's star he is shy, wears, paragraph 10.
There would be onerous nickname says Rojas, "but the term is still quite exaggerated." At least a rudimentary visual similarity he does not deny, "only stupid that Messi is better than me something and deserves a bit more."
In New Zealand's national team has established itself Rojas, 2012 in London, he was part of the Olympic team. In an Australian newspaper was read, he was scheduled for a role in a soap opera. The midfielder says with a smile, "it was a guest spot, but it never eventuated".
He wants to cause a stir in sporting terms, on Saturday (20 clock) in Basel. Only too happy if the top countries would one day a video with Rojas sports highlights put on YouTube.
Rojas missed two fantastic chance to score in a 4-1 win. Thun are now 4 points clear of 5th place.
Whatever happened to Rojas's promotion chasing team in the 2. Bundesliga? It seems like they have flunked big time and now only 3 points above the relegation zone.
Interesting that the once mighty Grasshoppers and FC Zurich are now so mediocre...
Subbed off after an hour in a 2-1 home win against Sion overnight
Subbed off after an hour in a 2-1 home win against Sion overnight
Video highlights(Thun in the white):
Came on in the 65th minute when Thun were already 4-0 up.
Marco started and was subbed off on 62 mins in the 0-0 away draw vs. Luzern on the weekend:
http://int.soccerway.com/matches/2015/05/10/switze...
Looks like Thun are certain of making the Europa League as third place team on the table with four games left
(third and fourth placed teams make the Europa League) Seems unlikely there will be any change in league positions.
Table:
It would be interesting to see what happens to Marco next season. He is still contracted to Stuttgart, but I wonder if he wants to go back now that he is fairly established in a decent European league, and with the prospect of playing in the Europa League.
Ok it's not the Bundesliga, or even the Bundesliga2, but it certainly beats being on the bench for a team which struggles to win a game most weeks.
And besides, Switzerland is a beautiful country, and I couldn't blame him if he wanted to stay!
Looks like Stuttgart are going to be relegated. If they do go down they will shed top players. Rojas probably will have a good show of getting into the match day squad.
Personally I hope he stays in Switzerland. I'm not sure if his game is suited to Germany. Div 2 is a tough and rugged league. He is getting plenty of game time at Thun. He will be playing Europa league if he stays. Another season in Switzerland will help him get his game together then maybe he could go back to Stuttgart.......or Stuttgart could just sell him to Thun
Completely agree with you Austin. I think Marco knows he already struggled to play in the Bundesliga.2 (and for a lesser team than Stuttgart), so hopefully Thun can keep him on loan for another year or buy him all together.
If Stuttgart are relegated however, it would be interesting to see if they would still loan Marco out.
At the end of the day they might choose to recall him and use him. The next month or so will be very important for Marco, one way or another.
He has been good but not stupendous in Switzerland, he should do everything in his power to stay there for the next season to keep finding his rhythm in Europe (you gotta say Boyd has ended up with a far better deal in Portugal than Marco found at Stuttgart as player fit goes) - the 2nd Bundesliga is a barbaric shark fight of a league and he would be better back in the A-league than getting his kneecaps smashed in provincial Germany.
To be fair Boyd has secured a very nice deal - but we can't comment on that yet. This time next year it will be clear whether Tyler has made the right decision or not (I sure hope he does well there of course).
Marco on as a 77th minute sub in the 2-2 home draw vs. FC Zurich
Thun are five points clear of fourth placed Zurich with three matches remaining.
Looks like he got the assist for Thun's second goal too
Marco seems to have done okay in Switzerland but it is disappointing he isn't starting.
Marco seems to have done okay in Switzerland but it is disappointing he isn't starting.
Ten starts plus four sub appearances so far for Thun.
He started the previous game.
Sub in the one prior to that.
Started the one before that.
Marco's Thun stats:
Not scoring many goals though.
When you look at those stats, he's done really well to get where he is on the basis of one good season at Melbourne Victory...
Apparently if Stuttgart get relegated Marco's contract is done.
Be good if he could stay in a league like the Swiss get a pre season under his belt and a good run of games.
oh fark it, bring him home, pair him up with Archie Thompson and win the A-league
