New Phoenix signing has some lofty goals

ANDREW GORRIE/Dominion Post

LOYAL: Phoenix goalkeeper Danny Vukovic.

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Danny Vukovic is only 25 but his football career has already been through plenty of ups and downs.

Among the highs are two A-League grand final appearances and a minor premiership with the Central Coast Mariners, whom he played more than 100 matches for from 2005 till last season.

He was a fixture in Australian under 20 and under 23 Olympic teams and, has been involved in Socceroos squads. The Wellington Phoenix's new signing hasn't yet been capped at senior level and Australia is blessed with goalkeeping talent around the world, but you get the sense it's more a matter of when, not if, for one of the A-League's most highly regarded goalkeepers.

Yet among the plentiful ups have been a couple of downs, or dramas as Vukovic prefers to describe them.

One of them is still raw, and is the reason the personable Sydneysider found himself making saves as a Phoenix player at his first training session in Wellington yesterday.

In short, he packed up house during the off-season and headed for Turkey, the chance to expand his horizons and further press national team claims the main reasons.

While his girlfriend was selling their furniture and planning to follow him to Europe, Vukovic was having his contract torn up by the Konyaspor club after just six weeks.

The reason? They had instead decided to use his foreign spot on an outfield player.

"I was a bit worried when things went awry in Turkey, I didn't know when and where I'd get my next game so I'm very happy to be here," Vukovic said yesterday.

"It was disappointing, I signed a contract the first day and when you sign a contract you expect it to be honoured. If I wasn't to like the place or the team, I'd still be expected to play the three years of my contract."

Though Vukovic is pursuing compensation with help from the Professional Footballers Association and Fifa, he is just grateful to be employed again. When news of his predicament broke in Australia, the Phoenix were on the phone within an hour.

"It was nice to be wanted, especially when you've been shafted halfway around the world. I'm very excited to be here."

Vukovic may be best known to football followers on this side of the ditch for his controversial part in the 2008 grand final between the Mariners and Newcastle.

He was sent off for slapping referee Mark Shield's hand following an alleged handball by Jets player James Holland and banned for 15 months. The sentence was reduced to 12 months, then six months with a $10,000 fine, following appeals, but still meant he was ineligible to play at the Beijing Olympic Games.

"It was a massive mistake, but it really changed my life," he says.

"I'd like to think at the end of my career I won't be remembered for that but it was a stupid thing to do and it probably overshadowed the grand final.

"I grew up a lot after that incident. I ran that through my mind every day for probably a year and it was a very tough time for me.

"It doesn't matter what the referee does now or if there's a melee outside the box, I don't get involved in that any more. It's just not worth it. Earlier in my career I was probably the first one in there."

That's all behind him now. A quiet, unassuming bloke off the field but "boisterous", like all goalkeepers, on it, Vukovic is keen to make the most of his time in Wellington and not only seek an A-League title, but higher representative honours.

He also wants to lay a platform for a more successful return to Europe.

"It's a very professional club, I think Wellingtion are looking very good and I'm expecting big things from the team this season."

He intended to push the No 1 goalie, All Whites star Mark Paston, hard for a starting spot, saying he had not come to Wellington to sit on the bench. "I've been the No 1 keeper at the Mariners for five years and I definitely don't want to sit on the bench.

"I'm ready to play ... I'm in the best shape of my life."

Vukovic's chance may come sooner rather than later, with Paston doubtful for Friday's away match against Brisbane because of a groin strain.

- © Fairfax NZ News