After a busy transfer window for Australian players overseas, several started to find their feet at new homes abroad in February, whilst those who stayed put continued to chalk up more minutes. March saw more managerial success, along with several young Aussies abroad being selected for the Olyroos training camp in the Netherlands. FTBL's Christian Marchetti reviews Socceroos and Aussie's Abroad in February and March.
EUROPE
In Austria, James Holland made eight appearances for LASK Linz. In the second tier, Tristan Hammond was an unused sub once for FK Austria Wien II.
In Belgium, Trent Sainsbury scored two goals across seven full games for KV Kortrijk, and captained the side once. James Jeggo made eight appearances for KAS Eupen. Jeggo is now coached by Aussie Michael Valkanis, who was appointed Eupen interim manager in February. Valkanis won one of his first five league matches, and helped the club secure survival. They were unfortunately knocked out of the cup semi-finals, though. In the youth leagues, Emile Peios started once for Sint-Truiden and went to the Olyroos training camp, whilst KV Mechelen's Mario Arambasic also went to the Netherlands.
Trent Sainsbury is officially in-form 💪
— Socceroos (@Socceroos) February 23, 2022
After his derby double on the weekend, the @Socceroos defender has earned a spot in this week's @EASPORTSFIFA #TOTW that also features the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Harry Kane and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang! #AllForTheSocceroos pic.twitter.com/T1zIiAhOh2
In the Bulgarian second tier, Milislav Popovic made two appearances for Strumska Slavia, whilst Iliya Shalamanov-Trenkov played two full games for FC Litex Lovech.
In Croatia, Deni Juric made five appearances for Dinamo Zagreb. Anthony Kalik scored three times in seven starts for HNK Gorica, whilst Doni Grdic made three appearances for HNK Sibenik. In the second tier, Nikola Jadric started twice for HNK Orijent 1919, whilst Kristian Popovic made four appearances for NK Rudes. In the third tier, manager Zeljko Kalac and his NK Urania Baska Voda side remain bottom of the league after losing six of their last seven games. One of his players, Kristian Slunjski, was an unused sub twice. Josip Zelic made one sub appearance for NK Tresnjevka, whilst his teammate Oliver Kalac was an unused sub once for the side. In the youth leagues, Gabriel Popovic scored twice in six appearances for NK Rudes, whilst Tomislav Glavan scored twice in three starts for NK Istrea 1961.
In Cyprus, Antonis Martis was an unused sub six times for AEK Larnaca. In the fourth tier, manager Perry Moustakas and his APEA Akrotiri side are currently top of the league. In the youth leagues, AEK Larnaca U19 player Jordan Perez was selected for the Olyroos training camp.
In Denmark, AGF's Jing Reec was selected for the Olyroos training camp, Joel King picked up one assist in five starts for Odense BK, whilst Lawrence Thomas played five full games for SonderjyskE. FC Midtjylland's Hosine Bility was selected for the Olyroos training camp. In the second tier, Con Ouzounidis scored once in four full games for Esbjerg, Peter Makrillos scored once in four appearances for FK Fredericia, and Panos Armenakas made four appearances for Vendsyssel.
Australians Abroad
— Louise Taffa (@Louise_Taffa) February 20, 2022
🇦🇺Socceroo Joel King made his @Odense_Boldklub starting debut in the Danish Superliga, coming off in the 87’.
🇦🇺The match ended 2-0 to top-of-the-table Copenhagen. pic.twitter.com/KhS4wH9QHn
In Estonia, Aamir Abdallah picked up one assist in four appearances for Parnu JK Vaprus.
In the French Ligue 2 second tier, Alex Gersbach made four appearances for Grenoble, whilst Denis Genreau picked up one assist in eight appearances for Toulouse.
In Germany, Ajdin Hrustic scored twice in six appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt. In the second tier, Brandon Borrello made four appearances for Dynamo Dresden, whilst Jackson Irvine made eight appearances for St. Pauli. In the second tier, SV Sandhausen's Alou Kuol was selected for the Olyroos training camp. In the fourth tier, Martin Gorrie made five appearances for SV Tasmania Berlin. In the fifth tier, Michael Houdek made three appearances for FC Monchengladbach, whilst his teammate Cameron Kemp picked up two assists in five games for the club. Nicholas Simpson, Mark Rizoski, and Alec Vinci all featured for BCV Glesch-Paffendorf. Simpson made six appearances, Rizoski made two appearances, and Vinci scored twice in six full games for the club. In the youth leagues, Harrison Karabalios made three sub appearance for Hennef 05 U17.
VAI PEGAR NUNCA 🔥⚽️���
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@Eintracht_por) February 8, 2022
🚀 Ajdin Hrustic 🚀 #SGE
🎥 @Bundesliga_EN pic.twitter.com/nLk6XgLweL
In Gibraltar, Matthew Nezval scored once and picked up one assist across five appearances for Manchester 62.
In Greece, Bruce Kamau made two sub appearances for OFI Crete. In the second tier, Yerasimakis Petratos made two sub appearances for AE Karaiskakis, Haris Stamboulidis made three appearances for PASA Irodotos, whilst Paul Izzo made eleven appearances for Xanthi. Emmanuel Pavlis was an unused sub six times for AO Egaleo, Daniel Bouman made six appearances for Kavala, whilst Apostolos Stamatelopoulos made eight appearances for Rodos FC. In the third tier, Billy Konstantinidis made one appearance for AE Mykonou. In the youth leagues, Nikolaos Vlassopoulos was an unused sub once for Olympiacos Piraeus U19.
In Iceland, Oliver Kelaart made two sub appearances for Keflavik IF in February, before he signed for third tier side Throttur Reykjavik in March.
In Israel, Nikita Rukavytsya scored twice and assisted once in eight appearances for Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
In Italy, Cristian Volpato scored once in one sub appearance for AS Roma. In the second tier, Fran Karacic made eight appearances for Brescia, whilst Alessandro Circati made two appearances for Parma. Manager Roberto Venturato, in charge of SPAL, guided his side to just two wins in eleven across February and March, and they currently sit just above the relegation zone in 15th. In the third tier, Gabriel Cleur made five appearances for Virtus Entella, Thomas Galletti was an unused sub once for Piacenza, and Matteo Scali was an unused sub twice for Pro Vercelli. In the fifth tier, Alberto Del Grosso started once for US Cisanese ASD and was selected for the Olyroos training camp, whilst Davide Xamin started once for FC Bassano 1903. In the youth leagues, Jahce Novello scored four goals in eight appearances for Cosenza.
🇦🇺🇮🇹 Sydney-born teen #CristianVolpato netted his first goal for @OfficialASRoma today, just 3️⃣ mins after coming on to drag #JoseMourinho's side off the canvas against @HellasVeronaFC in #SerieA. Watch all the the highlights here 📺 https://t.co/vYXXNxvcW0 | #RomaVerona pic.twitter.com/ugLQkDJrFm
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_AUS) February 19, 2022
In Montenegro, Andrew Marveggio made three sub appearances for FK Jezero.
In the Netherlands, Danny Vukovic played one full game for NEC Nijmegen, whilst Thomas Prinsen signed for fourth tier side Harkemase Boys.
In North Macedonia, Davor Trifunov made three appearances for FK Borec, whilst his teammate Aleks Taleski was selected for the Olyroos training camp.
In Norway, Viking FK's Gianni Stensness was on Socceroos duty, whilst Aiden Harvey signed for third tier side Strommen IF.
In Poland, Jordan Courtney-Perkins made four sub appearances for Warta Poznan. In the third tier, Sportis Lochowo's Dylan Ruiz-Diaz was selected for the Olyroos training camp, whilst Gian Mendez made three sub appearances for Znicz Pruszkow.
In Portugal, Ryan Teague picked up one assist in seven appearances for second tier side S.C. Covilha. In the third tier, Danny Choi started three times for Canelas 2010. In the fourth tier, Dylan Collard scored once across four appearances for C.S. Maritimo II. In the youth leagues, Jaden Gasking scored twice across five starts for Boavista FC U17, whilst Presley Ortiz scored twice across three appearances for OS Belenenses U21.
In Romania, Harrison Devenish-Meares was an unused sub once for second tier side SSU Poli Timisoara.
In Spain, Mat Ryan played two full games for Real Sociedad. In the youth leagues, UE Cornella's Thymos Caroutas was selected in the Olyroos training camp.
In Sweden, Peter Gwargis was loaned out to second tier side Jonkoping.
In Switzerland, Liam Chipperfield scored once in four sub appearances for FC Basel. In the youth leagues, Steven Havales made two sub appearances for FC Basel U21.
In Turkey, Aziz Behich made seven appearances for Giresunspor. Awer Mabil scored twice, and picked up an assist and a red card in five appearances for Kasimpasa SK.
🆕 Awer Mabil 🔥 pic.twitter.com/y7PBSMFmGq
— KASIMPAŞA (@kasimpasa) February 10, 2022