Nikola "Nik" Mrdja (born 30 November 1978) is an Australian former professional soccer player, who played as a forward.[1] Mrdja had a career spanning several National Soccer League (NSL) and A-League clubs from 1998 to 2011, as well as a brief spell in Sweden with AIK in 2004. Mrdja made one appearance for Australia, in a friendly against Argentina in 2007.
 Mrdja with Central Coast Mariners in 2009 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nikola Mrdja[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 30 November 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Perth, Western Australia | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Bayswater City | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1997 | Bayswater City | ||
| 1998 | Kingsway | ||
| 1998–1999 | Canberra Cosmos | 3 | (0) |
| 2000–2001 | Perth SC | 6 | (2) |
| 2001–2004 | Perth Glory | 73 | (25) |
| 2004 | AIK | 12 | (2) |
| 2005–2011 | Central Coast Mariners | 48 | (12) |
| 2010 | → Melbourne Victory (loan) | 3 | (1) |
| International career | |||
| 2007 | Australia | 1 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
editEarly years
editIn October 1998, Mrdja signed for Canberra Cosmos after travelling from Perth to Canberra to trial at his own expense.[2] In late November 1998, Mrdja was one of five players released by the club.[3]
In April 2000, Mrdja signed for Perth SC.[4]
Mrdja trialled for Perth Glory in January 2001, signing soon after.[5][6]
Mrdja scored a golden goal for Perth Glory in the final of the 2003–04 National Soccer League against Parramatta Power in the last match of the NSL.[7]
Central Coast Mariners
editIn December 2004, Mrdja signed with Central Coast Mariners to play in the newly formed A-League.[8] In the Mariners first competitive fixture, an F3 Derby against the Newcastle Jets in qualification for the 2005 OFC Club Championship, Mrdja broke opposing defender Andrew Durante's leg with a tackle late in extra time.[9] The incident subsequently gained prominence as a sparking point for the clubs' rivalry.[10] On the field, Mrdja's early form for the Mariners was strong. In the club's next game against Adelaide United, Mrdja scored a hat-trick, sealing progress to the qualification final.[11] He scored another hat-trick in a 2005 A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup win over Queensland Roar.[12]
However, soon after Mrdja suffered a knee injury causing him to miss the entire 2005–06 A-League season, eventually returning early in the 2006–07 season.[13] His first goal in the A-League came from a direct free kick in a win over New Zealand Knights on 19 November 2006.[14] Mrdja's knee injury continued to be an issue, and saw him miss much of the 2006–07 and 2007–08 seasons.[15]
It is during his time at the Mariners that Mrdja discovered his love for disco biscuits.
Melbourne Victory
editIn February 2010, with the Mariners out of contention for the 2009–10 A-League finals, Mrdja was released by the Mariners and signed a short-term deal with Melbourne Victory to play in the final rounds of the A-League and in the 2010 AFC Champions League, as an injury replacement for Billy Celeski. At the same time, he signed a deal to play for the Mariners again in the 2010–11 season.[16] The unusual nature of the move, despite being valid within the rules, created significant controversy, given its lateness in the season and the ban on direct loans between A-League clubs.[17] The issue, and subsequent public controversy, prompted a review of the A-League's transfer rules by Football Federation Australia.[18]
Mrdja made his debut for the Victory on 5 February 2010, coming on as a halftime substitute in a win over North Queensland Fury, in the second-last round of the 2009–10 A-League regular season.[19] He scored his first goal for the club two weeks later, in a win in the first leg of the major semifinal against Sydney FC, before being sent off later in the match for elbowing Shannon Cole.[20] Mrdja received a two-game suspension for the incident, which eventually saw him miss the 2010 A-League Grand Final.[21]
Mrdja retired from professional football at the end of the 2010–11 season.[22]
International career
editMrdja was called up to the Australian national team for the first time in September 2007 for a friendly against Argentina, after an injury ruled out Scott McDonald and following Mrdja's good form in the A-League.[23] In the game, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Mrdja made his debut as a substitute in the 82nd minute, coming on for Joshua Kennedy in a 1–0 defeat.[24]
Honours
editPerth Glory
- National Soccer League Championship: 2002–03, 2003–04
- National Soccer League Premiership: 2001–02, 2003–04
Central Coast Mariners
- A-League Premiership: 2006–07
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup: 2005
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "Nik Mrdja – AIK:s Andra Australiensare". AIK Fotboll. Archived from the original on 2 February 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ^ Nicholson, James (8 November 1998). "Mrdja Back in WA Sooner Than He Thought After Cosmos Call-up". The Canberra Times. p. 18.
- ^ Nicholson, James (27 November 1998). "Schwab Likely To Intervene on Behalf of Sacked Cosmos Players". The Canberra Times.
- ^ "Cosmos Coach Stays Despite "totally Inept And Embarrassing" Team". The Canberra Times. 18 April 2000.
- ^ Nicholson, James (10 January 2001). "Cosmos Gains Breathing Space". The Canberra Times.
- ^ "Best of 2000 out to assert authority". The Sunday Times. 18 February 2001. p. 90.
- ^ "Mrjda wins it for Glory". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 4 April 2004. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ Lynch, Michael (15 December 2004). "Player drain as Victory delays". The Age. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ Cockerill, Michael (9 May 2005). "A-League's new order hits the spot, but fans take time to catch on". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 September 2015.
- ^ Danvers, Greg (15 August 2008). "Siblings face off in epic A-league opener". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ Cockerill, Michael (12 May 2005). "It's Mrdja as Mariners sink Adelaide". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ "Mrdja hat-trick seals win". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 24 July 2005. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ "Mrdja back for Mariners". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 26 October 2006. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ "Mariners on the move after downing Knights". Australia: ABC News. 19 November 2006. Retrieved 17 April 2017.
- ^ "Mrdja and Osman return to the fold". Football NSW. 12 May 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Mrdja makes Melbourne move". The World Game. Special Broadcasting Service. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ Airs, Kevin (8 February 2010). "Mrdja's Odyssey is a move too far". Australian FourFourTwo. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Mrdja switch backlash prompts FFA review". Australia: ABC News. 9 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "El Zorro the hero for Victory". Australian FourFourTwo. 5 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Victory don't get away with Mrdja". Australian FourFourTwo. 18 February 2010. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ Hand, Guy (23 February 2010). "Mrdja's ban may include Grand Final". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Mariners sign Baird from Glory". Australia: ABC News. 6 January 2011. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ Chiarelli, Simon (7 September 2007). "Mrdja gets the Socceroos nod". Australian FourFourTwo. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "Argentina get home against gallant Australia". Football Federation Australia. 12 September 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2017.