Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Ante Covic [1] | ||
Date of birth | 13 June 1975 | ||
Place of birth | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | ||
Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
Youth career | |||
1995 | Hurstville Zagreb | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
1996–1997 | APIA Leichhardt Tigers | 23 | (0) |
1997–1999 | Marconi Stallions | 46 | (0) |
1999–2001 | PAOK | 8 | (0) |
2000 | → AO Kavala (loan) | 15 | (0) |
2001–2002 | Dinamo Zagreb | 0 | (0) |
2002–2007 | Hammarby IF | 121 | (0) |
2007–2009 | Newcastle Jets | 54 | (0) |
2009–2011 | IF Elfsborg | 59 | (0) |
2011–2012 | Melbourne Victory | 24 | (0) |
2012–2015 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 78 | (0) |
2015–2016 | Perth Glory | 28 | (0) |
2017–2018 | Rockdale City Suns | 49 | (0) |
2018 | Wellington Phoenix | 0 | (0) |
Total | 505 | (0) | |
International career | |||
2006–2008 | Australia | 2 | (0) |
Managerial career | |||
2018–2023 | Marconi Stallions (goalkeeping coach) | ||
2024- | Bankstown City (Women) | ||
*Club domestic league appearances and goals |
Ante Covic (born 13 June 1975) is an Australian football manager and former soccer goalkeeper, and is the current manager of Bankstown City (Women) in NSW League One. Covic was a member of the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and represented Australia on two occasions. In 2014 he was named Player of the Tournament for the 2014 AFC Champions League, keeping 8 clean sheets in 12 matches with the Western Sydney Wanderers as they defeated Al-Hilal in the final.
Covic is of Croatian heritage. He is married to Vanessa Covic and has two children, Emelie and Christopher. [2]
He formerly played for Marconi Stallions and Sydney Olympic in Australia's National Soccer League, PAOK Salonika and AO Kavala in Greece and Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.
After Australia in 1999, Covic made numerous appearances for various European clubs before arriving in Hammarby IF, a Swedish club based in Stockholm. There he battled Erland Hellström for the spot as first keeper. About a month into the Swedish Allsvenskan series, Covic made his debut between the posts (however, not his debut game with Hammarby as he made an appearance roughly three weeks earlier in a cup game) and after that he was more or less given in the starting eleven.
Covic left Hammarby in 2006 after having played 121 games - a feat that has only been surpassed by three other goalkeepers in the club's history. [3]
Covic made his A-League debut in a 3–2 loss to Adelaide United in December 2006 at Hindmarsh Stadium. Čović was the starting goalkeeper for Newcastle Jets in the 2007 season, in which he won the A-League championship. On 17 March 2009, it was announced that Covic was leaving the Jets for a three-year deal with Swedish club IF Elfsborg.
On 4 October 2011, Covic signed a one-year deal with Melbourne Victory as an injury replacement for Tando Velaphi, who was ruled out for 12 weeks. Čović debuted in the opening game of the A-League season against Sydney FC at the Etihad Stadium. Covic achieved instant hero status with the home fans when he saved Emerton from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, he was named man of the match in the 0–0 draw. He was again named man of the match after the Melbourne Derby two weeks later.
In the A-League fifth round match between Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory in 2011, Covic, along with fellow Victory defender Matthew Foschini, were controversially sent off by referee Ben Williams for challenges against Roar defenders, reducing the Victory to playing with nine men throughout the match. [4]
On 1 May 2012, it was announced new Melbourne Victory coach Ange Postecoglou would not resign the veteran goalkeeper, opting to stay with younger goalkeepers Lawrence Thomas and Tando Velaphi. This decision followed Covic winning the Player's Player of the Year award at the Melbourne Victory Awards Dinner.
On 2 July 2012, Covic joined A-League expansion club Western Sydney Wanderers on a free transfer. [5] The Wanderers performed above expectations and won the Premier's Plate in their maiden season, [6] with Čović being named in the inaugural A-League All-Star team. [7] He helped his side to win 2014 AFC Champions League, keeping 8 clean sheets in 12 matches. The Wanderers defeated Al-Hilal in the final, after which he was named as MVP of the tournament.
On 8 July 2015, Covic joined Perth Glory. [8]
In June 2016, at the end of his contract, Covic decided to leave Perth Glory to return east to be closer to his family, [9] and joined Rockdale City Suns in January 2017. [10] He retired from football at the end of the 2018 NPL season in November 2018, after two seasons at the club, to take a position as goalkeeper coach for Marconi Stallions. [11] In December, he joined Wellington Phoenix as short-term injury cover following an injury to first-choice goalkeeper Filip Kurto. [12] He remained on the bench for the duration of the side's 3–1 win over Sydney FC. [13]
He was part of the Australian squad for the 2006 World Cup play-offs against Uruguay and was Australia's third choice goalkeeper behind Mark Schwarzer and Zeljko Kalac for the finals in Germany.
He made his debut for Australia against Bahrain on 22 February 2006 in an Asian Cup qualifier. On 22 March 2008 he earned his second and last cap against Singapore in an international friendly and was captain for part of the second half after Harry Kewell and Jade North left the field.
CS = Clean Sheets
Club | Season | Division | League1 | Cup | International2 | Total | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | CS | Apps | CS | Apps | CS | Apps | CS | |||
Marconi Stallions | 1997–98 [14] | National Soccer League | 25 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 14 |
1998–99 [14] | 21 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 7 | ||
Total | 46 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 21 | ||
PAOK | 1999–2000 [14] [15] | Alpha Ethniki | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 4 |
2000–01 [15] | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
Total | 8 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 4 | ||
AO Kavala (loan) | 1999–2000 | Alpha Ethniki | 15 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 |
Total | 15 | ? | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
Dinamo Zagreb | 2001–02 | Prva HNL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
Hammarby IF | 2002 [14] [15] | Allsvenskan | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 |
2003 [15] | 26 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 12 | ||
2004 [14] [15] | 26 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 10 | ||
2005 [15] | 26 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 8 | ||
2006 [15] | 23 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 9 | ||
Total | 121 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 127 | 39 | ||
Newcastle Jets | 2006–07 [16] | A-League | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 3 |
2007–08 [14] [16] | 25 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 10 | ||
2008–09 [14] [16] [17] | 21 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 5 | ||
Total | 54 | 14 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 64 | 18 | ||
IF Elfsborg | 2009 [17] | Allsvenskan | 29 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 37 | 14 |
2010 [17] | 17 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 7 | ||
2011 [17] | 13 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 8 | ||
Total | 59 | 21 | 4 | 1 | 13 | 7 | 76 | 29 | ||
Melbourne Victory | 2011–12 [16] | A-League | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3 |
Total | 24 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 3 | ||
Western Sydney Wanderers | 2012–13 [16] | A-League | 29 | 11 | – | – | – | – | 29 | 11 |
2013–14 [16] [17] | 28 | 10 | – | – | 12 | 8 | 40 | 18 | ||
2014–15 [16] [17] | 21 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 28 | 5 | ||
Total | 78 | 24 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 10 | 97 | 34 | ||
Career Total | 405 | 121 | 13 | 4 | 42 | 21 | 460 | 145 |
1 – includes A-League final series statistics
2 – includes continental tournaments and FIFA Club World Cup; AFC Champions League statistics are included in season ending during group stages (i.e. ACL 2014 and A-League season 2013–14 etc.)
CS = Clean Sheets [17]
HonoursClub
Individual
Records
Related Research ArticlesGlen Robert Moss is a retired New Zealand goalkeeper who played for New Zealand at international level. A foundational member of both the New Zealand Knights and Wellington Phoenix, Moss has competed in 14 seasons of the A-League, making 250 appearances while playing for the Knights, Phoenix, Melbourne Victory, Gold Coast United, and Newcastle Jets. Career highlights include starting a Grand Final with Newcastle, appearing in AFC Champions League games with Melbourne Victory and Newcastle, and making an A-League Team of the Season with Gold Coast. Since retiring from playing, he has been appointed as goalkeeping coach for Macarthur FC Daniel Vukovic is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Central Coast Mariners in the A-League and the Australia national team. Vukovic is the holder of several A-League records: he has the most clean sheets of any goalkeeper in A-League history (100), and he is the only goalkeeper to score in the A-League. Eugen Josip Galekovic is an Australian former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is the current goalkeeper coach for Adelaide United. Liam Rhys Reddy is an Australian professional football player who plays as a goalkeeper for NPL WA club Perth RedStar FC. Michael Petkovic is an Australian former goalkeeper. Tando Yuji Velaphi is an Australian professional football player who plays as a goalkeeper for Kochi United. Dean Anthony Bouzanis is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for EFL League Two club Sutton United, on loan from EFL League One club Reading. Eugène Dadi is an Ivorian retired footballer who played as a striker for clubs in Switzerland, France, Austria, Scotland, England, Israel, Australia, and New Zealand. At international level, he represented Ivory Coast on two occasions in 2000. Shannon Cole is a former professional footballer turned coach, who is currently the head coach of Central Coast United in NSW League Two. Sam Justin Gallagher is an Australian footballer who last played as a central defender for Manly United. Mathew David Ryan is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Eredivisie club AZ and captains the Australia national team. Jerrad Robert Tyson is an Australian professional goalkeeper who plays for Queensland club Sunshine Coast FC. Lawrence Andrew Kingsley Thomas is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Australian A-league club Western Sydney Wanderers and the Australia national team. Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in the Western Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales. It competes in the country's premier competition, the A-League, under licence from the Australian Professional Leagues (APL). formerly under licence by the Football Federation Australia (FFA). The club had established itself as a major force in both Australia and Asia, having won one A-Leagues Premiership and an AFC Champions League title in its history. The 2014 AFC Champions League Final was the final of the 2014 AFC Champions League, the 33rd edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), and the 12th under the current AFC Champions League title. The 2018–19 Wellington Phoenix season was the club's 12th season since its establishment in 2007. The club participated in the A-League for the 12th time, the FFA Cup for the fifth time, and fielded a reserves squad in the ISPS Handa Premiership for the fifth time. The 2018–19 season was the 50th season of national competitive association football in Australia and 136th overall. The 2019–20 season was the tenth in the history of Melbourne City Football Club. In addition to the domestic league, Melbourne City competed in the Australia Cup for the sixth time. Kyra Lillee Cooney-Cross is an Australian professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Arsenal and the Australia women’s national team. She has previously played for Hammarby IF in the Damallsvenskan, as well as Western Sydney Wanderers and Melbourne Victory in the W-League. The 2022–23 season was the 54th season of national competitive association football in Australia and 140th overall. References
External links
|