A-League/Best League in the World

[SB]

Yeah I was hearing that too. Im suprised he wants to leave already!

He's only played 4 matches and if your not feeling the love, who can blame him as he was treated like a superstar back here.

[Fernandinho]

Yeah thats true actually. At least he has the balls to make the decision rather then wasting his time on the bench...

[SB]

Exactly mate.He's getting on and wants to enjoy "playing" not watching so fair due's to the lad. I hope Mr Palmer signs him and I'm confident he will.

[Fernandinho]

He would be stupid not to. Also, if I went to that game that could well have been me when the fence fell

[Harv]

Radelaide

[SB]

Radelaide

4-1 wasn't it over Melb V ? Good result

[SB]

Woo Hoo

NEW Zealand international striker Shane Smeltz has returned to Gold Coast United for the remainder of the 2010/11 season after securing a release from his Turkish club, Genclerberligi.

Smeltz, last season’s winner of the Hyundai A-League’s Golden Boot with 19 goals, will join his teammates at training immediately with a view to being thrust straight into the action when United host North Queensland Fury at Skilled Park this Friday night (7.30pm kick off).

After a frustrating spell on the sidelines in Turkey, Smeltz said he was thrilled to be able to pull on the Gold Coast United shirt once again and couldn’t wait to get back to doing what he does best – scoring goals.

“I’m delighted to be back – really happy. I’ve always loved the Hyundai A-League since it started and obviously I haven’t played as much football as I would have liked in the last five or six months, so I’m just really looking forward to getting back into the swing of things,” he said.

“My immediate focus is to try to help out Gold Coast United’s situation. I’ve been following them all season and the team has done well so far but has suffered a bit of a dip recently. Hopefully I can contribute and help everything to start flowing again towards the finals. On a personal level, I just want to get back playing and enjoy myself on the park.”

Smeltz gave a brief insight into his time in Turkey where sweeping changes to key senior staff soon after his arrival changed the landscape for the striker who was a New Zealand hero during the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

“It’s complicated over there and in the course of my first five or six weeks in Turkey there were a lot of changes at the club,” he said.

“They got a new coach, a new assistant coach and a new general manager who all brought with them their differing opinions. It happens all over the world in football and is nothing new, but the result was that I was sidelined more than I wanted to be.

“I spoke to the club about it and they agreed to release me, so I’m very happy with that outcome and feel relieved that I will playing again soon.

“These things happen in football and you have to go with it. The only thing to do now is to move forward and get on with helping Gold Coast United the best I can.”

United Head Coach Miron Bleiberg said Smeltz’s signature could just be the spark his side needs in their quest to secure second place on the ladder with just eight matches remaining before the Finals Series begins.

After a recent dip in form and a lack of goals in their last two outings, Bleiberg believes the return of Smeltz will lift morale among the group as a whole.

“It’s great to have Shane back with us and he’s come exactly at the right time as our recent results haven’t been the best,” Bleiberg said.

“We’re obviously very happy to sign a proven goalscorer at this point in the campaign and hopefully he can help us achieve what we want to achieve this season.

“Shane will obviously bring his qualities to the field, but also his return will be a big boost for the whole squad. I’m not expecting miracles from him in his first match as he will be a little bit short of match sharpness, but he is familiar with everyone at the club and it won’t take him very long to settle back in.”

[Fernandinho]

good news. djite and smeltz in a 4-4-2 would be quality. Djite can do all the dirty work and provide space for Smeltzyas the Kiwis love to call him with that horrible accent of theirs.

[Harv]

Schmelter

[Fernandinho]

Smeltzy starting I see, not that you are around here, although I might see you on tv.

[Fernandinho]

For those interested in this fine league check out the picture of this striker from North Queensland Fury

[SB]

4-0 to gold coast & the return of Smeltz went according to plan.

A good win but the Fury were terrible.

Djite got two, smeltz & 18yr old chris Harold got his first ever a league goal.

Mr Palmer has opened the stadium for free again next sat vs Newcastle. He's asking everyone to donate something to the flood victims. Good man.

[Fernandinho]

Top bloke, I felt sorry for him when the fans slated him for capping the stadium.

[SB]

Yeah he's trying to engage the community. Some people just aren't interested anymore. He brought smeltz back which we are pleased about. No hard feelings, no noses out of joint, just signed him up again. He played great tonight.

[SB]

Four-goal Gold Coast back in winner’s circle
Friday, 14 January 2011

Hyundai A-League Week 23

At Skilled Park, Gold Coast

GOLD COAST UNITED 4 (Djite 22’ / 43’, Smeltz 52’, Harold 83’)
NORTH QUEENSLAND FURY 0
HT: 2-0
Referee: Matthew Gillett
Crowd: 2,514

THE pre-match fanfare was all about the returning Shane Smeltz, but it was fellow striker Bruce Djite who sealed the points for Gold Coast United with two excellent goals in the comfortable 4-0 win over North Queensland Fury.

Bolstered by the return of Smeltz, who was excellent throughout, Miron Bleiberg’s men were sharper and more determined, comprehensively out-playing their northern rivals for almost the entire match.

It took Smeltz 52 minutes to mark his return to the Hyundai A-League with a relatively simple finish for a striker of his quality, but his influence on Gold Coast’s performance was evident from the first whistle. Djite looked reborn, producing a quality display that fully warranted his brace of goals.

Both Smeltz and Djite were subbed early in the second half to preserve energy and fitness for Gold Coast’s upcoming fixture congestion, but by then it was 3-0 and their work was done.

United started strongly, looking busy and sharp, but they suffered an early blow when Steve Pantelidis reopened an old head wound and was forced off in the 13th minute. Zenon Caravella came on in his place with Anderson switching to his familiar position at left-back.

Gold Coast deservedly broke the deadlock in the 22nd minute with a gem of a goal. Smeltz squared the ball to Bas van den Brink and with a precision first-time pass the Dutchman opened up the Fury defence finding Bruce Djite sneaking past his marker. Taking the pass in his stride, Djite took a touch before slamming the ball past Sebastian Usai in the visitors’ goal.

Two minutes later Anderson almost added a second goal with a 20-metre free-kick that fizzed just wide of the upright, but the signs were good for Gold Coast with Miron Bleiberg’s men looking very much in the mood.

The Fury’s best chance came five minutes before the break when Nikas lofted the ball over the bar after finding space with a blindside run.

Smeltz sharpened his shooting boots with a low left-footed drive that Usai smothered, but the goal machine turned provider on the stroke of half-time when he set up Djite’s second of the game. Djite’s well-timed run was irresistible and Smeltz played the perfect pass for his strike partner to smash the ball under Usai and into the net.

After playing a part in both of United’s goals, it wasn’t long before Smeltz found the net himself, just seven minutes into the second period. Found by a through ball from John Curtis, Smeltz was afforded acres of space and strolled towards goal before calmly slipping the ball under Usai for 3-0.

With seven minutes remaining Gold Coast put the icing on the cake when 18-year-old striker Chris Harold notched his first Hyundai A-League goal. Local lad Chris Broadfoot was the architect with a slide-rule pass and Harold did the rest with a confident finish as Usai attempted to close down the space.

Right at the death Broadfoot almost made it five for Gold Coast but his crisp drive was pushed just wide by the exposed Usai.

The result sets up nicely next weekend’s free entry game when Newcastle Jets visit Skilled Park on Saturday night. The entire stadium will be open to with free admission for all supporters who will be encouraged to make a donation to the Queensland flood relief appeal.

Gold Coast United:
1.Glen MOSS [gk], 2.Steve PANTELIDIS (7.Zenon CARAVELLA 13’), 3.Michael THWAITE (c), 6.Dino DJULBIC, 8.ANDERSON, 9.Shane SMELTZ (25.Chris BROADFOOT 70’), 11.Bruce DJITE (16.Kristian REES 59’), 13.Bas VAN DEN BRINK, 22.Adama TRAORE, 24.John CURTIS, 27.Chris HAROLD.
Unused subs: 20.Scott HIGGINS [gk].
Yellow cards: van den Brink 53’.
Red cards: None.

North Queensland Fury:
28.Sebastian USAI [gk], 2.Jack HINGERT (16.Simon STOREY 65’), 3.Brad McDONALD, 4.Eric AKOTO, 5.Mark HUGHES (c), 12.Panagiotis NIKAS, 13.Andre KILIAN, 14.Chris GROSSMAN, 19.Isaka CERNAK (8.Adam CASEY 52’), 22.Lorenzo SIPI, 24.Ramazan TAVSANCIOGLU (21.Jason SPAGNUOLO 46’).
Unused subs: 1.Justin PASFIELD [gk].
Yellow cards: Tavsancioglu 31’, Hingert 47’, Akoto 62’, Casey 75’, Hughes 86’.
Red cards: None.