The captain of the Central Coast Mariners has introduced his retirement a day after the membership’s historic A-League males’s grand remaining win.
Followers ran onto the pitch final evening after the Mariners defeated Melbourne Victory 3-1 in further time at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford.
It comes after the workforce secured the A-League Males Premiership and AFC Cup earlier this yr — making them the primary skilled males’s soccer membership in Australia to finish an historic treble.
Talking at a celebration for lots of of followers exterior Erina Truthful on Sunday, captain Danny Vukovic mentioned it was an exciting end with the house crowd lifting the workforce to win.
The 39-year-old former Socceroo mentioned he was stepping down as a participant, however can be becoming a member of the membership’s teaching workforce as a goalkeepers’ coach.
“Final season we knew we had gained the grand remaining with 15 to twenty minutes to go,” Vukovic mentioned.
“Final evening was totally different and simply extremely happy with the workforce, the resilience and that never-say-die perspective. We’re totally different to different golf equipment with the followers’ help.
“Actually they obtained us over the road final evening I believe.”
Tribute for ‘particular human’
The membership’s chairman Richard Peil paid tribute to the retiring captain and the workforce, as their households and mates joined the celebrations on stage.
“I do need to make one particular point out, I need to point out a man I believe who epitomises this membership and this area, who’s a particular human,” Peil mentioned.
“And I hope he’s on the membership nevertheless lengthy I’m concerned with it – Danny Vukovic.
“I believe we’d all like to see Vukovic play till he’s 50, however the actuality it was Danny’s final recreation of soccer final evening however he’s not misplaced to this membership.”
Mariners coach Mark Jackson mentioned Vukovic has had an incredible profession.
“What a solution to exit. What a profession he has had, he’s a incredible skilled,. For somebody to play that lengthy into their profession is a testomony to him, his dedication,” Jackson mentioned.
Midfielder Harry Steele, who developed his abilities within the membership’s academy system, mentioned it gave him and the workforce “shivers up their spines” to see most capability on the stadium final evening.
“Simply follow it and something might occur,” Steele mentioned.
“My dream was to play on that subject in a grand remaining at some point and look it got here true. So desires do come true. To all the children on the market – dream large.”
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