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 »  Home  »  Sports  »  (E) Didulica switches loyalty to Croatia
(E) Didulica switches loyalty to Croatia
By Nenad N. Bach | Published  03/26/2004 | Sports | Unrated
(E) Didulica switches loyalty to Croatia

 

Didulica switches loyalty to Croatia

Joey Didulica

Peter Desira
29mar04
GEELONG'S top goalkeeping export, Joey Didulica has defected from Australia to Croatia.

After being overlooked for four years by the Socceroos, Didulica has switched his international
loyalty to the country of his parents' origin.
The keeper has been officially called into Croatia's squad for this Thursday's international
friendly against Turkey in Zagreb and is set to lock himself internationally by getting the nod to
start in goal.

"I think I'm a keeper of international quality and wanted to be given an opportunity to prove it,"
Didulica said in an obvious reference to being overlooked by Socceroos coach Frank Farina.

Didulica got one sniff of Socceroo selection after winning the first team spot at Ajax Amsterdam a
year ago, but dropped out of contention after moving to Austria-Wien.

It was a big-money move that guarantees Didulica's financial future -- a multi-million dollar,
four-year deal.

But it has been perceived as a move to a lower league and the keeper has been overtaken by Michael
Petkovic as the understudy to Mark Schwarzer, of Middlesbrough, and Zeljko Kalac, of Perugia, in
Italy's Serie A.

Petkovic, the former South Melbourne keeper now playing in Turkey, got the call-up for last month's
Socceroo international against Venezuela, in what is likely to have been the final straw for
Didulica.

"I had a chat with Joey at the time and told him he was certainly in the frame," Farina said.

"But I certainly couldn't give him any guarantees."

Didulica came up through the ranks at North Geelong, then played 60 NSL games in three seasons with
Melbourne Knights before his international breakthrough with a contract offer at Ajax in 1999.

"International football is something every player aspires to," Didulica said.

"It's an opportunity that presents itself once in a lifetime -- if you're lucky.

"Having grown up in Geelong, playing for Australia seemed the most likely scenario, but Croatia is
a country I have always felt intimately and strongly connected to.

"Like Australia, Croatia is a nation with a proud sporting and cultural history and it's difficult
to explain what a privilege it will be to stand in goals for Croatia.

"Euro 2004 is three months away and to be a part of something as huge as that is a goal I need to
start working toward immediately."

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,9111100%255E2883,00.html


Australian-born Didulica cleared to debut forCroatia against Turkey

Canadian Press

Friday, March 26, 2004

ZAGREB, Croatia (AP) - Australian-born Joey Didulica has been granted Croatian citizenship and
cleared to play for Croatia in an upcoming Euro 2004 warmup match against Turkey, a sports daily
reported Friday.

Coach Otto Baric selected Didulica to make his debut for the country of his heritage against Turkey
next Wednesday, but his appearance hinged on getting his citizenship papers before the match.

"The procedure was stalled a bit because I had to wait for documents from Australia," Didulica told
the daily Sportske Novosti. "Luckily, they arrived and were processed in time."

Didulica was scouted by Baric's assistants while he was playing for Dutch powerhouse Ajax a season
ago, but he won serious consideration after Baric watched him up close in goals for his new club,
Austria Vienna.

Didulica, whose parents were born in Croatia, played for Australia at the junior level but never
made an appearance at the top level.

Holding out hope for a call-up to the Croatian national squad, the 26-year-old Didulica has avoided
calls to play for the Australian Socceroos, citing injury.  "I feel fortunate and a great satisfaction to play in Croatian colors," Didulica said. "It's an added incentive to prove myself."  It's not the first time Croatia and Australia have been drawn into a clash of loyalties.  Australian-born Anthony Seric also opted to play for Croatia at the 1998 World Cup, creating a national stir in Australia.

http://www.canada.com/sports/soccer/story.html?id=31FE6631-E5B2-42B6-B7FA-D05CAFB83FC1

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