Since January he has been playing for his local side however, prior to this he was playing College Football in the USA for West Virginia University where he was also studying
Readily admitting to being an Arsenal fan in recent years there has been a plethora of players to admire leading the attack for the Gunners but does one stand out and has hasn?t modelled himself on any in particular.
?No, not really.
?It?s how I?ve progressed , my build and physical attributes and do what works for me as I?m not the tallest player.
?I try to be nippy around the ball, twist and turn the defence and be nippy around their feet and try to create chances for others to feed off and, obviously, if I get a chance I will try to take it but I think it?s almost impossible to model yourself on anyone in particular as we are all individual.?
When pressed hard enough he readily admitted.
?OK, Thierry Henry is the Arsenal shirt I have my wall at home, Dennis Bergkamp is another hero of mine and being half Dutch myself you have to look after the boys….and Robin van Persie of course!,? he chuckles.
?He has had an outstanding season and is a typical players, not the fastest around but you look and see what works for him and maybe see if you can adapt it into your game, the way he beats defenders and the way he hits the ball.
His adaptation to the APIA Leichhardt Tigers side looks very promising, especially against Rockdale City Suns where his low centre of gravity and fast feet were a constant nuisance to the visiting defence.
?I think I?ve settled in quite well and it?s different from playing back home with some very technical players so you just have to take what comes to you on these pitches.
?When a chance comes your way you need to try and do something special because it?s more of a physical game and I?m not the most physical player so when something comes my way I am looking to create opportunities or have a go myself.?
When asked what he would like to be in five years? time he stated ?Six foot!?
Fair play to the likeable lad for getting one over the questioner but added.
?I would hope to be a full-time professional somewhere of course, I?d love that to be Australia.
?Like everyone else, I would hope I could take the opportunity if it came along so my aim to play well for APIA and hopefully turn a few heads and see what comes of it.
?I would love to give it a really good go and make a profession of it so that?s what I?m working towards.?
State League football isn?t paying everything and there is a need for the lad to work part time as a waiter as well as concentrate on football after spending last year studying.
The studies have been put on hold for a year as he tries to make his mark in the round ball game and especially hopeful of possibly making the New Zealand Olympic football squad for London 2012.
?The squad gets picked next and that would be a dream come true for me to be a part of that but I need to see how my season goes here and decide whether to play and study or play full-time.
?We?ll have to wait and see.?
Due to tender years, Bevin is far too young to understand the significance of the opening title being a part-time waiter, Manuel from Fawlty Towers etc. but he has a very dry sense of humour and his head very firmly screwed on.
One thing is for sure and certain though, keep your eye on this kid as the Kiwi selectors could certainly do a whole lot worse than pick the lad to go London and from there, who knows?
-By Micky Brock
Archives for May 2012
APIA and Rockdale share the spoils in gritty contest
The game was a tight contest whe both sides certainly didn?t concede much to each other. It was one for the football purist rather than the casual observer who may have been seeking mo entertainment.
In the end, a draw was probably the faist sult whe both sides conceded goals from set pieces.
After the game Rockdale City Suns? new coach Mark Rudan expssed how happy he is to be associated with such a gat group of players. He was also satisfied with the sult given that in two games in charge, he is yet to experience a loss.
?I was happy with the sult because it?s a tough place to come,? he said. ?The a good quality players in both of these two teams.
?We have been working on our shape and organisation and hopefully we a becoming a hard team to beat.
?We will work on diffent things going forward, including tactical plays when we have the ball at our feet, and all that will come.
?I was very happy with my team?s attitude which was first class throughout. I couldn?t be happier with their effort – they worked ally hard with the game plan and instructions that they had been given.
?I haven?t got bad word to say because I am extmely proud of the boys. It?s a long season and the is still a long way to go.?
In the 18? minute Giorgio Speranza found himself with a high bouncing ball outside the penalty-aa and despite managing to get a powerful shot away, he couldn?t find the back of the net.
APIA-Leichhardt?s ply came after a scrappy corner made its way to Murisoo Gil, the new signing for the Tigers from Koa, but he too couldn?t dict his shot on target.
The best chance of the first-half fell to the Tigers in the 29? minute when a delightful long ball from Adel El Jamal ached a rampaging Andw Bevin who, with a powerful diagonal volley, just sprayed the ball wide of the net. And that was about it for the tightly contested first stanza of play.
In the second-half APIA-Leichhardt took the lead early on when Hirofumi Moriyasu managed to squeeze his fe-kick past the wall and into the bottom left let hand corner of the net. It seemed almost sural from a distance because it was hard to believe how Moriyasu had thaded the ball in such a small space.
How the Tigers must wish that Moriyasu?s short-term contract wasn?t ending with this game because the ?Japanese Emperor? has certainly been a valuable addition to their squad over the last four weeks.
The next two best chances of the game fell to Rockdale. Firstly, it was Tomi Cirjak who blasted a powerful shot just wide of the net and then Alec Vrosevski couldn?t beat Stefan Giglio who got down low with a good save to pvent a certain equaliser.
Stephen Kayes then tried his luck with an off target shot to no avail for the Tigers. The tenacious Kayes is certainly a player that APIA can always depend on.
In the 74? minute it became game on when Rockdale City equalised in the simplest of fashions from a set piece.
A corner by Cirjak was met by the tall Paul Kohler who rose above all and sundry to head home. It was simple but effective football.
After the equalising goal the was not much else was on offer from both sides until Kris Griffith Jones brought proceedings to an end nearly 20? minutes later.
John Turner, APIA-Leichhardt?s experienced coach, had mixed emotions about the sult.
?I think they took their one opportunity,? he said. ?We have to learn to pick up at the back post again.
?It?s very hard to play on this pitch because it is very tight. We had half a team that couldn?t train this week for various asons and injuries, so I am even surprised that we came this far.
?It?s a cdit to the boys because some did play with injuries and, on any other given day, they might not have played.
?We even lost our goalkeeper at halftime. It?s hard then when you have to play someone who has alady played 90 minutes even though I am certainly not blaming him for our goal,? he concluded.
Match Stats
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers 1 (Moriyasu 48?)
Rockdale City Suns 1 (Kohler 74? )
Friday, 11th May, 2012
Lambert Park Leichhardt
Refee: Kris Griffiths Jones
Assistant fees: Adam Coombes and Craig Fisher
Fourth Official: Adrian Arndt
APIA-Leichhardt Tigers: 21.Anthony Costa (1. Stefan Giglio 46?); 2.Mark Byrnes, 3.Adel El Jamal, 4.Murisoo Gil, 5.Michael West, 7.Stephen Kayes, 9.Ethan Galbraith (19.Wandi Jajaw 85?), 10.Franco Parisi, 12.Andw Bevin, 14.Hirofumi Moriyasu, 16.Michael Hawrysiuk (6.Danial Cummins 76?).
Substitutes Not Used: 17.Sam Salameh
Yellow Cards: Kayes 36?
Red Cards: Nil
Rockdale City Suns: 1.Ryan Norval; 2.Takuya Murayama, 3.Giorgio Speranza, 5.Pece Cvetanovski, 7.Peter Apolevski, 8.Paul Kohler, 10.Alec Vrosevski (15.Adrian Karakolevski 82?), 11.Tomi Cirjak, 12.Huseyin Jasli, 21.Ricky Perinich, 23.Askin Oygur
Substitutes Not Used: 6.Joshua Lawson, 22.Aaron Liddell, 16.Anthony Perri, 14.Daniel Slaveski
Yellow Cards: Oygur 24?, Muriyama 28?, Jasli 68?, Speranza 90?+1?
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 – Hirofumi Moriyasu (ALT)
2 – Ricky Perinich (RCS)
1 – Stephen Kayes (ALT)
-By Joe Russo
Rudan starts with first NSW Premier League win with Suns
The 2-1 win was welcomed news for the Suns supporters after a difficult start to the campaign.
Peter Apolevski and Tommy Cirjak took it to Manly United down the right and left flanks respectively and whipped in a few teasing early crosses, with the visiting back four forced to deal with desperately as Alec Urosevski, just turned 18-years of age, and Huseyin Jasli made themselves busy around the 18-yard box.
The Suns returned to their usual style of play this season, under new coach Mark Rudan, playing the ball to feet instead of the long ball game adopted last time out in the ferocious breeze, and the side looked composed and comfortable on the ball for long periods.
The Suns goalkeeper Ryan Norval however, was called into action in the 9? minute when Chris Payne sent in a low skidding-shot, the custodian needed to get down sharply to gather at full stretch.
Crijak returned fire but the shot was blocked moments later as each battled to control midfield and create clear cut opportunities.
Manly?s back four, along with goalkeeper Dylan Mitchell, snuffed out the aerial threat with some ease so when Cirjak sent in a free-kick it was no surprise Paul Kohler was unable to gain enough purchase with a backward header that looped over the bar on 25? minutes.
Urosevski followed up with a shot from the edge of the box that was deflected and fell nicely for Mitchell to gather, as most of the action took place in the Manly half. The visitors were reduced to attacking on the counter yet the final pass went astray on the few occasions they were able to break out.
When the ball bounced the way of United via a deflection from referee James Lewis, Adam Foti was quickest to react and spun inside the 6-yard box to test Norval – once again however, it was far and few between for the visitors however as the half wore on they were able to fashion opportunities a little more regularly.
Cirjak again took another chance early from fully 30-yards and ballooned the ball way over the bar, though with little options available it was the only one left as the Manly defence closed him down with all the signs pointing to the deadlock being broken.
Alec Urosevski, very nearly, on the stroke of half-time found the opening goal when played in by Jasli. Mitchell managed to claw onto the post to divert the danger for the visitors.
The Suns would find their goal before the break and it arrived via captain Peter Apolevski. The Suns? right-winger, in first-half stoppage time, found the back of the net in virtually the last kick of the half.
Manly started quickest out of the blocks at the opening of the second period but were soon forced back as the Suns passing game at times left them floundering, although they were still proving tricky on the break.
Craig Midgley shuffled the pack when Chris Payne limped off in the 56? minute to be replaced by Mat Sim, a change more forced than warranted.
A nasty clash of heads saw the game interrupted when Tinashe Mugabe desperately headed away for a corner in a collision with Pece Cvetanovski, although thankfully both were able to continue.
Scott Balderson almost restored parity in the 68? minute with a free-kick that rattled the Suns crossbar yet the visitors found scoring elusive as the game wore on and the tackling became heavier.
What ensued was a titanic tussle between two sides battling for points, no quarter asked, none given and the scores were level in the 82? minute when Manly substitute Damir Prodanovic fired home an unstoppable shot from 25-yards out that was always curling away from Norval between the sticks.
The lead didn?t last long as Jasli curled home a free-kick in the 86? minute to put the Suns in front once more.
Rockdale wanted the win just that little bit more than Manly and did enough to hold on in what was a very tight contest.
Manly coach Craig Midgley stated afterwards:
?They probably wanted it a little bit more than us today but credit to them, they?ve got a new coach and sometimes that happens and they pick up for that.
?I thought we should have been showing the same desire as that if we are to win games and I?ve said to the boys it?s very disappointing so we?ve got to stick together as a squad now and tighten up.
?We?ve got a few players coming back from injury and another couple who will be ready this week and that is just in time as we have a cup game midweek against the Sutherland Sharks and Sydney United next in the league so we need all hands on deck.?
New Suns coach Mark Rudan isn?t used to giving interviews but added:
?I think it?s always important to look for a reaction from the players and as far as I am concerned the season started this week.
?It makes no difference if you are the oldest players at the club or the youngest, it?s a clean slate for all to show a good attitude, train with intensity and quality and I will be as loyal to them as they are with me.
?I?ve only been involved with the one training session so a lot of it has been verbal with my assistant coach (Sash Trajcevski) but now we start the serious stuff.
?I?m big on rewarding players if they put the effort in and it?s a long season so I need all the guys as we progress.?
Match Stats
Rockdale City Suns FC 2 (Apolevski 45?+1?, Jasli 86?)
Manly United FC 1 (Prodanovic 82?)
Sunday 6th May, 2012
Ilinden Sports Centre, Rockdale
Referee: James Lewis
Assistant Referees: Thomas Lee and Michael Robertson
Fourth Official: Nathan Roberts
Rockdale City Suns: 1.Ryan Norval; 2.Takuya Muruyama, 3.Giorgio Speranza, 5.Pece Cvetanovski, 7.Peter Apolevski (C), 8.Paul Kohler, 10.Alec Urosevski (15.Adrian Karokalevski 77?), 11.Tom Cirjak (Daniel Slaveski 88?), 12.Huseyin Jasli, 21.Ricky Perinich, 23.Askin Oygur
Substitutes Not Used: 16.Anthony Perri, 20.Roberto Speranza, 22.Aaron Liddell
Yellow Cards: Cvetanovski 83?
Red Cards: Nil
Manly United FC: 1.Dylan Mitchell; 2.Sean Bowden, 4.Graeme Forbes, 5.Marc Richards (C) (23.Damir Prodanovic 67?), 6.Michael Daly, 7.Scott Balderson, 8.Daniel Grant, 10.Adam Foti (9.Justin Haywood 62?), 19.Tiashe Mugabe, 20.Chris Payne (11.Mat Sim 56?), 21.Leigh Egger
Substitutes Not Used: 15.Josh Ward, 24.Kang Ho Lee
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
Player Ratings:
3 ? Peter Apolevski (RCS)
2 ? Huseyin Jasli (RCS)
1 ? Alec Urosevski (RCS)
-By Micky Brock
NSW Premier League Update – Sydney United v Bonnyrigg White Eagles (Round 6)
The Round 6 clash scheduled for this weekend at the Sydney United Sports Centre will only be open to accredited members of the Sydney United Football Club, Corporate Sponsors, home Club Life Members, home Club Season ticket holders, Bonnyrigg White Eagles Club Directors and Football NSW guests.
The number of person which falls into this category is approximately 500 individuals.
The arrangement for match day entry has been agreed between Football NSW, Sydney United and Bonnyrigg White Eagles.
This will protect the match from any outside influences not connected with the sporting contest between these two iconic clubs.
All media groups have also been restricted access to the game.
A match report and photographs of the match as well as television highlights will be available through Football NSW.
The same procedures will also apply when both clubs meet at the Bonnyrigg Sports Centre for their Round 17 fixture. .
Football NSW would like to thank both Clubs for their cooperation and support during the coordination of these fixtures.
For any media enquiries please contact either Media Manager Mark Stavroulakis (8814 4416) or Public Relations and Digital Marketing Manager Bruce Da Silva (8814 4460).
Mark Rudan to lead Rockdale City Suns
The Club would like to thank Wally for his contribution both this year and last year and we wish Wally all the best with his future endeavours.
Rockdale City Suns are pleased to announce that the Club’s Technical Director Mark Rudan has accepted the role of head first grade coach with immediate effect.
Mark enjoyed a long and successful playing career that commenced with Sydney United. He also enjoyed successful playing stints in Germany with Alemannia Aachen, in Japan with Avispa Fukuoka, and with the Swiss Super League outfit FC Vaduz.
Mark was an inaugural squad member of Sydney FC where he enjoyed three successful seasons. His leadership qualities were evidenced by the fact that he was also a club captain with the sky blues.
On the international side, he was a member of the Young Socceroos for a South American tour in 1993, including a youth tournament mostly including club sides. He was made vice captain to Mark Viduka in Australia’s undefeated Youth World Cup qualifying campaign and scored the only goal of the Oceania final against New Zealand.
He was a part of the squad for the 1995 World Youth Cup, played three of Australia’s four matches including their second round exit in extra time at the hands of Portugal. He progressed his way into the national under-23 team and played most qualifying matches for the Olympics in Atlanta.
Since hanging up the boots, Mark has continued his involvement in the game and is most recognisable nowadays as a commentator on Fox Sports and has been focused on coaching, he is the holder of a FFA ?B? Licence.
–Rockdale City Suns FC Press Release