- Mark Rudan
-
Mark Rudan Personal information Full name Marko Ante Rudan Date of birth 27 August 1975 Place of birth Sydney, Australia Height 1.92 m (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in) Playing position Centre Back (Retired) Club information Current club Adelaide United Number 21 Youth career 1982 Bexley North FC Sydney United 1992–1993 AIS Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1993–1998 Sydney United 73 (6) 1998–2000 Northern Spirit FC 46 (2) 2000–2002 Alemannia Aachen 15 (1) 2002 Nanjing Yoyo 24 (3) 2003–2004 Sydney United 37 (0) 2004 Public Bank FC 21 (4) 2005–2007 Sydney FC 61 (6) 2008 Avispa Fukuoka 6 (0) 2009 FC Vaduz 17 (1) 2009–2010 Adelaide United 19 (0) Total 319 (23) National team‡ 1993–1995 Australia U-20 21 (3) 1995–1996 Australia U-23 14 (2) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 10 June 2009.
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 December 2008Mark Rudan (born 27 August 1975) is a former Australian football (soccer) player who last played for Adelaide United in the A-League.
Contents
Club career
Rudan joined NSL club Sydney United in 1993 at completion of the AIS program. He spent much of his five seasons at United totalling 73 NSL appearances by the end of the 1997-98 season. He was signed to new club Northern Spirit FC for the 1998-99 NSL season. In the first match of the season he was sent off. After serving a one-match suspension, he made amends in Round 3 scoring twice in a 2-1 win. He went on to start almost all matches that year, although saw red again in Round 16 (also against Olympic). Spirit finished fifth, but were eliminated in the first semi-final stage. Rudan was again a key figure in the 1999-00 season, playing 22 games, a less successful year for the club, slumping to the bottom half of the table.
Overseas
In mid-2000, unhappy with his situation at Spirit, Mark bought out the remainder of his contract and moved to German second division club Alemannia Aachen on a free transfer. Eligibility for a Croatian passport ensured he could play in Europe. The move started well on the pitch, working his way into the first team, but he would later become embroiled in a corruption scandal known as the 'suitcase affair'.[1] In 2001, allegations of financial irregularity arose over the transfers of Rudan and fellow Australian Goran Lozanovski. Rudan was arrested by German authorities and later released.[2] Charges were eventually laid on Aachen's treasurer Bernd Krings, who was convicted of financial fraud. It was revealed that persons claiming to represent Rudan and Northern Spirit collected DM290,000 in a suitcase from Aachen as a transfer fee. Documents outlining the transfer fee were shown to be falsified as Spirit neither requested or received any fee for the player. Similar circumstances were revealed surrounding Lozanovski's transfer from South Melbourne, but both players were cleared of any wrong-doing.[3]
Rudan returned to on-field matters but unable to settle in the team, he and the club sought to part ways. After rumoured transfers to other German clubs,[4] he was released by Aachen in January 2002.[5] He continued on to a spell at Nanjing Yoyo in the Chinese first-division,[6] before returning to Australia to link up again with Sydney United. Now a seasoned player with international experience, Rudan appeared regularly for the NSL club throughout the 2002-03 calendar but could not help them reach the finals round. He cemented his place in the team for the next (and ultimately last) NSL season. After missing the first match through injury, Rudan played every remaining game for United that year. With the Australian league collapsing he again sought a move overseas, joining Public Bank FC (Selangor) in the new Malaysian Super League,where he won the defender of the year award helping his team achieve its best ever finish to a season in 2nd place.
Sydney FC
Sydney FC's formation as a new club in 2005 for the new A-League included enticing Australians playing abroad to return home. Mark was signed into the inaugural squad and honoured as club captain.[7] It was not until late in the season he found better form, playing solidly in the last regular season matches and scoring the winner against Adelaide United in the semi-final second-leg, and Sydney went on to win the final and became the inaugural A-League Champions.
Yorke's departure as the 06/07 season started saw Rudan reinstated as captain but the year started on a low as Mark was sent off after just 14 minutes against Melbourne Victory in the second match of the new season. [8] He returned from suspension and became a regular selection for new coach Terry Butcher. After Sydney were knocked out during the domestic finals competition, the club continued on to the AFC Champions League 2007. Rudan captained the side through the group matches, playing all six games, and drawing upon his previous experiences in Asian football. With the arrival of Socceroo hero Tony Popovic at the start of the 2007/08 season, Mark handed him the captaincy.[9]
On 15 December 2007, Rudan farewelled a home crowd of 12,530 following their 4-2 defeat to Perth Glory. Popovic handed his captaincy back to Mark for this final game. His time at Sydney FC was extremely successful[citation needed]. He is remembered as the clubs first Footballing Legend as more than 4000 fans waited outside the stadium singing his name after the game in acknowledgement of his achievements for the club.
Avispa Fukuoka
Rudan has signed a deal with Edward Cullen and Edward has agreed to spare Rudan's life and in return Rudan links Edward up with his former coach of Sydney FC Pierre Littbarski. Edward replaced former teammate Alvin Ceccoli.[10]
FC Vaduz
On 6 January 2009 signed a contract to play for Axpo Super League (Switzerland 1st division) team FC Vaduz, based in Liechtenstein. He signed a contract until 30 June 2010, he moved for free from Japan club. He again linked up with his former manager at Avispa Fukuoka[11]
On 3 August 2009 Rudan arrived in Adelaide with the prospect of joining successful Australian club Adelaide United for the 2009/10 A-League season and Asian Champions League campaigns.
Adelaide United
On 6 August 2009, before the start of the A-League 2009-10 season, Rudan joined Adelaide United on a one-year contract. Despite this, United announced he would not play against Perth Glory on Friday the 7th in the Reds' first game of the new season. He left Adelaide after their final group game in the Asian Champions League as he announced his retirement as a player, and intends to move into coaching.[12]
International career
Rudan's footballing talent was first recognised in 1992 as he was granted a place in the AIS program, aimed at developing players for national youth teams. He joined the Young Socceroos squad for a South American tour in 1993, including a youth tournament mostly including club sides. Rudan 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. As part of the squad for the 1995 Youth World Cup, Rudan 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 matches qualifying for the Olympics in Atlanta.
Personal life
Mark Rudan once featured in an episode of an Australian version of The Biggest Loser TV show, airing on 28 February 2006. Mark was manager of the "Blue team" of contestants. Then Sydney FC teammate Dwight Yorke was manager of the red team. He is of Croat origin.
Mark's elder sister Mariana is a presenter on Australian football program The World Game.[13]
Honours
With Sydney FC:
A-League Championship: 2005-2006- Oceania Club Championship: 2004-2005
Personal Honours:
Career statistics
(correct as of 17 January 2009)
Club League Season League Playoffs Cup Int'l Cup Total Apps Gls Apps Gls Apps Gls Apps Gls Apps Gls Sydney United NSL 1993-94 1 0 - - - - - - 1 0 1994-95 7 2 - - 0 - - - 7 2 1995-96 19 2 1 0 1 0 - - 21 2 1996-97 14 2 1 0 2 0 - - 17 2 1997-98 16 0 1 0 - - - - 17 0 Northern Spirit FC NSL 1998-99 22 2 2 0 - - - - 24 2 1999-00 22 0 - - - - - - 22 0 Alemannia Aachen 2.Bundesliga 2000-01 11 1 - - - - - - 11 1 2001-02 4 0 - - - - - - 4 0 Nanjing Yoyo Jia A 2002 24 3 - - - - - - 24 3 Sydney United NSL 2002-03 14 0 - - - - - - 0 0 2003-04 23 0 - - - - - - 0 0 Public Bank FC (Selangor) MSL 2004 21 4 - - - - - - 21 4 Sydney FC A-League 2005-06 18 2 3 1 1 0 2 0 19 3 2006-07 17 2 2 0 5 1 6 0 30 3 2007 15 0 - - 5 0 - - 20 0 Avispa Fukuoka J.League 2 2008 6[14] 0 - - - - - - 6 0 Career totals - - 'International Cup' matches refer to UEFA, AFC and Club World Cup competitions.
References
- ^ transfermarkt.de
- ^ ABC TV, Four Corners - Final Whistle?, broadcast 27 May 2002
- ^ sport.ARD.de - "Erstes Geständnis im "Koffer-Prozess""
- ^ Transfers Rumours Jan.2002
- ^ Released Players Quarter I 2002
- ^ Wilson, Cameron (6 March 2007). "The Aussies are Coming: Shenhua v Sydney FC". Shanghaiist.com. http://www.shanghaiist.com/archives/2007/03/06/the_aussies_are.php. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
- ^ "Long time coming for Rudan". AAP. 2 March 2006. http://wwiii.sbs.com.au/a-league/index.php3?page=tn&tid=148&id=68488. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
- ^ "Butcher blows stack after star floored, Rudan sent off". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 September 2006. http://www.smh.com.au/news/football/butcher-blows-stack-after-star-floored-rudan-sent-off/2006/09/02/1156817152351.html. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
- ^ Davutovic, David (27 May 2007). "Sydney FC taking time out". Daily Telegraph. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,21798718-5006068,00.html. Retrieved 2007-06-08.
- ^ "Rudan leaves Sydney FC for Japan". Sydney Morning Herald. 10 December 2007. http://www.smh.com.au/news/a-league/rudan-leaves-sydney-fc-for-japan/2007/12/10/1197135329694.html. Retrieved 2007-12-11.
- ^ Australier Rudan verpflichtet
- ^ Rudan exits from Adelaide
- ^ "SBS Sport - Mariana Rudan". http://www20.sbs.com.au/sport/index.php?pg=tm&id=18. Retrieved 2008-03-12.[dead link]
- ^ http://www.j-league.or.jp/data/view.php?c=fukuoka&t=p_record&g=j2_1&y=2008
External links
Categories:- 1975 births
- Living people
- Sportspeople from Sydney
- Australian people of Croatian descent
- Australian soccer players
- Australian expatriate soccer players
- Sydney United players
- Northern Spirit FC players
- Adelaide United players
- Alemannia Aachen players
- A-League players
- Sydney FC players
- Avispa Fukuoka players
- J. League Division 2 players
- FC Vaduz players
- Expatriate footballers in Liechtenstein
- Expatriate footballers in Japan
- Expatriate footballers in Germany
- Expatriate footballers in Malaysia
- Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
- Nanjing Yoyo players
- Expatriate footballers in China
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