Carl Valeri

Infobox Football biography
playername = Carl Valeri
fullname = Carl Valeri


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1984|8|14|
cityofbirth = Canberra
countryofbirth = Australia
height = height|m=1.70
currentclub = Grosseto
clubnumber = 4
position = Central Midfielder
youthyears = 2001 2002–2004
youthclubs = AIS Internazionale
years = 2004–2005 2005–
clubs = → SPAL (loan) Grosseto
caps(goals) = 25 (0) 98 (5)
nationalyears = 2001
2003
2004
2007–
nationalteam = Australia U-17
Australia U-20
Australia U-23
Australia
nationalcaps(goals) = 13 (1)
12 (1)
15 (1)
13 (0)
pcupdate = 11 April 2008
ntupdate = 17:34, 17 September 2008 (UTC)

Carl Valeri (born August 14, 1984 in Canberra) is an Australian football midfielder who currently plays for, and is captain of, Grosseto in the Italian Serie B.

Club career

Valeri is the son of former Australian National Soccer League player Walter Valeri [ [http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/act/content/2003/s906089.htm ABC Stateline Canberra 18 July 2003] ] and his family is of Italian heritage. He grew up in Canberra and trained at the Australian Institute of Sport on a football (soccer) scholarship.

In 2003, Valeri was signed as a teenager by Inter Milan. He was loaned out to various clubs in Italy to gain further experience, including Grosseto, and both football clubs owned 50 percent of his contract until June 2007, when Grosseto bought all the rights by blind auction between the two clubs.

International career

Valeri has played for Australia at all international youth levels; Under-17, Under-20 and Under-23. He captained the Australian Under-17 team, the 'Joeys', at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship and competed with the Under-23 squad, the 'Olyroos', at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

After being an unused substitute in an 2007 Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain in 2006, the 22 year old received his second call up to the senior Australian national team in March 2007, as a replacement for the injured Vince Grella. He made his international debut on March 24, 2007 in a friendly game against China, which Australia won 2-0. This made him the 501st player to be capped for Australia. He made his home debut in a friendly against Uruguay. [ [http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=sport&subclass=soccer&story_id=592163&category=Soccer "Canberra Times", "Valeri out to do Canberra proud in home debut" 2 June 2007] ]

Former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has described Valeri as a key "player of the future" and possible successor to Grella. This led to certain sections of the Australian media dubbing him "Mini Vinnie."

References

External links

*it icon [http://www.usgrosseto.com/portal07/rosa08/giocatori08/valeri.htm US Grosseto profile]
* [http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/Socceroos/default.aspx?s=soc_player_profile&pid=1330&tid=23 FFA - Socceroo profile]
* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/V/VA.html Oz Football profile]
* [http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2007/03/23/1174597889819.html "Player of the Future" article] in The Age