Perth Glory hitman Eugene Dadi is relieved to be back training in Western Australia after a chilly time both on and off the pitch at FC Vaduz.
Having scored 10 goals in 16 matches for the Glory last season, Dadi was loaned out to the Lichtenstein-based Vaduz as it battled relegation from Switzerland’s top division last January.
Dadi, though, was released from his loan arrangement a fortnight before the club’s relegation was confirmed after falling out with Vaduz and former Sydney FC coach Pierre Littbarski.
The striker reportedly started warming up on the sidelines during a match but found Littbarski took offence as Dadi hadn’t yet been told he was coming on. As a result Littbarski suspended him from training for two days, prompting Dadi to leave the club.
The 35-year-old said the treatment was the opposite of what he expected Vaduz after hearing good things about Vaduz from Glory team-mate Jamie Harnwell, who had a loan spell there at the end of 2007-08, helping the club get promoted to Switzerland’s Super League for the first time in its history.
Unlike Harnwell, though Dadi said his relationship with Littbarski turned sour within weeks of arriving.
“Before I went there I was full of expectation, full of desire,” said the dreadlocked Frenchman, who was granted an Australian residency visa last February.
“Unfortunately everything for me started to be a little bit difficult with him (Littbarski) when I told him one day that I have to come back to Australia for my visa.”
“He couldn’t understand why it was so important for myself and for the club (Perth) and for my family.”
“And then everything started to be a little bit difficult,” he said.
Speaking on Monday after a fortnight’s holiday to clear his head, Dadi remained at loss to explain what happened, the striker saying it may have come down to a personality clash or simple stress as Littbarski tried stopping Vaduz’s run to relegation.
“I don’t know, I don’t know,” was all he could say. “I’m not crazy.”
“What I can tell you today, is just that it was unfortunate for the off-season (that I went there), that was for me a wrong destination.”
But Dadi said the experience just made him appreciate the camaraderie between players and coaches at the Glory.
“It’s very important you know, coming back and everyone’s just all happy to see each other.”
“We’re all happy to look forward to the new season and work hard and we all know what we’ve got on our shoulder for this season and we’re just looking forward to it.”
“Personally, I’m happy that I’ve left Vaduz earlier, it brought me a couple of days to recover from what’s happened,” he said.
