Danny Vukovic has agreed to terms on a three-year contract with Perth Glory and will leave the Wellington Phoenix at the end of the current Hyundai A-League season.
The 25-year-old Australian said the security of a three-year deal and the chance to move back to Australia meant the offer was one that was too good to turn down.
”They’ve offered me a good contract over there for three years. There’s a bit of security there and I can go over there and settle down with my girlfriend,” he said.
”I know the coach well. He’s a good coach and ready to do some good things with the club. It’s an exciting time for me when I go over there but I’m just focusing on Wellington Phoenix at the moment.”
Vukovic endured a tough few months earlier in the year after being dumped by Turkish side Konyaspor in August because they had too many overseas players on their books.
The Phoenix gave him a chance with a one-year deal but he has spent the majority of his time in Wellington on the bench behind first-choice goalkeeper Mark Paston.
But Vukovic said his lack of starting opportunities had not been a major factor in his decision to leave the Phoenix.
”I’m thankful I’ve got a contract in the first place. I was thrown a lifeline to come here and I’ll be forever grateful for that,” said the former Central Coast shot-stopper.
”Sitting on the bench, I said I wasn’t used to it, but it’s part of professional football.”
”You have to compete for a place everywhere. You can’t really expect to play week in week out. You have to be performing.”
”It was more just an opportunity for a change and a chance to get back to Australia.”
Vukovic, who spent five years as the Mariners No.1, will start in goal against Newcastle Jets on Saturday following Paston’s latest injury set-back.
The New Zealand keeper fractured his knee just before half-time against Gold Coast United at the weekend and coach Ricki Herbert expected the 34-year-old to be on the sidelines for up to six months.
”I don’t think we’ll see Mark until probably the middle part of pre-season which is really disappointing for him,” said Herbert.
It is the second successive year that Paston’s season has been cut short by injury. He broke his leg around this time 12 months ago but battled back to take part in New Zealand’s historic World Cup campaign in South Africa in June.
”He’s a pretty laid-back guy. I think on the surface you probably don’t see it but deep down he will be hurting,” Herbert added.
”He’s had such a great year and he’s continued that at the club. To have that length of time out again is pretty shattering for him. But he’ll bounce back. He’s re-signed at the club so he knows he’s got a gig here next year.”
Vukovic admitted it wasn’t the way he wanted to get back into the Phoenix goal, but that sitting on the bench for the past two months had been tough.
”I spent five years at the Mariners and played nearly every game there and then to come here and sit on the bench was tough,” he said.
”But Pastie was playing really well. I had to bide my time and I didn’t really want to get a game this way. You don’t want to see a team-mate get injured like that but now is my chance.”
