Gold Coast United has confirmed the signing of its 12th player, with talented striker Andrew Barisic committing to the club for one year.
Barisic scored 19 goals from 26 appearances for the Melbourne Knights in the Foxtel Cup earlier this year, but the 22-year-old will join the new Hyundai A-League franchise for its inaugural year in the competition next season.
Gold Coast coach Miron Bleiberg believes Barisic has the talent to make the step up from state league to the Hyundai A-League.
“Andrew has been performing well in what is a tough competition and I believe he is ready for his next challenge,” Bleiberg said.
“The Victorian State League has produced a number of players who have managed to forge a professional career in the Hyundai A-League and it’s up to Andrew now to prove he can make the step up.”
“He has the right physique to adapt to the demands of the Hyundai A-League and has a real eye for goal. He will continue to improve in a professional environment and will benefit from the excellent players who will be around him. I’m confident he will be an excellent addition to our squad.”
Barisic was shocked at first when Bleiberg contacted him, but the prolific goal scorer is keen to make the most of his opportunity with the Gold Coast.
“When I heard about Gold Coast United coming into the competition I thought it would be a great club to be involved with, but never really thought I would get the chance to join,” Barisic said.
“There’s already a lot of quality in the squad and obviously there’s more to come on board. It’s going to be an unreal time for me and I’ll be working hard to learn as much as I can, especially from players like Shane Smeltz. I want to push hard for a place in the side.”
