North Queensland Fury have given up their pursuit of Socceroos fullback Scott Chipperfield for their inaugural A-League season.
The Fury have made no secret of their attempts to lure the 33-year-old former bus driver back to Australia from Europe to play alongside former Liverpool star Robbie Fowler.
Chipperfield currently plays for FC Basel in the Swiss league and has been weighing up his options for some time.
North Queensland Chairman Don Matheson said the club would have to consider other players in order to finalise their final roster for the forthcoming season.
“We had some very positive negotiation with Scott and as a club we couldn-t do any more to try and secure his signature,” Matheson said.
“Scott has said publicly he-d liked to join Robbie Fowler at the Fury but we know his club in Switzerland, FC Basel, is keen to re-sign him and that he-s also talking with other A-League teams.”
“That-s no doubt slowed things down a bit in terms of Scott being able to make a decision about his playing future. “
“Time has run out and North Queensland Fury FC has decided to end our negotiations with Scott.”
Coach Ian Ferguson was keen to sign Chipperfield, an integral part of the Socceroos team that went to the World Cup in Japan in 2006, but a tight timeframe has called an premature end to negotiations.
Fury CEO Dean Hassall said the decision had the full support Ian Ferguson.
“He-s a fantastic player, who would have brought a lot to the club, but it-s now March and Ian wants to know who he-s going to have in for training on 1 April,” Hassall said.
