Melbourne Victory football operations manager Gary Cole says the decision by experienced defender Rody Vargas plus talented youngsters Mitch Langerak and Evan Berger to re-sign with the club is a major vindication of the Victory’s standing both on and off the field in the Hyundai A-League.
Cole revealed on Tuesday all three players had been the subject of more lucrative offers from rival clubs ahead of the Hyundai A-League’s imminent expansion from an eight-team competition to an 11-team competition with the inclusion of the Gold Coast and North Queensland next season and a second team in Melbourne the following season.
The re-signing of Langerak, the Victory’s promising back-up keeper who has filled in admirably for the suspended Michael Theoklitos in the past two matches, in particular is a coup given he hails from Emerald and would have been an obvious target for the new North Queensland club.
And 21-year-old Berger – a player described as ‘a pocket dynamo’ by Melbourne coach Ernie Merrick – has quickly become a fan favourite at Telstra Dome having established himself as part of the Hyundai A-League’s leading team this season.
Vargas and Berger have signed two-year contract extensions while Langerek has committed for the next three seasons after all three were due to come out of contact at the end of this season.
Cole said the fact the trio had all committed to Melbourne at a time when they could have accepted big offers to join the new clubs was a major show of faith in the Victory.
“This is fantastic news for our club,” Cole said.
“Rody has been the cornerstone of our defence for a couple of seasons now and it’s wonderful news we could reach agreement with him for another couple of years.”
“And we believe Mitchell has the potential to be the number one goalkeeper for us and young Evan Berger has come in this season and helped us to win the Pre-Season Cup and done a fantastic job for the team.”
“In each of these cases they have all been approached by the new teams and I can probably say quite accurately they could have all made more money elsewhere.”
“But we are a big, strong club and credit to them they all want to be part of Melbourne Victory Football Club.”
Cole said while the players could have made more money elsewhere, Victory had more to offer in other areas.
“We are currently on top of the table, a third of the way through the season and this is the club with the largest number of members in the country, fantastic fans, fantastic atmosphere at our games and our new stadium is going up so Melbourne is a great place to be in the Hyundai A-League.”
Vargas, who turns 30 next week, said he never considered leaving the Victory and wants to see out his career in Melbourne.
“It’s great to reach terms with the club and get to spend another few years in my home town,” he said.
“My first priority was Melbourne Victory and it always has been.”
“I said from day one I would like to finish my career here and while the second team coming into Melbourne is a good thing it’s not really affecting me.”
“When you are out of contract other clubs come in and maybe offer you a bit more money but money wasn’t an issue for me – it was about playing in my home town where I have grown up and I am rapt to spend another two years here.”
