DJ Beau J
10th January, 06, 01:00 AM
Thompson bound for Eindhoven
January 10, 2006
SOCCEROO striker Archie Thompson will be leaving Melbourne Victory for PSV Eindhoven after club chiefs agreed to let him move to the Dutch champion. Although the timing of his departure is still in question, it looks almost certain that he has played his last game for the club, at least this season.
Victory's football operations manager, Gary Cole, was seeking clarification on the final details of the proposed move in talks with the Eindhoven club overnight.
Under the contractual terms of all A-League players, the Football Federation of Australia has to give approval for all overseas transfers of domestic players.
Victory officials will seek to rubber stamp the move today, but as Guus Hiddink - the PSV coach - is also the Socceroos boss, the federation is unlikely to stand in Thompson's way, particularly as the player's ability to contribute to Australia's World Cup campaign would be enhanced by working daily with his international boss.
Thompson and his agent John Grimaud last night went to the Portsea holiday home of Victory's multimillionaire chairman Geoff Lord to negotiate his release to Eindhoven. PSV initially wanted him on a loan deal, which could then give it the chance to buy him outright for a pre-determined price, believed to be around EUR250,000 ($400,000). Victory would also retain a share in the player in case PSV sold him at a profit. Melbourne paid nothing for Thompson as he was an out-of-contract signing from Belgian side Lierse.
Thompson wants to leave immediately - preferably before Sunday's crucial A-League clash with Queensland Roar that could finally extinguish Melbourne's flimsy finals hopes, or breathe life into the club's season.
A Victory spokesman last night said Thompson would be leaving. "Melbourne Victory, having taken into account Archie's best interests, have agreed to let him go, subject to the clubs reaching agreement," the spokesman said.
Thompson last night said the chance to work with Hiddink at a club good enough to make the Champions League semi-final last season was too good to miss. "I would rather move on as soon as possible now that the situation has reached this stage," he said. "This is a chance for me as a player to move to a really successful European club.
"It will also put me in a much better position for the World Cup - the national coach wants to bring me to his club and I will have the chance to train with him every day in the lead-up to the World Cup."
http://www.theage.com.au/news/socce...6771500368.html
Source^^
January 10, 2006
SOCCEROO striker Archie Thompson will be leaving Melbourne Victory for PSV Eindhoven after club chiefs agreed to let him move to the Dutch champion. Although the timing of his departure is still in question, it looks almost certain that he has played his last game for the club, at least this season.
Victory's football operations manager, Gary Cole, was seeking clarification on the final details of the proposed move in talks with the Eindhoven club overnight.
Under the contractual terms of all A-League players, the Football Federation of Australia has to give approval for all overseas transfers of domestic players.
Victory officials will seek to rubber stamp the move today, but as Guus Hiddink - the PSV coach - is also the Socceroos boss, the federation is unlikely to stand in Thompson's way, particularly as the player's ability to contribute to Australia's World Cup campaign would be enhanced by working daily with his international boss.
Thompson and his agent John Grimaud last night went to the Portsea holiday home of Victory's multimillionaire chairman Geoff Lord to negotiate his release to Eindhoven. PSV initially wanted him on a loan deal, which could then give it the chance to buy him outright for a pre-determined price, believed to be around EUR250,000 ($400,000). Victory would also retain a share in the player in case PSV sold him at a profit. Melbourne paid nothing for Thompson as he was an out-of-contract signing from Belgian side Lierse.
Thompson wants to leave immediately - preferably before Sunday's crucial A-League clash with Queensland Roar that could finally extinguish Melbourne's flimsy finals hopes, or breathe life into the club's season.
A Victory spokesman last night said Thompson would be leaving. "Melbourne Victory, having taken into account Archie's best interests, have agreed to let him go, subject to the clubs reaching agreement," the spokesman said.
Thompson last night said the chance to work with Hiddink at a club good enough to make the Champions League semi-final last season was too good to miss. "I would rather move on as soon as possible now that the situation has reached this stage," he said. "This is a chance for me as a player to move to a really successful European club.
"It will also put me in a much better position for the World Cup - the national coach wants to bring me to his club and I will have the chance to train with him every day in the lead-up to the World Cup."
http://www.theage.com.au/news/socce...6771500368.html
Source^^