Aussie Matricciani all set for I-league

Sep 14, 2011 - Arun George |

Kochi

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Chirag United Kerala’s new recruit, Michael Matricciani, arrived in Kerala on Monday and with him comes the grace of Italian football and the passion of Australia’s soccer.

The 25-year-old striker of Italian descent, who is settled in Adelaide, will be the first Oceania footballer to play for a Kerala club when he joins the Chirag squad in Kannur on Tuesday.

Matricciani joins the I-League team after having scored 42 goals in his 65 appearances for Metro Stars, a dominant club in the South Australian Super League.

“It will be a great opportunity to play in India. I will do my best for the team because the team always comes first,” said the right-footed striker, who also had a stint with Adelaide United, an Australian first division club during the beginning of his career.

Michael’s parents Nino and Isabella hail from central Italy and it was natural he grew up watching and admiring Italian football. For a few months, he even played with a lower division club in Savona, the home town of former Italian defender Christian Panucci.

But, it is the mighty Catalan army and their magician Messi who inspire the striker in him. “I am a big fan of Messi and like him. I want to score and set up openings for my teammates,” said Michael.

“But, there is immense talent in Australia and it is hard to get the senior team selectors to even have a look at you. I think playing in India will be amazing,” he added.

Michael believes the quality of a striker lies in outsmarting defenders and he is confident that the skills he has nurtured over the years will come handy while playing in the I-League.

It was East Bengal’s Australian striker Tolgay Ozbey who gave Michael an introduction to Indian football. “I had never heard about Indian football, but after Tolgay told me about it, I wanted to come here,” he said.

He is expected to start with Chirag’s Brazilian recruit Alex upfront when they begin the competitive season with the Federation Cup in West Bengal next week.

Meanwhile, K. Ajayan has been named Chirag’s captain.

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