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Aussies In Europe: Returning To Work

It's the slow return to work for Australia's European-based contingent, with that number having lessened somewhat this season.

Aug 11, 2009 7:43:21 AM

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Scott McDonald - Celtic (PA)

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Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, Turkey)

After helping his side blitz their Europa League qualifying tie, Kewell only played the last five minutes of their 3-2 league win away against Gaziantepspor.

Scott McDonald (Celtic, Scotland)

Scored another landmark European goal as Celtic grabbed a famous victory away in Russia, drawing them level with a header just before half-time. Came close to doubling their lead with a 20-yard effort in the second half, before being replaced by fellow goal-scorer Giorgios Samaras.

Luke Wilkshire (Dinamo Moscow, Russia)

Played a full game as his side were beaten at home 1-0 by Terek Grozny, after having been on the end of a devastating European defeat to Celtic in midweek, where he played a full game as the Russians crashed to a 2-0 home defeat (and 2-1 aggregate defeat) in their UEFA Champions League qualifier.

Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel, Switzerland)

Chipperfield played the last 25 minutes of his side’s 1-1 home draw with FC Zurich.

Rhys Williams, Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, England)

Newly christened Socceroo Williams played a full game on his debut with the club after returning from a highly successful loan spell with Burnley, though Jones failed to even make the substitutes bench as Boro were held to a goalless draw at home to Sheffield United.

Nick Carle (Crystal Palace, England)

An unused substitute in Crystal Palace’s opener, a 1-1 draw at home to Plymouth Argyle. Was the subject of a bid from a J-League club that was recently rejected by manager Neil Warnock, who says the Australian is part of his first-team plans this season.

Adam Federici (Reading, England)

Began his side’s Championship campaign with a full game and a clean sheet at home to Nottingham Forest and is set to finally be Reading’s first-choice this season following the departure of Marcus Hahnemann.

Patrick Kisnorbo, Neil Kilkenny (Leeds United, England)

Kisnorbo made a positive start to his Leeds United career, after just having been announced in Pim Verbeek’s Socceroos squad for the upcoming friendly against Ireland – potentially his first appearance in a green and gold jersey since that ill-fated 2007 Asian Cup campaign. He played a full game as the promotion-chasers opened their league account with a 2-1 home win over Exeter, before he was rested for the midweek League Cup game away to Darlington.

Fellow Aussie Neil Kilkenny didn’t make the bench for the weekend’s game but appeared as an 83rd-minute substitute as Leeds progressed with a 1-0 win in the cup.

Michael Theoklitos (Norwich City, England)

Could he have hoped for a worse start? A 7-1 loss, the ‘keeper making errors for the first two goals in front of a hostile home crowd following the Canaries’ relegation from the Championship last season. He has come out and apologised for his showing, though his manager Bryan Gunn has promised to stick by the former A-League champion.

David Carney (Sheffield United, England)

Transfer listed by the Championship club, he has just completed a successful week-long trial with Belgian giants Anderlecht, who have announced though that they won’t be signing the player as they aren’t in need of a left-back just yet.

Oliver Bozanic (Cheltenham Town, England)

Played 54 minutes of his League Two side’s comeback win at home against Grimsby Town, rattling the crossbar before being replaced by an eventual goal-scorer.

Nikita Rukavytsya (FC Twente, Netherlands)

Came off the bench with 11 minutes remaining in his side’s UEFA Champions League qualifier against Sporting Lisbon – only to see them concede a heartbreaking last-minute goal that sees them knocked out of the competition on away goals. Made a late appearance off the bench as they were held 1-1 at home by PSV Eindhoven in the league opener at the weekend.

Brett Holman, James Holland (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands)

Last season he only made a handful of appearances for the Dutch champions, prompting speculation that he would be leaving the club after struggling to have even made the bench at times during the campaign. Under new manager Ronald Koeman though he has been promised first-team football and has made a positive start to the new season, playing 65 minutes of his side’s 2-0 opening-day win over Sparta Rotterdam, replaced just after the second goal. The newly-arrived James Holland didn’t make the bench.

Dario Vidosic, Matthew Spiranovic (FC Nurnberg, Germany)

Neither made the bench for their newly promoted Bundesliga outfit’s opening-day defeat at home to Schalke.

Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor, Turkey)

Played a full game as his side crashed at home on the opening day, losing 2-1 to Trabzonspor.

Bruce Djite, Mile Jedinak (Genclerbirligi, Turkey)

Djite played no part but Jediank was a last-minute substitute in Genclerbirligi’s goalless draw at home to Kayserispor.

James Troisi (Kayserispor, Turkey)

Played a full game upon the return to his former club.

Chris Paraskevas, Goal.com

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