The tradition of producing high calibre players can be tracked back to Australia's most prominent World Cup campaign in 1974, when a young Billy Vojtek represented club and country in helping the Australian National Squad qualify for the World Cup, and Jimmy Mackay scored the qualifying goal to get us to Germany that year - the following is a testimony to its players' success:
|
Player
|
International Club |
National Team |
Caps |
| |
|
|
|
|
Billy Vojtek
|
|
1974 |
44 |
|
Vilson Knezevic
|
Germinal Beerschot |
|
|
|
Joe Spiteri
|
Lierse |
|
|
|
Mark Viduka
|
Leeds United |
1998/2002 |
25 |
|
Danny Tiatto
|
Manchester City |
2002 |
23 |
|
Frank Juric
|
Bayer Leverkusen |
|
4 |
|
Josip Simunic
|
Hertha Berlin |
2002 Croatia |
|
|
Joe Bacak
|
Ethinikos Asteras |
|
|
|
Joe Didulica
|
Germinal Beerschot |
|
|
|
Mark Talajic
|
|
|
1 |
|
Steve Kokoska
|
|
|
1 |
|
Eddie Krncevic
|
Antwerp |
|
35 |
|
Paul Lewis
|
|
|
6 |
|
Jimmy Mackay
|
|
1974 |
52 |
|
John Markovski
|
|
|
20 |
|
Andrew Marth
|
|
|
21 |
|
Damien Mori
|
|
|
42 |
|
Ken Murphy
|
|
|
42 |
|
Steve Horvat
|
Hajduk Split |
1998/2002 |
32 |
|
Yaka Banovic
|
|
|
8 |
|
Francis Awaritefe
|
|
|
3 |
|
Zeljko Adzic
|
|
Croatia |
1 |
|
Tommy Cumming
|
|
|
11 |
|
Alan Davidson
|
|
|
77 |
|
Fausto De Amicis
|
|
|
5 |
|
Branko Milosevic
|
|
|
15 |
|
Jeff Olver
|
|
|
53 |
|
Robbie Dunn
|
|
|
38 |
|
Tom Pondeljak
|
|
|
4 |
|
Joel Porter
|
|
|
10 |
|
Jim Campbell
|
|
|
8 |
This is a record which many Australian clubs would be envious of, and demonstrates a continous tradition that Melbourne Knights can be proud of.
The tradition is underpinned by a strong youth development program in place at the club which in the past few years has seen a progression of no less than eight youth team players, some as young as 16, to the senior ranks and being representative in the senior NSL fixtures.
Currently young stars such as Daniel Piorkowski and Michael Batinovic are not only cementing their places as senior squad players, and national representative players, but are also expected to spread their wings offshore in the international arena.
The following list shows individual honours of our champions:
|
Warren Medal
NSL Player of the Year
1989/1990 - Zeljko Adzic
1991/1992 - Josip Biskic
1993/1994 - Mark Viduka
1994/1995 - Mark Viduka
Coach of the Year
1993/1994 - Mirko Bazic
NSL Top Goal Scorer
1993/1994 - Mark Viduka
1994/1995 - Mark Viduka
|
|
Sam Papasavas Award
U21 NSL Player of the Year
1993/1994 - Mark Viduka
1994/1995 - Mark Viduka
NSL Goalkeeper of the Year
1995/1996 - Frank Juric
Marston Medal
Grand Final Man of the Match
1994/1995 - Steve Horvat
1995/1996 - Andrew Marth
|