Flying Kiwis - Marco Rojas Returns to the A-League
And with that we bid adieu to another Flying Kiwi. Although this season began with hopes that Stuttgart’s relegation may open up a few opportunities for Rojas, he instead found himself playing for the reserves again, at least for the meantime. Being on the last year of his contract with no indications that Stuttgart would be willing to extend that, it seems that other opportunities were a little too enticing.
Then the rumours of a Melbourne Victory reunion began. A few fleeting mentions of the Wellington Phoenix sparked the odd hope but they faded as quickly as they rose and within a day or two it was clear what was coming. The news was confirmed on Thursday:
MVFC: “In a major coup, Melbourne Victory has signed Johnny Warren medallist and club Golden Boot winner Marco Rojas on a two-year contract.”
Hilariously, the image there in the Victory tweet is a cropped and discoloured version of the exact one that Stuttgart used in their tweet announcing his release. Guys, you already have a hundred of them in your actual jersey, come on.
It’s a shame that things never worked out in Europe for him, as he was possibly the most likely of the players New Zealand has produced in recent years to make it there. But that broken foot in his first pre-season set him back far enough that he never really recovered and after a stinker of a loan deal with Greuther Furth, few would’ve blamed him if he left then at the nadir. Rojas stayed though, and in 18 months at Swiss club FC Thun he established himself as a regular. Not a first choice player all the time, but he was able to stay fit played in 37 league games for Thun (scoring four goals) as well as a handful of cup games and even the odd Europa League qualifier.
But new Stuttgart manager Jos Luhukay never really considered him, putting him straight into the reserves and by the end of his time in Germany, he wasn’t even in the squad there – though that was probably because his release was already in the works. It should be said that it was a mutual thing too, Rojas didn’t force his way out any more than Stuttgart were happy to let him go. And the Victory were all too ready to have him back, given he won the Johnny Warren Medal in his final season there. Apparently the fee they got for him from Stuttgart was around a million euros. He never played a game for the first team in competition and he returns on a free.
The words “extremely frustrating” stand out there. Rojas has spoken a little more about this a few more times now that he’s set with Melbourne.
“Obviously the situation at Stuttgart wasn’t the best in the last couple of months and I decided I needed something new. It just wasn’t ideal. I realised I was surplus to the club, and when that happens it’s not a good place to be.”
“I think I’ve learned a few things over in Europe. [Switzerland] was very important for me, it gave the European experience of actually playing in games that meant something … it was a very important year and a half. The whole experience over there gives me confidence that I can come here and do well.”
“No regrets. Alright, it didn’t go perfectly, but I learned a lot, and that’s the most important thing, that’s what I went there to do.”
That perspective there from Marco is crucial to remember. He didn’t have the best time of it with his three clubs since leaving the A-League but there’s no doubting he’s a better player now and things have worked out alright for him as they stand. In an alternate reality, maybe he’s in the Premier League now or maybe playing regularly for Stuttgart having kept them from relegation. Maybe, but there’s no shame at all in how things eventuated in this one.
Which is why headlines like this are so frustrating. Extremely frustrating, one might say:
- “Kiwi Marco Rojas jobless after agreeing to contract termination with VFB Stuttgart”
- “Marco Rojas should look to the Wellington Phoenix to resurrect his football career”
Both of those are from Stuff, which probably won’t surprise you. Look, there’s a difference between being a free agent and being ‘jobless’. Rojas has said himself that there were more than a couple of offers there for him. He was hardly without a backup plan after leaving Stuttgart, and if he were then he wouldn’t have left. It was mutual, remember. And while the Phoenix connection is fair enough, we all wondered about it, the idea that he had to ‘resurrect his football career’ is ridiculous. Just because you hadn’t heard of him for a spell doesn’t mean he was rotting in a dungeon someplace. He did better than most prospective pros do in Europe – he’s still got a career. Also, if you hadn’t heard of him over his team there then you haven’t been reading Flying Kiwis, and if that’s the case then shame on you.
Anyway, here are his four goals scored for FC Thun.
And since we know you wanna peek at this too, his goals from that Player of the Year season in Melbourne.
Best of luck, Marco. Woulda preferred to see you stay in Europe but nobody can deny a sportsman wanting to return to where they were truly dominant and it’ll be great to have you back on kiwi tellys. With a bit of luck we'll be seeing some more of that stuff above for the All Whites too. Just, ah… try not to do too much of that against the Welly Nix, bro.