Vlado Bozinovski

NSL Career: South Melbourne, Footscray 74 (8) / 1983 - 1988

Socceroos Career: 7 (1) A Internationals / 3 (1) B Internationals

Athletic and skilful, Vlado Bozinovski was an Australian trailblazer who was part of Footscray's most successful team in the NSL era before becoming the first Australian footballer to play in the Portuguese top flight. Bozinovski was the second Macedonian-born footballer to represent the Socceroos and remains just one of three to do so.

Born in Macedonia, Bozinovski immigrated to Australia and played junior football for Altona City. Bozinovski joined Hellas-Hakoah - a merger of Hakoah St. Kilda and South Melbourne's reserve side - and made his first team debut at the age of 18 in the Victorian State League. 

The following season, Hakoah dissolved and the club continued in the VSL as South Melbourne, where Bozinovski established himself in the side. During the 1983 season, Bozinovski was called-up to South's senior team and made his NSL debut against Preston at the age of 19 before scoring the winner against Adelaide City in his second league game.

After making two league appearances for South, Bozinovski joined fellow Australian Eddie Krncevic at Croatian club Dinamo Zagreb. Bozinovski failed to make a league appearance for Dinamo before returning to South during the 1985 season and helped them reach the Southern Conference Preliminary Final.

Bozinovski joined Footscray for the 1986 season as Yugoslav football icon Dragoslav Šekularac took over as coach. Bozinovski became a key player in the Footscray midfield alongside star signing Vlada Stošić and Ernie Tapai despite missing a large portion of the season through injury. The club achieved their highest league finish (second) and Bozinovski scored in their qualifying semi-final loss to Adelaide City before helping the side progress to the Southern Conference Final where they again lost to City (who were eventual champions).

Bozinovski missed just two games during the 1987 season as the club failed to improve on their successful 1986 season and finished third-to-last. Bozinovski continued to improve during the 1988 season, adding goals to his game (four) and made his full international debut against Brazil during Australia's Bicentennial Gold Cup campaign.

The dynamic midfielder scored in Australia's four-one defeat of Argentina and played in the final against Brazil before being chosen for Australia's 1988 Seoul Olympics campaign in which he came off the bench in their first group stage match against Yugoslavia and quarter-final loss to USSR.

Following the Olympics, Bozinovski joined fellow Olympian Frank Farina in moving to Belgian First Division side Club Brugge, becoming the first Australians to play in Belgium after Eddie Krncevic. Bozinovski made just six league appearances for the club as they finished fourth in the league and qualified for the 1989/90 edition of the UEFA Cup.

Bozinovski joined Primeira Divisão side Beira-Mar the following season and became the first Australian footballer to play in the Portuguese top flight. Bozinovski missed just two league games in his debut season as Beira-Mar finished mid-table before joining Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon.

The Australian midfielder made just 11 league appearances during the 1990/91 season as the club finished third in the Primeira Divisão, but played in five of their UEFA Cup matches - scoring in their second round clash against Romanian side Politehnica Timișoara and played in both legs of their round three victory over Dutch club Vitesse. Bozinovski returned to Beira-Mar on loan the following season and saw regular game time as he earned his first Socceroos call-up in four years, playing in friendlies against USA and Uruguay, and scored in a B international against Belgian club side Germinal Ekeren.

The Socceroos midfielder then successfully trialled with English club Ipswich Town, who gained promotion to become inaugural members of the English Premier League. Signing for the club midway through the inaugural 1992/93 EPL season, Bozinovski made nine league appearances for the club, helping them avoid relegation before returning to Portugal to join Paços de Ferreira.

Bozinovski became a regular in the side but was unable to help them avoid relegation and remained with the club for another season in the Segunda Divisão de Honra before returning to the top flight with Felgueiras. Despite his best efforts, Bozinovski was unable to help Felgueiras avoid relegation before leaving Portugal to join Turkish 1.Lig side Ankaragücü, becoming just the third Australian after David Mitchell and Ufuk Talay to play in the Turkish top flight.

The midfielder's first season at Ankaragücü saw him score a personal best seven league goals and helped the side avoid relegation. Bozinovski remained a regular in the side up until he left the club the following season to join S.League club Tanjong Pagar. Bozinovski helped Tanjong finish runners-up in the league and win the Singapore Cup in the 1998 season and won the league with Home United in 1999. Bozinovski spent another season with United where he helped the side win the Singapore Cup before becoming player-coach of Clementi Khalsa for the 2001 season.

Bozinovski was replaced as coach during the season before hanging up his boots at the age of 37. Following his playing career, Bozinovski became a player agent and went on to arrange Ivorian left-back Adama Traoré's move to Australia, who was later selected in the PFA A-League Team of the Decade, and earned Australian defender Nick Ansell a move to the Portuguese top flight.