Archie Thompson’s almost 38 years have seen him provide over two decades worth of service to football, and to the fans who treasure the popular forward so dearly.
Over 200 goals, two European stints, World Cups and countless domestic and international records later resulted in the end of an era for the man who’ll likely go down as Melbourne Victory’s greatest ever player.
But for all he’s done for the profile of the game both for Australia and our state, one thing eluding Thompson is a stint in Victoria’s lower leagues.
Instead, the New Zealand-born Thompson’s senior career began in New South Wales with Bathurst 75′, before making the move South with NSL clubs Gippsland Falcons and Carlton SC, before moving back to New South Wales at Marconi Stallions.
A stint with Belgium’s Lierse SK – where he grabbed 28 goals in just shy of 100 appearances – and a half-season loan to European powerhouses PSV under then National Team manager Guus Hiddink rounded off his European travels, however his career will best be remembered for his A-League exploits with Melbourne Victory.
224 appearances and 91 goals ensured his eventual departure from the club would be an emotionally-charged affair, and so it proved as a packed media-contingent sat in on the Kevin Muscat-led press conference that delivered the news.
Equally so, he bid a teary farewell to AAMI Park in the 1-1 draw against Jeonbuk last Tuesday; his last home appearance for the Victory bringing with it mounting speculation surrounding the 54-time capped Socceroo’s playing future.
While reportedly fielding multiple A-League deals, the ideas of such an iconic name plying his trade in the NPL or NPL2 has proven a tantalising narrative, and a fitting ending for a man who was both always willing to give back to football and also full of surprises.
He’s since been linked to a number of Victorian clubs, but most interestingly, ties with Whittlesea Ranges (club president Sam Cuteri is also the founder of Victory sponsor La Ionica) have drawn tentative links to the club, something that Tim Mitchell from The Leader reported on this afternoon.
Besides the obvious financial benefits of having a man of his profile playing in the NPL, what else could the Victory legend offer chasing clubs in Victoria?
What would he bring?
His legs may not be what they once were, charged with raw speed and a deadly turn of pace, but his goal sense is second to none.
Much like the opportunities the FFA Cup has presented, airtime and media exposure will help with youth recruitment, sponsorship and council grants, albeit that being an overly simplistic take on it.
The signing would also fast-track development in other sections, namely media presence, with clubs having to deal with the demands of newspapers, TV stations and the like – the kind of high-profile shot in the arm many pundits have previously said the NPL needs to command more interest from the wider Australian football public.
The clubs have to put themselves in the position to best make use of this traffic.
Interestingly, two teams with tentative links to Thompson – the aforementioned Ranges and Moreland Zebras – have weak social media presence.
Neither club uses Twitter and Whittlesea are without a proper Facebook page; although Moreland have one, updates are sporadic and match day updates are seldom seen.
Should they plan on making any serious play for the off-contract forward, they’d want to ensure their social media networks are more in line with their ambitions on the park.
Speaking of, the link make sense for a Ranges side presented with a realistic chance of promotion in 2016, sitting just a point off league leaders North Geelong Warriors after a surprisingly bright start to the season.
They also pose an incredibly potent forward line, headlined by star-man Atilla Ofli, who’s played a more reserved role behind the striker in recent weeks.
The pair would be the envy of most clubs in the NPL and could deliver league success for Whittlesea, should the move come to fruition.
What are the risks presented?
Thompson’s technical ability is unquestionable, but of course, there are concerns about his body and his perceived injury proneness.
A full-knee construction wrote off a large chunk of his 2010-11 season, while a ruptured ACL threatened to end his career earlier this season.
He struggled to find form after coming back, and has struggled to get 90 minutes under his belt this campaign, having tallied just two goals in 20 games.
But Thompson believes he’s still in good enough shape to play A-League, so why wouldn’t it be good enough for the NPL?
Why it’s the right time
While we’ve seemingly been presented with the either/or scenario of Thompson opting for another A-League club instead of a stint in the NPL Victoria, there’s no saying he can’t have his cake and eat it too.
What better way to prove your doubters than to work hard in the off-season and get your scoring touch back, as well as build on your match fitness while others are sitting by pools and and enjoying their time off?
With the new A-League season still four months away, a short stint in the NPL Victoria is a low-risk option for Thompson to re-build his stocks and fitness, while also giving back once more to his adorning public.
Alternatively, should an interstate or overseas move ultimately not suit Thompson due to his family or business interests, the right NPL club could just prove home for a household name of Australian football.