Image: Mark Avellino
Over the coming weeks, we’ll be presenting a series of ‘Get to know’ pieces looking at the careers of playing and coaching participants of the four NPL Victoria clubs in the national state of the FFA Cup, who progressed through the state qualifying rounds to reach the Round of 32 onwards. The first team in focus is Hume City, who look to repeat the feats of last year’s semi-final heroics with a home tie against Marconi Stallions.
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Goalkeepers
Jordan Franken (GK) Age: 21 Games: 0 Goals: 0
The son of Socceroos goalkeeper coach Tony Franken, the youngster has played the role of understudy this campaign behind Oldfield. A politics and journalism student hailing from Perth, he made his name at Sorrento before featuring for the Perth Glory Youth team. Has previously played in Victoria, having spent 2014 with the Ballarat Red Devils, where he primarily featured as second fiddle to the more experienced Aaron Romein, while making six appearances for the club under James Robinson.
Chris Oldfield (GK) Age: 25 Games: 119 Goals: 0
Merseyside born and bred, the former Republic of Ireland youth international progressed through the Liverpool Academy and featured for their reserves in 2009/10, which also saw spend time training with the first-team under Rafael Benitez. Helped Bangor City win a Championship in Wales while also featuring for Conference outfit Chester City before moving to Melbourne in 2012 alongside captain Hegarty. Won the 2014 NPL Goalkeeper of the Year award and has once again been in top form this season after trialling with the Central Coast Mariners in the off-season.
Defenders
Karl Baricevic Age: 17 Games: 0 Goals: 0
Promising young defender who is yet to feature for the first team, but has made a couple of appearances as an unused substitute. Began his junior career at Fawkner before switching to the Whittlesea Ranges – where older brother Stefan currently plays his senior football. A high school student, he is currently undertaking a pre-apprenticeship in plumbing.
Daniel Chaabani Age: 22 Games: 26 Goals: 1
Former Melbourne Victory Youth team defender who helped Pascoe Vale secure survival in the top-flight in 2013 before making the move to Goulburn the following season alongside his current teammate Espindola. Joined Hume at the mid-way point of last season from Werribee City and is capable at filling in at either full-back position, with the former Victorian Training Centre (VTC) graduate mainly being deployed as defensive back-up since his move north to Broadmeadows.
Petar Franjic Age: 24 Games: 46 Goals: 4
A Bulleen junior who graduated through the VIS before making his senior breakthrough at the Melbourne Knights, he signed for the Melbourne Victory first team in 2010. Went onto make 31 A-League appearances under both different coaches before being released in January 2013. Experienced relegation in the VPL in 2013 with Richmond before being snapped up by Hume the following season, where he has been ever since – with the exception of a short spell in Uzbekistan in 2014. Has missed much of the last year with a knee injury, but recently returned to full fitness.
Shane Rexhepi Age: 29 Games: 69 Goals: 5
Began his career at the North Sunshine Eagles before experiencing his first taste of top-flight Victorian football with Richmond, where he was once coached by Hennessey. Moved to newly-promoted Dandenong Thunder in 2009 and immediately won a Premiership with the club in 2009 before captaining Chris Taylor’s men to a historic treble in 2012. Moved to Hume in 2014 and has been instrumental in their recent rise. He set up his own cancer charity last year following the death of his father Zenel a few years ago, with the footballing community rallying around the campaign.
Ramazan Tavsancioglu Age: 32 Games: 21 Goals: 0
One of the state’s most experienced defenders, he began his senior career with Port Melbourne in 2003 before spending two years in the Turkish top-flight with capital city based club Ankaragucu. Returned back home in 2005 and spent six years at South Melbourne, whom he helped claim the 2006 VPL Championship, while also enjoying short term A-League spells with Melbourne Victory and North Queensland Fury. Experienced successive Grand Final heartache with the Oakleigh Cannons in 2011 and 2012 and joined Hume this season from the relegated Dandenong Thunder.
Jeremy Walker Age: 22 Games: 28 Goals: 0
A finalist in season three of Football Superstar, the right-back became the first Tasmanian to play in the A-League when debuting under John Aloisi in 2012 after initially making his senior breakthrough on loan at the Oakleigh Cannons. Won praise from Alessandro Del Piero for a man-of-the-match display against Sydney FC in 2013, but was released in 2014 following the return of John van’t Schip to the club. Subsequently spent six weeks at Hume, where he won an NPL Player of the Month Award, before departing for London where he trialed with Milwall before joining lower league clubs Concord Rangers and Braintree Town.
Erdeniz Yildiz Age: 17 Games: 6 Goals: 0
Former state representative who made his senior debut against Pascoe Vale this season. He impressed in his first few games for the club and could see game time in the cup given mid-season signing Charlie Beverley is cup-tied. Captains his school soccer team at Penleigh and Essendon Grammar in Melbourne’s inner northern suburbs.
Midfielders
Sam Beninato Age: 19 Games: 13 Goals: 0
Formerly part of the elite NTC state set-up, he moved to Northcote City and featured in their 20s side under Alex Gymnopoulos. Made his debut for Hume in Round 1 of last season and made over a dozen league appearances throughout the course of the campaign. Injury ended his season and forced him to miss last year’s FFA Cup run.
Kofi Danning Age: 25 Games: 16 Goals: 1
Ghana-born, Canberra-raised winger who previously featured in the VPL with the AIS in 2008 before making headlines with a goal on debut for Sydney FC during the 2008/09 A-League season, which also saw him win the inaugural NYL title. Touted as a future star, his career was sidelined by an ACL injury before making the move to the Brisbane Roar in 2011, where Ange Postecoglou primarily played him off the bench. An overseas move to Belgium second tier side Vise followed before returning to the Roar. Spent 2015 with the Oakleigh Cannons and then joined Hume.
Hernan Espindola Age: 21 Games: 15 Goals: 1
Born in Argentina, the diminutive winger and AIS graduate featured for the Joeys at the 2011 Under 17 World Cup in Mexico. Returned to Melbourne following the tournament and spent two years playing youth football with the Melbourne Victory, before making the move to the Melbourne City youth ranks in 2013, a year where he also made his senior debut for Pascoe Vale. Spent 2014 with regional outfit Goulburn Valley Suns before returning to City ahead of their NPL2 campaign. Made four A-League appearances with the club last season before joining Hume, where he scored on debut.
Joseph Franjic Age: 24 Games: 49 Goals: 1
The brother of Socceroos right-back Ivan, he made his senior debut for childhood club Melbourne Knights in 2010 before making the short move to Sunshine George Cross in an attempt to gain more playing time in 2013, where he enjoyed a breakthrough season in the state’s second tier. Moved to Hume at the beginning of the NPL, where he has been deployed as the club’s regular defensive midfielder when fit. Is expected to miss the Marconi game with an arm injury sustained in a recent league game. Like his former boss Acevski and teammate Rexhepi, Franjic is a builder by trade.
Nick Hegarty (C) Age: 30 Games: 103 Goals: 34
Influential captain capable of playing a number of roles across midfield who starred in last year’s FFA Cup and recently celebrated his 30th birthday with a goal in his 100th league appearance for the club following his move to Melbourne in 2012. Was part of the Nottingham Forest and Sheffield Wednesday junior ranks, but made his senior debut in League One with Grimsby Town, featuring in over a century of league games for the Mariners. Moved to Scottish Premiership outfit St Mirren in 2010 but suffered a broken leg in his third game for the club, which cut short his time in Scotland.
Kristian Trajceski Age: 17 Games: 17 Goals: 3
Technically sound youngster who was unearthed by former Hume City 20s manager Matthew McNamara, the central midfielder was handed his first-team debut last season as a 16-year-old and also featured in the FFA Cup defeat to Melbourne Victory as a late substitute. Gained more senior experience this season and had a standout June, where he scored his first senior goals as he looked at home in the centre of the park.
Forwards
Tom Cahill Age: 29 Games: 10 Goals: 5
Prolific Englishman whose start to life at Hume was delayed due to visa restrictions, he enjoyed spells at Rotherham United and Fleetwood Town earlier in his career before moving to Melbourne in 2012, where he first featured for Sunshine George Cross. Worked under Hennessey before at Green Gully in 2013 and scored a total of 61 goals in 73 games for Richmond, whom he captained to promotion last season before departing for ABD Stadium.
Daniel Clark Age: 26 Games: 25 Goals: 5
Queenslander who spent 2014 plying his trade in the Swedish third tier before returning home, where he featured for Brisbane City and Moreton Bay United. He moved to Hume in May 2015 and scored his first goal for the club in their 3-1 FFA Cup Round of 16 win over Sydney Olympic last year. A versatile attacker who is capable of playing a number of positions, has primarily featured as a superb-sub this year but has still chipped in with five league goals.
Jordan Fahim Age: 17 Games: 2 Goals: 0
Former Whittlesea Ranges junior who crossed over to ABD Stadium in 2014 and made his senior debut last year. Made bench appearances for City in last year’s FFA Cup run and has yet to feature for the first team this campaign given the attacking depth present at Broadmeadows, but could yet figure in this year’s competition.
Kym Harris Age: 24 Games: 16 Goals: 6
South Australian attacker who is most comfortable playing as a centre-forward and has previously featured for the Adelaide United Youth team. Joined the club in November last year from Adelaide Blue Eagles and scored a winner on debut against Avondale before struggling to find the back of the net, but has found form once again and has also been a goalscoring threat in the cup games while Cahill was absent, scoring in their Round 7 FFA Cup qualifying triumph over Richmond, which sealed their place on the national stage.
Theo Markelis Age: 24 Games: 39 Goals: 15
Former Green Gully junior moved to Spain in his mid-teens,, where he was a part of the Valencia youth system before moving to Serie B club Vicenza and leaving the club to join Melbourne Victory without ever making a senior appearance for the Italian club. Struggled to make the grade under Ange Postecoglou and moved back to Spain before spending a short time in Greece. Joined Hume City mid-way through last season and has resurrected his career at ABD Stadium – famously scoring memorable goals en route to the final four of the FFA Cup last season. His older brother George features for Brunswick City in NPL2 – Theo’s first junior club.
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Coaching Staff
Manager: Dean Hennessey
The son of former Welsh international and Nottingham Forest and Derby County defender Terry, Dean migrated to Australia with his father who coached both the Melbourne Knights and Heidelberg United in the NSL. His cousin and Crystal Palace custodian Wayne was recently in goals for the country as they reached the last four of the Euros, while son Matt plays for Victory Youth. A veteran of the Victorian coaching scene, Hennessey has managed the eight clubs in the last dozen years, including: Eastern Lions, Richmond, Kingston City, Bentleigh Greens, Southern Stars, Green Gully, Dandenong Thunder and now Hume, whom he took over the reins last week following the departure of Lou Acevski.
Coach: David Chick – former Norwich City
31-year-old former England schoolboy representative who began his career with home-town club Norwich City. Released upon their promotion to the Premier League in 2004 without ever making a senior appearance for the Canaries, the left-sided defender embarked on a career in England’s lower leagues with the likes of Cambridge United before joining Hume City in 2012. Injuries curtailed his playing time with the club, but he has occupied a various number of positions since retirement, and up until last week was coaching their 20s outfit.
Assistant Coach: Steven Gray
34-year-old Irishman who was part of the youth set-up at Serie A side Hellas Verona, along with Southampton in the Premier League. Featured in the League of Ireland with the likes of Drogheda United, Derry City and Bohemians before moving to Dandenong Thunder in 2011 – a club he briefly played/coached in an interim capacity. Spells with Oakleigh in 2012 and 2013 were sandwiched between a short stay at the Melbourne Heart, where he made one senior appearance. Won promotion as assistant coach at St Kilda in 2014 and has up until recently been the U18s coach at Hume.
Ineligible: Charlie Beverley, Craig Carley, Daniel Dixon, Declan Hargreaves