Interview with Mark Viduka

[midfielder]

After reading this article I take my hat off to Mark... Many people regardless of background find fame difficult and many do not feel when they do something the world needs to make a fuss of it, Mark is one of these...

Clive James a few years back made a series about fame and how most could not handle it... Mark appears to handle his fame well and he is lucky in having a strong family around him...

The Dukes has gone up a notch for me anyway after reading this..

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/viduka-leaving-his-mark/story-e6frf9if-1226000563274

Viduka leaving his mark

Former soccer star Mark Viduka is enjoying life in retirement. Source: AFP

FROM Premier League star to sideline dad, Mark Viduka is happy out of the spotlight, writes GRANTLEY BERNARD.

COMPLEX is one word Mark Viduka uses to describe himself. Another could be contradictory, perhaps even conflicted.

Talk to Viduka about his soccer career and it's a journey from Melbourne to Croatia to Scotland to England and back to Melbourne with a short side-trip thrown in that allows a glimpse of the personality of one of Australia's greatest players.

Whatever can be gleaned from a 45-minute chat, a few things seem certain: Viduka is humble to the point of being shy about his fame; he comes across as a normal bloke; his family is his No.1 priority; and soccer was about his love of the game above money.

Insights into that complexity also emerge: Viduka would rather make a pass in a brilliant scoring move than have a gimme tap-in; he didn't want to do TV ads but wished he had; he didn't score in the best game he played; he loved being at Celtic even though it generated the most controversy of his career; and, once consumed by the game, he now barely follows it.

"I have this complex," he said. "I don't like too much exposure. I don't know why it is. Maybe it's bred in me, because my dad always told me to be humble and don't think you're too good.

"Maybe he drummed it into me too much. It's good to be humble, but it's also a good thing to be proud of your achievements.

"I am proud, but it's funny, because you're disappointed with your non-achievements as well. I would have loved to have been a different character.

"I had plenty of offers to do sponsorships and TV commercials, but it's just not in me. I would love to get that out of me, but I just don't feel comfortable with it.

"There was something complex about me. If I tapped the ball in, I was happy scoring the goal, but I wasn't happy because it had to be an unbelievably perfect goal. At training I hated when we had practice and there was no goalkeeper. I'd rather go home. It's not a challenge."

There was nothing complex about Viduka's record in his long career.

Starting as a teenager with Melbourne Knights in 1993, Viduka banged in 258 goals in 507 club games by the time he had finished at Newcastle United in 2009.

It's been almost two years since he played, but people have not forgotten him. Some still hold out hope he might reappear, perhaps in the A-League, but he will not. Mark Viduka is retired. He just hasn't got around to announcing it yet.

"To be honest, I didn't really feel like I had the need to tell anybody," he said.

Do not think that arrogant or self-important. Do not take it as a sign of indifference, which many critics felt Viduka carried throughout his career.

What he means is he didn't want to make a big deal of it. Yes, Viduka thought about playing with Melbourne Heart with former Socceroos roommate Josip Skoko, but the bottom line was he did not feel the challenge.

Just like when Fulham made a bid to prolong his English Premier League career. He visited Craven Cottage for talks, but he knew he was done.

Injuries ruined Viduka's final season at Newcastle. For many there would be a temptation to play for one more season, hoping to stay fit and show what could be done.

Not Viduka. His motivation had waned and the visit with then Fulham manager Roy Hodgson confirmed it.

"That's exactly what it was," he said. "I could have gone to Fulham and taken the money and stayed a year, but it's not my cup of tea.

"The last year at Newcastle I spent most of the time in the physio room and hated it with a passion. I was angry all the time.

"I play because I love the game and was always passionate. I love the training and love the competition of trying to see how good you are against other players.

"If I sign for Fulham and can't give them what I owe them professionally, then I might as well not do it."

It is a simple and honest outlook by Viduka, who was smitten by the game as a boy. Sharing bunk beds with his sisters, he would put a soccer ball in a string bag and nail it to the ceiling so it hung near his head while he slept. Throughout his career, he stayed true to himself and the game.

"When you're a kid all you think about is becoming a football player and that was basically my life," Viduka said.

"I loved it with all my heart and it's very difficult to make a decision to stop doing it. It probably took me two or three years to start losing the enjoyment. Some people can keep doing their job, but with me it's too obvious."

While injuries reduced his burning desire to a dim glow, family life also changed his outlook.

Once Viduka and wife Ivana had their first son, Joseph, he started looking at life differently. By the time Lucas and Oliver arrived, Viduka was convinced there was life outside and more important than soccer.

To continue his career would mean more unsettling moves. To stay overseas would mean more time away from Australia and his parents and sisters.

To come home to Melbourne means his sons and Croatian-born wife get to see where he grew up and sample the Australian way of life.

It means that after his time as a Premier League player in England, Viduka can quietly take his son to a junior training session at Altona City and enjoy being a regular dad on the sideline.

"All my life my priority was football, football, football," Viduka said. "I was just fully focused on that and when my kids were born that focus changed gradually.

"I had something in my life that changed my perspective. You experience something that is more important than win, lose or draw.

"We've got three little kids and they're at a beautiful age that they need us . . . and we can watch them grow. That's enjoyment for me."

Being away from the game, spending time with family has given him a different outlook. Going to that junior session at Altona City reminded him of the role parents and volunteers have in the game and what they did for him.

On a recent holiday, Viduka drove through Coffs Harbour and recalled being billeted there during a junior event.

His two years at the AIS set up his career but Viduka does not overlook the fact he was privileged to be in Canberra on taxpayers' dollars.

He never considered playing for Croatia instead of the Socceroos. Yes, Viduka has Croatian heritage, but he is Australian and proud of it.

In the quiet time of retirement, all those things now probably mean so much more than they did before. Not that soccer is a closed door for Viduka. He plans on getting his coaching badges and to pursue it professionally in a few years. Or maybe he won't. That's the beauty of life right now.

"After so many years of knowing what I wanted, it's nice to not know what I want," he said. "After having life so regimented, I'm enjoying waking up and taking the kids to school and having little jobs to do."

Regardless how good a father Viduka is, he will be best remembered for his on-field exploits.

He will be remembered by fans and peers, who recently voted to award him the Professional Footballers Australia Alex Tobin Medal, given to a current or former player who demonstrates leadership, achievement, commitment to fellow professionals and service and dedication to the game.

"When you get an award from your peers, it's something special," Viduka said. "They're the people who know the sacrifice and determination and what you need to get to that level. That's why it's special for me."

He will be surrounded by his family for the ceremony at Crown on Monday week, but will try to keep his emotions in check.

"I don't really like being emotional," he said. "Public displays of emotion, I don't really do that sort of stuff. I don't know why. I would like to be the type that doesn't worry about that."

Complex is a good word to describe Mark Viduka.




BEST MOMENT It's very difficult to do just one. There were so many moments and all at different times. It would have to be Germany 2006, playing in the World Cup and leading Australia out. It would have to be that.



BEST PLAYER PLAYED AGAINST Ronaldo. The real Ronaldo. He, for me, was the best.




BEST GAME

I scored four goals against Liverpool and that was an unbelievably good game. But the best game for me was a game I didn't score in. It was (for Leeds) against Lazio in the Champions League. I set up Alan Smith for a 1-0 win in Rome.




BEST DIRECT OPPONENT

Roberto Ayala from Valencia and Argentina. He was the best defender I played against. I played against him in a semi-final of the Champions League for Leeds. He was tough.

When I came to Celtic, it was half way through the season and that was the next number they had. All the other numbers were taken so I took 36 and I liked it. When I came to Newcastle, Obafemi Martins had nine and I liked nine, 10 or 36. I played well at Celtic and thought maybe it was a good number.




BEST COACH/MANAGER

Guus Hiddink.

He had the ability to get the best from us with the Socceroos. We played at the Confederations Cup and conceded 12 goals or something. He took that same team with a few changes and made it into a team that was difficult to score against and worked as a unit. That's his coaching. It's what he does.




WORST MOMENT

A bad moment for me was missing the penalty for Australia in the qualifier (against Uruguay in 2005). It was good we won in the end, but I was very disappointed in myself. Those moments are moments that happen, but you don't know what happened. Think I mis-hit it. When I see replays, that's what happened.




BEST TEAMMATE

Josip Skoko. We were room-mates for years and years in the Aussie team. I probably wouldn't have turned up to a meeting early if it wasn't for him. We were a bit like the Odd Couple. His bed was the tidy one and my bed was the messy one. He was best room-mate by far.




CLUBBING WITH VIDUKA: FROM MELBOURNE TO NEWCASTLE




MELBOURNE KNIGHTS 1992-95 53 GAMES, 47 GOALS

My dream come true. I was a junior there from day one. My dad took me to the games every weekend, and to win the NSL title there was something special.




CROATIA ZAGREB 1995-99 99 GAMES, 55 GOALS

For me it was a big learning curve, living in that country at the time I did with the war. It was just a totally different mentality, even though I was raised by Croatian parents. It was just a totally different mentality to how they viewed football. I had good times and bad times, but I did that at all clubs.




CELTIC 1999-2000 48 GAMES, 35 GOALS

I have a very soft spot for Celtic. Celtic was a special club, the way the fans are towards the club and team. There's been so many reports about how I hated Scotland. I loved Scotland. I really love the Scottish people. They are so friendly and they embraced me. I loved playing for Celtic and really enjoyed it.




LEEDS UNITED 2000-04 166 GAMES, 72 GOALS

I was there for four years and we had such a young team. We were fighting for the top three spots and we got to the semi-final of the Champions League. We were on fire and it was such a great club to be involved in. I love Leeds and still have a house there.




MIDDLESBROUGH 2004-07 101 GAMES, 42 GOALS

Because of the people in Middlesbrough and at the club, I really enjoyed coming to training every day. We got to UEFA Cup final and I was very sad to leave. The kit man and kit lady, the masseurs, the chef, the people I saw every day, I loved being with them. They wear their heart on their sleeve and I like that.




NEWCASTLE UNITED 2007-09 40 GAMES, 7 GOALS

I was disappointed we got relegated. I was injured and would really have liked to have played more. I played the last four or five games and I was very disappointed that I couldn't help keep us up. I love the Geordies. My youngest boy was born there.