New Victory keeper has lid on hopes
The Age
Wednesday July 8, 2009
IT WOULD be reasonable for even an experienced international goalkeeper to come to a new club to replace a hugely successful predecessor and not feel a measure of nervousness at the situation.But that's not how Melbourne Victory's new custodian, New Zealand No. 1 Glen Moss, sees things after arriving at the A-League title winners during the off season to take the place of long time goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos, a dual Premiership shot stopper and former A-League goalkeeper of the year.The 26-year-old Kiwi international is humble enough to even suggest - publicly at least - that he is no walk-up start to take Theoklitos's spot at the start of the season, acknowledging that the progress made by Victory's 20-year-old No. 2 keeper Mitchell Langerak now makes him a real contender for a first-team spot.Moss does admit that having grabbed the spotlight for New Zealand in the recent Confederations Cup and been a regular with Wellington Phoenix in the A-League for the past two seasons, it would be disappointing if he did not get first crack as Theoklitos's replacement when Victory's A-League campaign gets under way on August 6."I don't think I am the automatic No. 1 but I would obviously like to get that chance," he said."Every club you go to there's two good keepers and its pretty competitive to get a place. I think that's good, especially here in Melbourne."Part of the attraction of Melbourne for Moss - who, despite his Kiwi international status holds an Australian passport having moved to the Gold Coast as a child - was the professionalism of the club's set up."It's fantastic having Steve Mautone as a full-time goalkeeping coach. It's something Wellington could not provide for me over the last couple of years so I am really enjoying training here."
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