|
He taught him everything he knows two decades ago, and Danny Vukovic is confident goalkeeping supremo John Crawley will lift him back to his best at Sydney FC.Vukovic says he owes much of his A-League longevity to the steadying influence of his first mentor Crawley, who coached him at Sydneys Westfield Sports High.As he did with Socceroos gloveman Mat Ryan, Crawley taught the then 12-year-old student his South American-inspired brand of keeping learnt while playing in Chile.The style, set apart by agile movement and good distribution, helped a 20-year-old Vukovic thrive when Crawley and then-Central Coast coach Lawrie McKinna gave him his first A-League opportunity at the MarinersNow the pair are reunited at Sydney where Vukovic, 31, and his wife have moved to be closer to family as his young son Harley waits for a life-saving liver transplant.While here, hes vying to regain the form he feels slipped at Melbourne Victory last season on the way to losing his first-choice spot to Lawrence Thomas.John is my mentor, hes basically taught me everything I know as a goalkeeper, Vukovic told AAP.To have a form slump last year, I just felt it was a great time to get back with him.Hes got a unique style of goalkeeping that really resonates with me.Over the years I havent been with him I maybe went away from it a little bit.Its comforting knowing Ive got him there now, and I feel as though he can get me back to my best.Another factor driving him is the stiff competition with incumbent custodian Vedran Janjetovic for the No.1 spot.Vukovic has played every FFA Cup match in the Sky Blues semi-final run, clocking valuable competitive minutes in readiness for the A-League season.With a beauty of a Sydney derby up first at ANZ Stadium on Saturday night, both he and Janjetovic have their heads down hoping to get the green light from coach Graham Arnold.Its a good thing for the club to have two keepers that have shown in the past were capable of playing at this level, Vukovic said.We dont know whos playing on Saturday but were both preparing as if we are.If he plays Ill support him and I know hell support me if I play. . Louis. To which I would say two things: 1. Where there is smoke, there is or perhaps has been a little fire. Or, in other words, the two teams would appear to have at least spoken. And spoken is defined as one calling the other to inquire, no more, no less. .J. -- Josh Cribbs was in the Pro Bowl in February and out of a job six months later. . DAmigo scored twice in regulation and added the shootout winner as the Toronto Marlies edged the San Antonio Rampage 5-4 in American Hockey League action. . -- PGA TOUR Canada member Steve Saunders took a three-stroke lead Saturday in the Web. . Anthony Davis had 31 points and 17 rebounds in his seventh straight game with more than 20 points, but that was only enough to keep the Pelicans competitive into the final minutes. Andrew Bogut had 10 points and 15 rebounds for Golden State, which rebounded from a loss a night earlier in Oklahoma City and snapped a two-game skid. Hampshire 319 for 6 (Adams 86, Smith 67) v DurhamScorecard Hampshire took advantage when their desire to bat first was granted by Durhams acting captain, Mark Stoneman, in pleasant conditions at Chester-le-Street.With the top five all passing 40, the visitors built on an opening stand of 160 to reach 319 for 6 at the close of the first day.After Jimmy Adams led the way with 86 greater riches were promised when Michael Carberry and the recalled Adam Wheater were putting on 73 in 15 overs for the fourth wicket.They took 28 off the first five overs with the new ball, only to depart in quick succession.Having played himself in carefully in his new role at No. 4, Carberry moved impressively through the gears to reach 48 before he shaped to pull Graham Onions from outside off and bottom-edged into his stumps.A straight drive by Wheater gave him his seventh four and took him to 44 off 40 balls. But his attacking instincts left him in no position to deal with some skiddy extra pace as Barry McCarthys next ball pinned him lbw.McCarthy, who will shortly be on Ireland duty again in the one-day series against Afghanistan, shared the second new ball in the absence of Chris Rushworth.After bowling 16 of the first 40 overs as Durham desperately sought a breakthrough Rushworth was off the field foor the rest of the day.dddddddddddde conceded only 30 runs and beat both openers several times, although the greatest scares came in the first four balls.Jimmy Adams, sent back when almost halfway down the pitch after Will Smith played to midwicket, would have been out had the throw throw hit the stumps. Then Smith went perilously close to playing on.Adams drove nicely through the off side and had a couple of leg glances among the eight fours in his 76-ball half-century.Smith needed 121 balls to reach his 50 and continued to leave the many balls wide of off stump before nibbling at one which left him in Keaton Jennings second over of gentle medium pace.Smith was caught behind for 67 and Adams drove a head-high catch to Jennings at midwicket off McCarthy. Tom Alsop played well for 40 before offspinner Ryan Pringle hurried one through to have him lbw to bring in Wheater, who twice reverse-swept Pringle to the boundary.Jennings, deputising at first slip for the injured Paul Collingwood for much of the day, clung on at the second attempt late in the day to remove Ryan McLaren, giving Paul Coughlin a wicket in his first Championship appearance of the season. ' ' '
|
