Lucrative overseas move awaits for Western United star

The Advertiser24-05-2025

Goalscoring sensation Noah Botic feels ready to leave the A-League Men and attempt to prove himself in Europe.
Now it's just a matter of which club the Western United star, who looms as a future Socceroo, chooses to call his new home.
United have long been resigned to losing their sharp shooter at season's end and he played probably his final game on Saturday night, scoring as United drew 1-1 with Melbourne City to lose their semi-final 4-1 on aggregate.
"I feel like I'm ready," Botic, 23, said.
"It's a decision to make to see what league is going to be not a massive step, but a kind of stepping stone.
"I'm not just going to have to strive and want to play in the Premier League or something straight away. Because it's a top league. It's a big step going to Europe, and it's not an easy one.
"So that's another decision on my mind, how well I fit into the league, what their style is like, and am I going to do as well there as I did in here, in the A League?"
Botic's 16th goal of the season was his 27th for United, taking him above Besart Berisha as the club's all-time leading goalscorer.
Coach John Aloisi, who is off-contract himself but hopes to stay on, expects he'll have to replace his star man.
"I wish that he would stay but I don't think he's going to stay," said Aloisi.
"I think that he'll go overseas. I think his mindset is to go overseas.
"And I wish him all the best."
Botic joined German club Hoffenheim as a teenager but struggled before kickstarting his career over four years at United.
He has been linked to Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, home of Socceroos Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe, while United knocked back a January offer from a second-tier Dutch team.
"Nothing's set in stone, concrete. Still just options floating around," Botic, who is holding out hope of a first Socceroos call-up this month, said.
"Got some interest from certain clubs and it's a decision that I'm still making with my agent and my family. It's not an easy decision.
As for Aloisi, when asked if the game was his last, he said: "I hope not. I don't think so.
"There's still a lot to go through and the conversations with the club, so let's just wait and see
On a potential overseas move, Aloisi said: "That's only if an offer comes up, I'll look at it. But at the moment, there's nothing."
Goalscoring sensation Noah Botic feels ready to leave the A-League Men and attempt to prove himself in Europe.
Now it's just a matter of which club the Western United star, who looms as a future Socceroo, chooses to call his new home.
United have long been resigned to losing their sharp shooter at season's end and he played probably his final game on Saturday night, scoring as United drew 1-1 with Melbourne City to lose their semi-final 4-1 on aggregate.
"I feel like I'm ready," Botic, 23, said.
"It's a decision to make to see what league is going to be not a massive step, but a kind of stepping stone.
"I'm not just going to have to strive and want to play in the Premier League or something straight away. Because it's a top league. It's a big step going to Europe, and it's not an easy one.
"So that's another decision on my mind, how well I fit into the league, what their style is like, and am I going to do as well there as I did in here, in the A League?"
Botic's 16th goal of the season was his 27th for United, taking him above Besart Berisha as the club's all-time leading goalscorer.
Coach John Aloisi, who is off-contract himself but hopes to stay on, expects he'll have to replace his star man.
"I wish that he would stay but I don't think he's going to stay," said Aloisi.
"I think that he'll go overseas. I think his mindset is to go overseas.
"And I wish him all the best."
Botic joined German club Hoffenheim as a teenager but struggled before kickstarting his career over four years at United.
He has been linked to Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, home of Socceroos Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe, while United knocked back a January offer from a second-tier Dutch team.
"Nothing's set in stone, concrete. Still just options floating around," Botic, who is holding out hope of a first Socceroos call-up this month, said.
"Got some interest from certain clubs and it's a decision that I'm still making with my agent and my family. It's not an easy decision.
As for Aloisi, when asked if the game was his last, he said: "I hope not. I don't think so.
"There's still a lot to go through and the conversations with the club, so let's just wait and see
On a potential overseas move, Aloisi said: "That's only if an offer comes up, I'll look at it. But at the moment, there's nothing."
Goalscoring sensation Noah Botic feels ready to leave the A-League Men and attempt to prove himself in Europe.
Now it's just a matter of which club the Western United star, who looms as a future Socceroo, chooses to call his new home.
United have long been resigned to losing their sharp shooter at season's end and he played probably his final game on Saturday night, scoring as United drew 1-1 with Melbourne City to lose their semi-final 4-1 on aggregate.
"I feel like I'm ready," Botic, 23, said.
"It's a decision to make to see what league is going to be not a massive step, but a kind of stepping stone.
"I'm not just going to have to strive and want to play in the Premier League or something straight away. Because it's a top league. It's a big step going to Europe, and it's not an easy one.
"So that's another decision on my mind, how well I fit into the league, what their style is like, and am I going to do as well there as I did in here, in the A League?"
Botic's 16th goal of the season was his 27th for United, taking him above Besart Berisha as the club's all-time leading goalscorer.
Coach John Aloisi, who is off-contract himself but hopes to stay on, expects he'll have to replace his star man.
"I wish that he would stay but I don't think he's going to stay," said Aloisi.
"I think that he'll go overseas. I think his mindset is to go overseas.
"And I wish him all the best."
Botic joined German club Hoffenheim as a teenager but struggled before kickstarting his career over four years at United.
He has been linked to Bundesliga club FC St. Pauli, home of Socceroos Jackson Irvine and Connor Metcalfe, while United knocked back a January offer from a second-tier Dutch team.
"Nothing's set in stone, concrete. Still just options floating around," Botic, who is holding out hope of a first Socceroos call-up this month, said.
"Got some interest from certain clubs and it's a decision that I'm still making with my agent and my family. It's not an easy decision.
As for Aloisi, when asked if the game was his last, he said: "I hope not. I don't think so.
"There's still a lot to go through and the conversations with the club, so let's just wait and see
On a potential overseas move, Aloisi said: "That's only if an offer comes up, I'll look at it. But at the moment, there's nothing."

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Milestone man Ryan thought Socceroos career was over

The Advertiser

10 hours ago

The Advertiser

Milestone man Ryan thought Socceroos career was over

Socceroos goalkeeper Maty Ryan was sitting on the bench, thinking his international career was finished. It was November last year, and Ryan had started life under coach Tony Popovic as an unused substitute for three straight games as Joe Gauci took the lead in their World Cup qualifiers. Ryan couldn't convince Popovic after struggling for game time at former club AS Roma, before a hip injury to Gauci reopened the door. Now six months on, the 33-year-old nears his 100-cap milestone as Australia look to finally confirm their path to the 2026 tournament with a win over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (AEST). He is the third-most capped Socceroo, behind fellow keeper Mark Schwarzer (109) and Tim Cahill (108). "There were definitely thoughts that I had there that I could well have played my last game for the national team," Ryan said on Monday. "If you look at perhaps every footballer's career - look at Cristiano Ronaldo and his time at Man United with (Erik) ten Hag there. He wasn't playing there either. "I don't think life or football discriminates against anyone in that regard. "No one is ever entitled to playing for a team. You've got to go out there and earn that right. "'I'm pretty proud of the fact that I've managed to find my way back in." The Socceroos are within touching distance of an automatic spot for the 2026 finals after a hard-earned 1-0 win over Japan in Perth. Saudi Arabia will only be able to snatch Australia's automatic spot if they manage a highly improbable win of five goals or more. Ryan was on the bench last time the Socceroos suffered a defeat of that magnitude, watching a side coached by Holger Osieck in a 6-0 horror friendly defeat to France in 2013. While Ryan wouldn't be drawn when asked about the now faint memory, he stuck close to the team's week-long 'no complacency' message. "At the end of the day, action speaks louder than words," Ryan said. "In life, anything is possible, so you can't take anything for granted "And by no means is the job finished." Ryan will notch the 100-game milestone after 13 years with the national team, earning his first call-up for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Saudis in 2012. "I'm always trying to make the next achievement the best one," Ryan said. "To be in the position we are right now, being a strong one, to go and have it right on our fingertips right now - it gives meaning to us footballers as to why we want to play "It's the most fulfilling and purposeful thing when you've got that success at your fingertips, and you obviously want to take that final last step to go and achieve it." Socceroos goalkeeper Maty Ryan was sitting on the bench, thinking his international career was finished. It was November last year, and Ryan had started life under coach Tony Popovic as an unused substitute for three straight games as Joe Gauci took the lead in their World Cup qualifiers. Ryan couldn't convince Popovic after struggling for game time at former club AS Roma, before a hip injury to Gauci reopened the door. Now six months on, the 33-year-old nears his 100-cap milestone as Australia look to finally confirm their path to the 2026 tournament with a win over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (AEST). He is the third-most capped Socceroo, behind fellow keeper Mark Schwarzer (109) and Tim Cahill (108). "There were definitely thoughts that I had there that I could well have played my last game for the national team," Ryan said on Monday. "If you look at perhaps every footballer's career - look at Cristiano Ronaldo and his time at Man United with (Erik) ten Hag there. He wasn't playing there either. "I don't think life or football discriminates against anyone in that regard. "No one is ever entitled to playing for a team. You've got to go out there and earn that right. "'I'm pretty proud of the fact that I've managed to find my way back in." The Socceroos are within touching distance of an automatic spot for the 2026 finals after a hard-earned 1-0 win over Japan in Perth. Saudi Arabia will only be able to snatch Australia's automatic spot if they manage a highly improbable win of five goals or more. Ryan was on the bench last time the Socceroos suffered a defeat of that magnitude, watching a side coached by Holger Osieck in a 6-0 horror friendly defeat to France in 2013. While Ryan wouldn't be drawn when asked about the now faint memory, he stuck close to the team's week-long 'no complacency' message. "At the end of the day, action speaks louder than words," Ryan said. "In life, anything is possible, so you can't take anything for granted "And by no means is the job finished." Ryan will notch the 100-game milestone after 13 years with the national team, earning his first call-up for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Saudis in 2012. "I'm always trying to make the next achievement the best one," Ryan said. "To be in the position we are right now, being a strong one, to go and have it right on our fingertips right now - it gives meaning to us footballers as to why we want to play "It's the most fulfilling and purposeful thing when you've got that success at your fingertips, and you obviously want to take that final last step to go and achieve it." Socceroos goalkeeper Maty Ryan was sitting on the bench, thinking his international career was finished. It was November last year, and Ryan had started life under coach Tony Popovic as an unused substitute for three straight games as Joe Gauci took the lead in their World Cup qualifiers. Ryan couldn't convince Popovic after struggling for game time at former club AS Roma, before a hip injury to Gauci reopened the door. Now six months on, the 33-year-old nears his 100-cap milestone as Australia look to finally confirm their path to the 2026 tournament with a win over Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (AEST). He is the third-most capped Socceroo, behind fellow keeper Mark Schwarzer (109) and Tim Cahill (108). "There were definitely thoughts that I had there that I could well have played my last game for the national team," Ryan said on Monday. "If you look at perhaps every footballer's career - look at Cristiano Ronaldo and his time at Man United with (Erik) ten Hag there. He wasn't playing there either. "I don't think life or football discriminates against anyone in that regard. "No one is ever entitled to playing for a team. You've got to go out there and earn that right. "'I'm pretty proud of the fact that I've managed to find my way back in." The Socceroos are within touching distance of an automatic spot for the 2026 finals after a hard-earned 1-0 win over Japan in Perth. Saudi Arabia will only be able to snatch Australia's automatic spot if they manage a highly improbable win of five goals or more. Ryan was on the bench last time the Socceroos suffered a defeat of that magnitude, watching a side coached by Holger Osieck in a 6-0 horror friendly defeat to France in 2013. While Ryan wouldn't be drawn when asked about the now faint memory, he stuck close to the team's week-long 'no complacency' message. "At the end of the day, action speaks louder than words," Ryan said. "In life, anything is possible, so you can't take anything for granted "And by no means is the job finished." Ryan will notch the 100-game milestone after 13 years with the national team, earning his first call-up for the 2014 World Cup qualifier against the Saudis in 2012. "I'm always trying to make the next achievement the best one," Ryan said. "To be in the position we are right now, being a strong one, to go and have it right on our fingertips right now - it gives meaning to us footballers as to why we want to play "It's the most fulfilling and purposeful thing when you've got that success at your fingertips, and you obviously want to take that final last step to go and achieve it."