Latest news with #MichaelPetrillo
The Australian
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
A-League: Takeshi Kanamori joins Melbourne City
Melbourne City's bid for domestic and continental glory has been boosted by the signing of AFC Champions League winner Takeshi Kanamori. The experienced attacker will play his final game for Japanese top-flight club Avispa Fukuoka on Wednesday night before his arrival next week in Melbourne to start his two-season deal with City. City's football director Michael Petrillo said the 31-year-old Japanese forward would be a 'fantastic addition' to the reigning A-League champions' squad. 'Takeshi is a player with high-level experience whose technical attributes seamlessly align with our style of play,' Petrillo said. 'His ability to stretch defences, create depth with his runs, and his commitment off the ball make him a great fit for our attacking system. 'He also brings leadership and a winning mentality, having played at the highest level in Asia.' Kanamori was part of the Kashima Antlers squad that won the 2018 AFC Champions League and also tasted Japanese Super Cup and League Cup success. Takeshi Kanamori (right) is tackled by then Sydney FC midfielder Josh Brillante while playing for Kashima Antlers in an AFC Champions League match in 2018. Picture:'With his AFC Champions League experience, we believe Takeshi will be an important asset as we prepare for both our ACL Elite campaign and the upcoming A-League season,' Petrillo said. Kanamori, who has previously played against A-League opposition on the continental stage, is confident of adding to his silverware collection with City. 'I'm truly happy to be joining this wonderful club,' he said. 'I'll do my best, putting all the experience I've gained so far into this project, aiming to not only win the (A-League) championship for the second time in a row but also to win the ACL together.' Kanamori's signing will help City fill the void left by departed Socceroos winger Marco Tilio, who returned to his Scottish club Celtic after his loan spell with the Melbourne outfit ended after last season's grand final success. Tilio had been expected to start a new loan stint with Austrian club Rapid Vienna; however, Celtic has reportedly put the move on hold while searching for another winger to bring to the club. Marco Monteverde Sports reporter Marco Monteverde is a Brisbane-based sports reporter for NCA Newswire. He worked in a similar role for The Courier-Mail from 2007 to 2020. During a journalism career of more than 25 years, he has also worked for The Queensland Times, The Sunshine Coast Daily, The Fraser Coast Chronicle and The North West Star. He has covered three FIFA World Cups and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as a host of other major sporting events in Australia and around the world. @marcothejourno Marco Monteverde
News.com.au
05-08-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Melbourne City strengthens forward line with acquisition of Takeshi Kanamori
Melbourne City's bid for domestic and continental glory has been boosted by the signing of AFC Champions League winner Takeshi Kanamori. The experienced attacker will play his final game for Japanese top-flight club Avispa Fukuoka on Wednesday night before his arrival next week in Melbourne to start his two-season deal with City. City's football director Michael Petrillo said the 31-year-old Japanese forward would be a 'fantastic addition' to the reigning A-League champions' squad. 'Takeshi is a player with high-level experience whose technical attributes seamlessly align with our style of play,' Petrillo said. 'His ability to stretch defences, create depth with his runs, and his commitment off the ball make him a great fit for our attacking system. 'He also brings leadership and a winning mentality, having played at the highest level in Asia.' Kanamori was part of the Kashima Antlers squad that won the 2018 AFC Champions League and also tasted Japanese Super Cup and League Cup success. 'With his AFC Champions League experience, we believe Takeshi will be an important asset as we prepare for both our ACL Elite campaign and the upcoming A-League season,' Petrillo said. Kanamori, who has previously played against A-League opposition on the continental stage, is confident of adding to his silverware collection with City. 'I'm truly happy to be joining this wonderful club,' he said. 'I'll do my best, putting all the experience I've gained so far into this project, aiming to not only win the (A-League) championship for the second time in a row but also to win the ACL together.' Kanamori's signing will help City fill the void left by departed Socceroos winger Marco Tilio, who returned to his Scottish club Celtic after his loan spell with the Melbourne outfit ended after last season's grand final success. Tilio had been expected to start a new loan stint with Austrian club Rapid Vienna; however, Celtic has reportedly put the move on hold while searching for another winger to bring to the club.
The Australian
31-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Australia Cup: Melbourne City suffers shock early exit
A-League champions Melbourne City have defended their controversial decision to field a youth team in the club's shock 2-0 Australia Cup loss to NPL NSW outfit APIA Leichhardt. Having entered the Cup at the round-of-32 stage, City's bid to reach the last 16 ended on Tuesday night in wet conditions at Leichhardt Oval. City's starting side included only one player – 19-year-old striker Max Caputo – that started in last season's A-League grand final, with the oldest player in the team being 21-year-old midfielder Alessandro Lopane. City's squad – which had an average age of 17.6 – was otherwise almost entirely made of teenagers, including 15-year-old substitute Akeem Gerald, from the club's NPL Victoria second division team. City's decision not to use almost all of the club's first-choice players led to accusations that the club had treated the Cup with contempt and had shown APIA a lack of respect. However, City's football director Michael Petrillo said the club had little choice but to field a team made up entirely of young players due to injuries and a late start to pre-season training. 'There was no way we were ready,' Petrillo said 'We came back to training really late (July 15). If it (the Cup game) was in maybe another two weeks, then we probably would have played another four or five of the senior players.' Melbourne City 15-year-old substitute Akeem Gerald (centre)_wins the ball during his team's 2-0 Australia Cup to APIA Leichhardt. Picture:Petrillo said the club wasn't willing to gamble on the fitness of players with City's AFC Champions League Elite campaign set to start in about six weeks' time. 'We would have played anyone that was ready but we didn't want to take any risks because we're a thin squad, we've got to play on two fronts (Champions League and A-League), and we need to make sure everyone's fit and well, particularly when we had a lot of injuries last season,' he said. 'We don't want to go down the same track again this season.' Petrillo was confident a host of regulars, including captain Aziz Behich, Joe Marston Medal winner Mathew Leckie, defenders Kai Trewin and Nathaniel Atkinson, midfielder Andreas Kuen and goalkeeper Patrick Beach, would be available for a couple of trial games City is hopeful of scheduling in late August. The club is also planing to sign two foreign attacking players in the upcoming weeks in a bid to further strengthen its squad. Australia Cup round-of-16 (games to be played August 9-13): South Melbourne v Auckland FC, Avondale v APIA Leichhardt, Brisbane City v Olympic Kingsway, Heidelberg United v Western Sydney Wanderers, Nunawading City v Wellington Phoenix, Sydney United 58 v Sydney FC, Cooks Hill United FC v Newcastle Jets, Metro Stars v Macarthur FC. Marco Monteverde Sports reporter Marco Monteverde is a Brisbane-based sports reporter for NCA Newswire. He worked in a similar role for The Courier-Mail from 2007 to 2020. During a journalism career of more than 25 years, he has also worked for The Queensland Times, The Sunshine Coast Daily, The Fraser Coast Chronicle and The North West Star. He has covered three FIFA World Cups and the 2000 Sydney Olympics, as well as a host of other major sporting events in Australia and around the world. @marcothejourno Marco Monteverde
News.com.au
31-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Melbourne City defends decision to play team of youngsters in shock Australia Cup loss
A-League champions Melbourne City have defended their controversial decision to field a youth team in the club's shock 2-0 Australia Cup loss to NPL NSW outfit APIA Leichhardt. Having entered the Cup at the round-of-32 stage, City's bid to reach the last 16 ended on Tuesday night in wet conditions at Leichhardt Oval. City's starting side included only one player – 19-year-old striker Max Caputo – that started in last season's A-League grand final, with the oldest player in the team being 21-year-old midfielder Alessandro Lopane. City's squad – which had an average age of 17.6 – was otherwise almost entirely made of teenagers, including 15-year-old substitute Akeem Gerald, from the club's NPL Victoria second division team. City's decision not to use almost all of the club's first-choice players led to accusations that the club had treated the Cup with contempt and had shown APIA a lack of respect. However, City's football director Michael Petrillo said the club had little choice but to field a team made up entirely of young players due to injuries and a late start to pre-season training. 'There was no way we were ready,' Petrillo said 'We came back to training really late (July 15). If it (the Cup game) was in maybe another two weeks, then we probably would have played another four or five of the senior players.' Petrillo said the club wasn't willing to gamble on the fitness of players with City's AFC Champions League Elite campaign set to start in about six weeks' time. 'We would have played anyone that was ready but we didn't want to take any risks because we're a thin squad, we've got to play on two fronts (Champions League and A-League), and we need to make sure everyone's fit and well, particularly when we had a lot of injuries last season,' he said. 'We don't want to go down the same track again this season.' Petrillo was confident a host of regulars, including captain Aziz Behich, Joe Marston Medal winner Mathew Leckie, defenders Kai Trewin and Nathaniel Atkinson, midfielder Andreas Kuen and goalkeeper Patrick Beach, would be available for a couple of trial games City is hopeful of scheduling in late August. The club is also planing to sign two foreign attacking players in the upcoming weeks in a bid to further strengthen its squad.
Daily Record
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Celtic star joins Melbourne City and it's not Marco Tilio as A-League swoons over 'transfer coup'
The central defender had one year left on his Parkhead contract after making the move to Glasgow in 2023 Celtic B star Liam Bonetig has left the Premiership champions after two years and returned to Australia with Melbourne City. The central defender had one year left on his Parkhead contract after making the move to Glasgow from hometown Western Sydney Warriors back in 2023. But now 20-year-old Bonetig – championed as a "transfer coup" by the A-League's official website – is heading back Down Under on a three-year contract as he joins City where Parkhead outcast Marco Tilio has spent the last two seasons on loan. The Australian international has returned to Glasgow but a reunion with his Celtic pal could be in the offing in the coming weeks with the wide man not part of Brendan Rodgers' plans. But now a buzzing Bonetig cannot wait to get down to business, stating: 'I've learned a lot over in Scotland over the past two years and I'm hungry to keep improving. There's no better environment to do that in Australia than at City. 'I can't wait to get started and do everything I can to help the team have another big season and win more trophies for the City fans.' Melbourne City's director of football Michael Petrillo said:.'We're delighted to welcome Liam to Melbourne City,' said Melbourne City Director of Football Michael Petrillo. 'Liam's attributes align well with our playing philosophy, and we believe he'll grow into a valuable contributor to the squad over the coming seasons.' You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Celtic page, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Celtic community here.
