| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Ante Čović | ||
| Date of birth | 13 June 1975 | ||
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Melbourne Victory | ||
| Number | 21 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| APIA Leichhardt | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1995 | APIA Leichhardt | ||
| 1996–1997 | APIA Leichhardt | 23 | (0) |
| 1997–1999 | Marconi Stallions | 46 | (0) |
| 1999–2001 | PAOK Salonika | 8 | (0) |
| 2000 | → AO Kavala (loan) | 15 | (0) |
| 2001–2002 | Dinamo Zagreb | 0 | (0) |
| 2002–2006 | Hammarby IF | 121 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Newcastle Jets | 52 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | IF Elfsborg | 58 | (0) |
| 2011– | Melbourne Victory | 12 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006–2010 | Australia | 2 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 January 2012. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Ante Čović (Croatian pronunciation: [ˈaːntɛ ˈtʃɔːʋitɕ]) (born 13 June 1975) is an Australian football (soccer) player. He is a goalkeeper who currently plays for Melbourne Victory in the Hyundai A-League. Covic was a member of the Australian national team as the third choice goalkeeper in the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals in Germany.
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He formerly played for Hammarby IF in Sweden, as well as Marconi Stallions and Sydney Olympic in Australia's old National Soccer League, PAOK Salonika and AO Kavala in Greece and Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia. Melbourne Victory have loaned Covic for the start of the 2011-12 Hyundai A-League season while first choice Goal Keeper Tando Velaphi is injured. Covic will star alongside marquee recruit Harry Kewell.
Covic made his A-League debut in a 3-2 loss to Adelaide United in December 2006 at Hindmarsh Stadium. Covic was the starting goalkeeper for Newcastle Jets in the 2007 season which he won the A-league championship. On 17 March 2009, it was announced that Covic was leaving the Jets for a 3-year deal with Swedish club IF Elfsborg.
On October 4th 2011, Covic signed a one year deal with Melbourne Victory as an injury replacement for Tando Velaphi who was ruled out for 12 weeks. Ante debuted in the opening game for the Hyundai A-League season against Sydney FC at Etihad Stadium in front of 40,000 in attendance. Covic coped brilliantly with everything that came his way. Covic achieved instant hero status with the home fans when he thwarted Emerton from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, he was named man of the match in the 0-0 draw. He was again named man of the match after the Melbourne Derby two weeks later.
The Melbourne Victory's Northern Terrace active support group, made a chant for him which consists of them chanting "He saves to the left. He saves to the right. Ante Covic, he saves them all night."
In the A-League Round 5 match between Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory in 2011, Covic, along with fellow Victory defender Matthew Foschini, were controversially sent off by referee Ben Williams for challenges against Roar defenders, reducing the Victory to playing with nine men throughout the match.[1]
He was part of the Australian squad for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and was Australia's third choice goalkeeper behind Mark Schwarzer and Željko Kalac for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
He made his debut for Australia against Bahrain on 22 February 2006 in an Asian Cup qualifier. On 22 March 2008 he earned his second cap against Singapore in an international friendly and was captain for part of the second half after Harry Kewell and Jade North left the field.
As of 2011, Čović has two international caps with Australia.
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