Mark Milligan

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Mark Milligan
Personal information
Full nameMark Daniel Milligan
Date of birth (1985-08-04) 4 August 1985
Place of birthSydney, Australia
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Playing positionCentral Midfielder / Defensive Midfielder / Centre Back / Right Back
Club information
Current clubMelbourne Victory
Number5
Youth career
2002AIS
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2002–2003Northern Spirit16(1)
2004Blacktown City9(5)
2005–2008Sydney FC42(1)
2008–2009Newcastle Jets11(1)
2009Shanghai Shenhua25(1)
2010–2012JEF United Chiba53(3)
2012→ Melbourne Victory (loan)10(1)
2012–Melbourne Victory33(9)
National team‡
2003–2005Australia U-2011(0)
2006–2008Australia U-2325(7)
2006–Australia26(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 January 2014.

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 9 December 2013

Mark Daniel Milligan (born 4 August 1985 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays for Melbourne Victory in the A-League. He is also the incumbent captain of the club. He is a utility defender, originally known as a right-back, but also spent much of his early career playing in central defence and eventually settled in defensive midfield where he has enjoyed most of his success with Melbourne Victory and the Australian National Team.[1]

Club career

Overseas ambitions

FourFourTwo magazine revealed on 28 July 2007 that after the Asian Cup Milligan had gone without Sydney FC's permission to trial for teams in Europe.[2] Milligan was linked with French sides FC Metz and RC Lens. The following day Milligan reportedly walked out on Metz just before a scheduled trial game appearance against Standard Liege, allegedly out of frustration at the right-back position he would be trialled in.[3] The following day it was reported that Milligan would return home to play for Sydney FC after all.[4][5]

He was linked with a move to English Premier League clubs Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City and Arsenal, as well as RC Lens in France's Ligue 1, and more recently with FC Porto in the Portuguese Liga and Bundesliga side Werder Bremen, during the summer of 2008 despite obvious issues surrounding his eligibility to play in Europe due to his non-EU status.

Back to Australia

On 21 October 2008, The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Milligan signed a guest contract with Newcastle United Jets for seven weeks. He made his debut on 24 October 2008, against Central Coast Mariners at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford, where his team lost 1–0. During this time he was also sent off in a match against the Wellington Phoenix.

Playing in China

Milligan joined Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua in January 2009, signing a three-year contract.[6]

On 19 May, Milligan scored his first goal for Shanghai Shenhua in their 1–1 draw in the AFC Champions League group stage match against Kashima Antlers.

Playing in Japan

Milligan finalised his switch from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua to Japanese side JEF United Chiba, who were relegated to the second division.[7]

When the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck Japan, Milligan decided to flee the country, fearing for the safety of not only himself, but his wife and child.[8] With the J-League and J. League Division 2 suspended until further notice, JEF United Chiba gave permission for Milligan to train in a bid to keep his fitness up with his former A-League club Sydney FC.[9]

Melbourne Victory

Mark Milligan training with Melbourne Victory in 2013.

On 23 January 2012 it was reported that Melbourne Victory was to secure Milligan on loan until the end of the regular season.[10] It was confirmed on 24 January that Milligan signed for a loan deal to Melbourne Victory until the end of the 2011–12 A-League season, becoming the first Sydney FC player to switch to Melbourne Victory.[11] He returned to Japan in March.[12] In July 2012, Milligan was released from JEF United Chiba and returned to Melbourne Victory by signing a three-year contract.[13] On 17 September 2013, Milligan was appointed the captain of Melbourne Victory, replacing Adrian Leijer. Mark was also rumoured to be leaving Melbourne Victory to join fellow national team midfielder Mile Jedinak at newly promoted Premier league club Crystal Palace, however Melbourne Victory rejected a rumoured 2,000,000 pound offer for the defensive midfielder.[14][15]

International career

Mark Milligan training with the Olyroos.

Milligan represented Australia at the 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship in the Netherlands. In May 2006, he was the youngest player selected in the Australian 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, being one of only two players chosen from the A-League – the other being Michael Beauchamp. Milligan had impressed coaches Graham Arnold and Johan Neeskens at a recent camp in Vietnam, while Guus Hiddink also recalled watching Milligan at the World Youth Championship.

Milligan made his senior international debut against Liechtenstein on 7 June 2006, coming off the bench in the 85th minute of Australia's last warm-up game before the World Cup. He did not play in any of Australia's four World Cup games in Germany. His first start came against Kuwait in an Asian Cup qualifier on 16 August 2006. His next appearance was on 7 October 2006 in a friendly against Paraguay as a late substitute.

In February 2007, Milligan was named as captain of the Australian U-23 side, the 'Olyroos', for two Olympic qualifying games against Chinese Taipei. He sustained a broken nose in an 'off-the-ball' incident during the second qualifier.

Throughout 2007, Milligan led the Olyroos to Olympic qualification and was the key influential figure in their final games against Iraq and North Korea, scoring in each game and taking the man of the match award in both.

On 3 March 2010, Milligan scored his first international goal for the Socceroos against Indonesia in a 2011 Asian Cup Qualifiers played at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. This being the only goal in the match with Australia winning 1–0 and then qualifying for the 2011 competition.

On 11 March 2010, Milligan was named in the 31 man squad named by Pim Verbeek for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. His 2010 FIFA World Cup profile described him as "[a] mobile defender with good ball skills and an ability to play a raking pass."[16]

2007 Asian Cup

Milligan was selected in the Australian squad for the 2007 Asian Cup. During the tournament, Milligan was selected to play in the starting line-up for Australia against co-host nation Thailand in the final game of the group matches. Australia won 4–0 and advanced to the quarter finals of the competition with Milligan putting in what was widely regarded as a Man of the Match performance in the centre of a three man defence.

On 21 July 2007, in the quarter-final against Japan, Milligan was unfortunate in failing to clear a ball from the penalty area that saw striker Naohiro Takahara pounce and score an equaliser. The game ended 1–1 and Australia was eliminated from the Cup on penalties.

In February 2008, he was selected for the first World Cup Qualifier against Qatar but pulled out of the squad with a broken nose that he accidentally sustained in training.

Career statistics

All-Time Club Performance
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App  Goals
Northern Spirit 2002 3 0 - - - - 3 0
2003 13 1 - - - - 13 1
Total 161----161
Blacktown City Demons 2004 9 5 - - - - 9 5
Total 95----95
Sydney FC 05-06 10 1 3 0 - - 13 1
06-07 17 0 3 1 5 0 25 1
07-08 15 0 2 0 - - 17 0
Total 4218150552
Newcastle Jets 08-09 11 1 - - - - 11 1
Total 111----111
Shanghai Shenhua 2009 25 1 - - 5 1 30 2
Total 251--51302
JEF United Chiba 2010 15 0 - - - - 15 0
2011 29 1 2 0 - - 31 1
2012 9 2 - - - - 9 2
Total 53320--553
Melbourne Victory 11–12 10 1 - - - - 10 1
12–13 20 8 2 1 - - 17 7
Total 3210----3210
Career Totals 166 13 10 1 10 1 186 15

Honours

Australia Sydney FC
  • A-League Championship: 2005–06
  • Oceania Club Championship: 2004–05

References

  1. ↑ "Milligan's Socceroos midfield push", 5 May 2012, SBS "The World Game" website. Retrieved 22 March 2013
  2. ↑ "Spike goes AWOL for Metz trial", 28 July 2007
  3. ↑ "Milligan Missing – Again", 30 July 2007; SBS The World Game website . Retrieved 30 July 2007
  4. ↑ "Milligan set to stay with SFC", 31 July 2007 Four Four Two Magazine. Retrieved 1 August 2007
  5. ↑ "One out, one back", 2 August 2007, SBS "The World Game" website. Retrieved 2 August 2007
  6. ↑ "Milligan seals Shanghai switch". Canberra Times. 30 January 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009. 
  7. ↑ Cockerill, Michael (22 December 2009). "Mariners lure big fish with $20 million HQ". The Sydney Morning Herald. 
  8. ↑ "Quake refugee Milligan finds silver lining at Sky Blues". The Daily Telegraph. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011. 
  9. ↑ "JEF United player Mark Milligan cautious about return to Japan". Sydney Morning Herald. 23 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2011. 
  10. ↑ "Victory poised for loan deal with Socceroos defender". Herald Sun. 23 January 2012. Retrieved 23 January 2012. 
  11. ↑ "Victory Ink Milligan Deal". FourFourTwo Australia. 24 January 2012. Retrieved 24 January 2012. 
  12. ↑ "Mark Milligan exits with pride intact". Herald Sun. 26 March 2012. Retrieved 9 April 2012. 
  13. ↑ "Victory confirm Milligan return". Football Federation Australia. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 11 July 2012. 
  14. ↑ http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbournevictory/news-display/Milligan-to-lead-Victory-forward/75069
  15. ↑ http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/socceroo-mark-milligan-confirmed-as-melbourne-victory-skipper-for-2013-2014-a-league-season/story-e6frfkp9-1226720813842
  16. ↑ "Player Profile". www.fifa.com. Retrieved 13 October 2013. 

External links

Melbourne Victory FC – current squad
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