Martin Pusic

Martin Pusic

Personal information
Date of birth	(1987-10-24) 24 October 1987
Place of birth	Vienna, Austria
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Forward[1]
Club information
Current club	Esbjerg
Youth career
1998–2002	Austria Wien
2002–2005	First Vienna FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2005–2007	First Vienna FC	34	(6)
2007–2008	SK Schwadorf	25	(4)
2008–2010	FC Admira Wacker Mödling	47	(11)
2010–2011	SC Rheindorf Altach	15	(4)
2011–2012	Hull City	4	(0)
2012	Vålerenga	16	(3)
2012	Fredrikstad	10	(5)
2013–2014	Brann	27	(9)
2014–	Esbjerg	0	(0)
National team‡
2007	Austria U20	1
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 09:09, 17 January 2014 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 00:07, 28 July 2011 (UTC)

Martin Pusic (born 24 October 1987) is an Austrian footballer of Croatian origin who is currently playing for Esbjerg.

Club career

Pusic began his career in the youth team of Austria Wien. In 2004 he crossed the city to join First Vienna FC, with whom he made his professional debut in 2005, in the Austrian Regional League. His performance attracted attention from higher divisions, and in 2007 he made the switch to SK Schwadorf in the First League, the second tier of the Austrian pyramid.

In the Summer of 2008 SK Schwadorf and VfB Admira Wacker Mödling merged to form the new FC Admira Wacker Mödling, and Pusic became a regular player on their left wing. In 2008/9 he managed 24 league appearances, scoring 7 goals. The team also reached the 2009 Austrian Cup Final, which they lost 3–1 to the club where he began his career Austria Wien.

On 8 August 2010, he agreed a contract taking him to SC Rheindorf Altach, initially for only half a season, but with an option to take him through to the end of the 2010/11 season.

In July 2011, he began a trial with English Championship team Hull City. He played his first game for the club on 27 July 2011; a 3–1 win over Yorkshire rivals Bradford City, Pusic scored the final goal of the match.^[2] The club website announced on 9 August 2011 that he has signed a deal until the end of the 2011–12 season.^[3] He went on to make his debút on the same day in a 2–0 loss at home to Macclesfield Town in the League Cup First Round tie.^[4] He made his league debut on 1 October 2011 at the KC Stadium in the 2–1 win against Cardiff City.^[5] After injuries stalled his progression, Pusic was released from his contract at the KC Stadium on 9 January 2012.^[6]

On 18 March 2012 he signed a one year contract with the Norwegian club Vålerenga.^[7] He also being matchwinner in his first game, against FK Haugesund. However, after only five months in the club, his contract was mutually terminated by both parts. Vålerenga manager Martin Andresen stated at the time that the termination was a result of the fact that Pusic himself did not wish to sign a new contract with the club, combined with the fact that the club's had a full foreign player quota.^[8]

On 30 August 2012, the same day he was released from Vålerenga, he signed a short-term contract to the end of the season with the Norwegian club Fredrikstad in hope that he could save them from relegation. Although he stepped up the challenge and was hyped by the Norwegian media as Fredrikstad's potential saviour,^[9] the club was relegated in the last match of the season, losing 2–0 at home against Molde. His short-term contract expired shortly after, and was not renewed as Pusic himself did not want to play in the Adeccoliga.

On 17 January 2013, he signed with a third Norwegian club, Brann on a free transfer. He was signed as a striker to replace Brann's previous season's top scorer Kim Ojo, following his transfer to the Belgian club KRC Genk.^[10]

On 16 January 2014, he signed a three year contract with the Danish club Esbjerg fB for an unknown fee. ^[11]

National career

Whilst playing for Vienna in 2007, Pusic was called up to the Austrian U-20 squad in preparation for the U-20 World Cup in Canada^[12] and played his first and, to date, only international game for the Austrian U-20 team. He ultimately failed to make the squad for the tournament, and was not part of the team which went on to finish fourth.

Career statistics

As of 11 November 2013

Honours

• U-19 Championship First Vienna FC

References

External links

• Martin Pusic career stats at Soccerbase
• Soccerway Profile