Tando Velaphi
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Tando Yuji Velaphi[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 17 April 1987 | ||
| Place of birth | Perth, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Goalkeeper | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Melbourne Heart | ||
| Number | 20 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Perth SC | |||
| 2004–2006 | AIS | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2006–2007 | Perth SC | 12 | (0) |
| 2007 | → Queensland Roar (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2007–2011 | Perth Glory | 74 | (0) |
| 2011–2013 | Melbourne Victory | 3 | (0) |
| 2013– | Melbourne Heart | 0 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2006 | Australia U-20 | 6 | (0) |
| 2007 | Australia U-23 | 7 | (0) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 5 December 2013. † Appearances (Goals). | |||
Tando Yuji Velaphi (born 17 April 1987) is an Australian football (soccer) player who currently plays for Melbourne Heart in the Australian A-League.[2]
Club career
Velaphi trained at the AIS in Canberra on a football scholarship. He began his senior career at Perth SC, and while there, had loan stints at Newcastle Jets and Queensland Roar. He made his A-League debut with Queensland on 12 January 2007 in a 2–1 win over Melbourne Victory at Docklands Stadium, his performance in the match earning praise from then-Queensland coach Frank Farina.[3]
Velaphi was re-signed for Perth Glory as their youth marquee player, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2010/2011 season. The 2009/10 season was Tando's best to date, solidifying his spot between the posts and keeping 9 clean sheets over the course of the campaign.
On 8 February 2011, Melbourne Victory announced that they had signed Velaphi on a two-year deal from Perth Glory on a free transfer.[4] He made his début for the Victory in the 2011 AFC Champions League on 5 April, in a 1–1 draw against Tianjin Teda.[5] He managed to play 4 out of the Victory's 6 Asian Champions League games. Unfortunately for Tando, he suffered an injury in the pre-season, just after the AFC Champions League, causing him to sit out for the vast majority of the season. He made his official A-League debut for the Victory in Round 26, the penultimate round of the season against the Wellington Phoenix at AAMI Park, a match in which the Victory won 3-0. He appeared in the following round against Perth Glory at Nib Stadium, but the Victory slumped to a 4-2 defeat.
Velaphi made his first appearance of the 2012-13 A-League season in the Victory's Round 3 match against Adelaide United, a match which the Victory won 2-1. He was then replaced in the starting lineup by Nathan Coe, and failed to make another appearance in the season.
Velaphi, along with teammates Diogo Ferreira, Spase Dilevski and Sam Gallagher were released by Melbourne Victory in April 2013, shortly after the end of the 2012-13 A-League season.[6] In his three years at the club, Velaphi made just 3 out of a possible 56 appearances for the club.
Following his release from the Victory, he joined cross town rivals Melbourne Heart on a one year deal.
International career
Velaphi played for the Young Socceroos, playing in the 2006 AFC Youth Championship and is currently a member of the Olyroos. Due to the withdrawal of first-choice Olyroos goalkeeper Danny Vukovic through suspension, Velaphi was competing with Reading back-up keeper, Adam Federici to become the Olyroos' starting goalkeeper at the Football at the 2008 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament, but made no appearances for the Olyroos
Tando revealed in January 2010 that his long-term ambition is to leave Australia and play regular football in Europe, in the hopes of securing a place on Australia's 2014 World Cup roster.[7]
Personal life
Velaphi was born in Perth, Western Australia. His father is Zimbabwean, and his mother is Japanese.[8][9]
Career statistics
- As of 4 July 2012
| Club | Season | League | Finals | Asia | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | CS | Apps | CS | Apps | CS | Apps | CS | ||
| Queensland Roar | 2006–07 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||
| Perth Glory | 2007–08 | 8 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||
| 2008–09 | 13 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | |||
| 2009–10 | 24 | 9 | 1 | 0 | — | 25 | 9 | ||
| 2010–11 | 28 | 5 | — | — | 28 | 5 | |||
| Total | 74 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 | 15 | |
| Melbourne Victory | 2011–12 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 2012-13 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| Melbourne Heart | 2013-14 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||
| Total | 77 | 15 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 81 | 15 | |
References
- ↑ Tando Yuji Velaphi at Eurosport
- ↑ http://m.goal.com/x/en-au/news/4141906
- ↑ "Farina's praise for kid gloves Velaphi". The Sydney Morning Herald. 15 January 2011. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ↑ Victory snaps up Velaphi
- ↑ Twomey, Liam (12 April 2011). "Velaphi loving life at Victory". Sportal. Retrieved 10 May 2011.
- ↑ http://www.melbournetimesweekly.com.au/story/1443848/ferreira-and-dilevski-among-four-cut-loose-by-victory/?cs=12
- ↑ Tando Velaphi looks to 2014 World Cup
- ↑ "Danny Vukovic fails in bid to go to Beijing". Herald Sun. 5 March 2008. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
- ↑ AAP (11 January 2007). "Nervous Tando steps in for Roar". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 29 January 2011.
External links
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