Brendon Santalab
|
Santalab with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2013 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brendon James Santalab | ||
| Date of birth | 9 September 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)[1] | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Western Sydney Wanderers | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Unanderra Hearts | |||
| South Coast United | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2000–2001 | Parramatta Power | 8 | (1) |
| 2001–2003 | Sydney United | 28 | (7) |
| 2003 | Geylang United | 22 | (23) |
| 2003–2004 | Sydney United | 14 | (5) |
| 2004–2005 | Oostende | 22 | (3) |
| 2005–2006 | Sint-Truiden | 9 | (0) |
| 2006–2007 | → Újpest FC (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2007–2009 | Sydney FC | 23 | (4) |
| 2009 | North Queensland Fury | 0 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Chengdu Blades | 40 | (18) |
| 2012–2013 | Chongqing Lifan | 35 | (15) |
| 2013– | Western Sydney Wanderers | 75 | (32) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 25 April 2017. | |||
Brendon James Santalab (born 9 September 1982) is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a striker for A-League club Western Sydney Wanderers.
Club career
His parents are Croatian migrants. He originally started out as an apprentice at Parramatta Power before moving to Sydney United under the tutelage of Branko Culina. At the end of the 2003–04 National Soccer League season, he moved to K.V. Oostende in the Belgian First Division. After a brief stint there he moved to another Belgian First Division club K.Sint Truidense V.V. before a move to Hungary saw him play at Újpest FC for a six-month spell, but did not play in a single game whilst at the club. On 23 June 2007 it was announced he was signed by A-League club Sydney FC on a two-year contract, thus reuniting him with Branko Culina.
Santalab made 23 appearances for Sydney FC between 2007 and 2009, scoring four goals. Playing against South Australian team Adelaide United, he scored a goal from outside the box, that curled into the top corner – a goal that was later adjudged the 2007–08 season A-League goal of the year.[2] He scored another cracker against Adelaide again in the 2008–09 season at the Sydney Football Stadium, when he took a shot from 35 metres out, that slammed into the top corner. Sydney won the match 3–0. His fourth goal came during Sydney's 2–1 upset loss against Perth Glory.
On 14 November 2008, it was announced that Santalab had signed a two-year contract with then-new A-League side the North Queensland Fury for the 2009–10 season. It was announced by North Queensland, that Chinese Super League club Chengdu Blades may make an offer to him, before the start of the season.[3] North Queensland accepted an offer from Chengdu on 21 July, meaning he is the fourth Player to have left the club before their inaugural season.[4] He scored 9 goals in 12 appearances in 2009 league season.
It was announced that he has moved from Chengdu to Chongqing Lifan for the 2012 season.
It was announced that he has moved from Chongqing Lifan to Western Sydney Wanderers for the 2013 season.[5]
Santalab scored his first goal for Western Sydney Wanderers in the 7th round of the 2013–14 A-League season, losing to Brisbane Roar 3–1 at Suncorp Stadium.
On 14 May 2014, in the Asian Champions League game against Sanfrecce Hiroshima with 5 minutes to go, Santalab scored the equalising goal that sent Western Sydney Wanderers FC into the quarter finals of the AFC Champions League.[6]
In the 2014-15 A-League season, Western Sydney Wanderers neared the unwanted winless record of 19 games held by Melbourne City and the now defunct New Zealand Knights after a shocking start to the season. In the 16th round home game at Penrith Stadium against Wellington Phoenix, Santalab scored the second goal in a 2-0 win for his first of the season.
Honours
Club
- Western Sydney Wanderers
Individual
- Western Sydney Wanderers Player of the Year: 2016–17
References
- ↑ "Brendon Santalab". wswanderersfc.com.au. Retrieved 26 February 2016.
- ↑ Prichard, Greg (28 February 2008). "Loophole to shut as Griffiths nets awards". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ↑ David Williams' coincides with Brendon Santalab's likely departure
- ↑ North Queensland’s Santalab signs with Chengdu Blades
- ↑ BRENDON SANTALAB JOINS WANDERERS
- ↑