Terry Antonis

Terry Antonis
Antonis playing for Australia U20 in 2013
Personal information
Date of birth (1993-11-26) 26 November 1993[1]
Place of birth Bankstown, Sydney, Australia
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Melbourne Victory
Number 8
Youth career
St Christopher’s
Sydney Olympic
Marconi Stallions
2007–2009 NSWIS
2009–2010 AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2010–2015 Sydney FC 69 (5)
2015–2017 PAOK 4 (0)
2016 → Veria (loan) 1 (0)
2017 → Western Sydney Wanderers (loan) 11 (1)
2017–2018 VVV-Venlo 0 (0)
2018– Melbourne Victory 17 (1)
National team‡
2008–2010 Australia U17 11 (3)
2010–2013 Australia U20 19 (2)
2016– Australia U23 3 (0)
2012– Australia 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 13 May 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2016

Lefteris "Terry" Antonis (Greek: Λευτέρης Αντώνης[3]; born 26 November 1993) is an Australian football (soccer) player who plays for the Melbourne Victory as a midfielder.

Born in Sydney, Antonis played youth football at the Australian Institute of Sport before making his professional debut for Sydney FC, aged sixteen.

Antonis has played for Australia on three occasions and was a member of the squad which won the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. He previously represented Australia frequently at youth level, including at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

A versatile player, Antonis can play as a box-to-box, holding or attacking midfielder, though he is best deployed in deeper roles, where he can create play with his extensive passing range.[4]

Early life

Antonis was born in the suburb of Bankstown, Sydney of Greek descent.

He first received media attention in Australia when he was 10 years old when he won a football talent competition on Channel 7 television show, Today Tonight, winning a trip to Madrid to make a training skills DVD with David Beckham.[5] Frank Farina, former Socceroos coach and judge of the Channel 7 competition said: "His juggling is very good, he pulled out a squash ball and started juggling that and didn't drop it once, he is very impressive."[6] He also obtained a sponsorship from Adidas because of his exceptional juggling skills.[7]

Former Australian international Alex Tobin described him as "one of the most outstanding young players that I have seen" and "of immense talent without a doubt."[6] He has also been touted as natural successor to Tim Cahill and Brett Holman in the Australian national team.[8]

In addition to holding an Australian passport, Antonis also holds a Greek passport.[9]

Early career

Antonis began his football career at St Christopher’s Soccer Club in Bankstown before moving to Sydney Olympic and Marconi.[10]

Antonis signed a five-year contract with Everton at just 14 years of age, but his contract was terminated due to FFA's implementation of FIFA's rule prohibiting the overseas transfers of players under the age of 18.[11]

Club career

Sydney FC

Antonis with Sydney FC in 2010

On 22 June 2010, he made his debut for Sydney in a friendly game against Macarthur Rams at Campbelltown Stadium.[12] Then on 5 July 2010, he signed 3-year contract by Sydney FC.[13] Antonis made his competitive debut for Sydney FC against Wellington Phoenix on 11 September 2010. The game ended with a 2-1 loss. Antonis scored his first goal for Sydney FC on 16 February 2013 against Adelaide United.

After rupturing a muscle in his thigh, Antonis was out for 9 months which denied his move overseas. He finally returned to the senior squad in February 2014, the game of his return against Perth Glory, he scored his first goal since returning from injury.

Speculation and trials

After signing with Sydney FC, he was linked with possible moves to Everton, Inter Milan and Marseille.[14] Much of the speculation was based on his close personal ties with Everton and Socceroo star Tim Cahill,[15][16] and further sparked by a 25-minute cameo in a friendly match for Sydney FC against Everton at ANZ Stadium on 10 July 2010.[17] In February 2012, Antonis reiterated his commitment to Sydney FC and the remainder of his three-year contract, stating that he is more than happy being at the club.[18]

In April 2012, Antonis travelled to Germany to trial with Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach as a potential replacement for Roman Neustadter.[19]

At the conclusion of the 2012-13 season, Antonis was approached by Dutch club FC Utrecht for a trial only for Sydney FC to accept bid from Italian Serie A club, Parma.[20] He signed a four-year deal after Parma triggered a release clause in his two-year deal.[21] The deal never went through and Antonis to Sydney FC.[22]

PAOK

The 21-year-old returned to Sydney from the Sky Blues' preseason camp on the Gold Coast with News Corp reporting a $500,000 bid for the midfielder from PAOK FC .[23]

Greek sources stated that Antonis spoke at length with former Danish international and Technical Director of PAOK Frank Arnesen on the prospects of completing the move to his ancestral country and the planning of PAOK's title aspirations that season.

Terry Antonis made his debut for PAOK in the Greek Cup match away to Chania on 3 December 2015, coming on as a 64th-minute substitute for Eyal Golasa. He made his Greek Super League debut on 21 February 2016 away to Panathinaikos as a 84th minute replacement for Giannis Mystakidis.

Loan to Veria

After struggling to find a break into the starting team at PAOK, Antonis was loaned out to battling Greek Super League outfit Veria FC which is coached by Georgios Georgiadis, a former PAOK favourite as a player and interim coach.[24][25] Antonis moved on a one year loan to Veria on 31 August 2016.[26] Terry Antonis made his first appearance for Veria on 16 October 2016 as a 88th minute substitute for Sisinio González Martínez in the Greek Super League match away to Atromitos. [27]

Loan to Western Sydney Wanderers

After facing the same problems at Veria in struggling to break into a starting position like at PAOK, he was returned straight back to them and was immediately loaned back to Australia to former Asian Champions Western Sydney Wanderers FC for the remainder of the 2016–17 A-League season.[28] Terry Antonis made his debut for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the away A-League match against the Brisbane Roar on January 28, 2017 as a 77th minute substitute for Mitch Nichols.[29]

VVV-Venlo

After his successful short-lived loan spell with WSW, On his return to Greece, PAOK made it clear to Antonis that he wasn't in their future plans and eventually On 8 July 2017, it was announced Antonis had moved to the Netherlands and signed with Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo on a two year deal.[30]

Melbourne Victory

Following his release by VVV-Venlo, on 3 January 2018, Antonis signed a 2.5 year contract with A-League club Melbourne Victory.[31]

International career

Terry Antonis playing for the Young Socceroos in 2013.

Antonis was part of the final squad for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup but he did not get any actual game time during the tournament. On 23 December 2015, Antonis was included to Australia U-23 national team manager's Aurelio Vidmar selections for Olympic Games 2016 qualifiers, which took place in Doha.[32]

Career statistics

As of 4 January 2018
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Sydney FC 2010–11 A-League 50000050
2011–12 1900000190
2012–13 1610000161
2013–14 1020000102
2014–15 1923000222
Sydney FC Total 6953000725
PAOK 2015–16 Superleague Greece 40200060
Veria (loan) 2016–17 10000010
Western Sydney Wanderers (loan) 2016–17 A-League 1110032143
VVV-Venlo 2017–18 Eredivisie 00210021
Melbourne Victory 2017–18 A-League 00000000
Career total 8567132959

Honours

Club

Melbourne Victory

Country

Australia

References

  1. ↑ "Terry Antonis". PAOK FC. Retrieved 10 July 2016.
  2. ↑ "Terry Antonis". melbournevictory.com.au. Melbourne Victory. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
  3. ↑ superleaguegreece.net ΛΕΥΤΕΡΗΣ ΑΝΤΩΝΗΣ
  4. ↑ Harrington, Anna. "Mark Milligan moves to Al-Ahli: What it means for his Socceroos prospects and Melbourne Victory". Fox Sports Australia. News Corp. Retrieved 4 April 2018.
  5. ↑ "Pack your bags, son, if you want to be the next Harry". Sunday Morning Herald. 9 September 2006.
  6. 1 2 Tugwell, Nikki (25 October 2005). "Football Freak". Daily Telegraph.
  7. ↑ "Tyro Terry ready to bend it for Beckham". Sydney Morning Herald. 17 January 2004.
  8. ↑ Sygall, David (26 October 2010). "Australia has a host of talent waiting in wings". Melbourne: The Age.
  9. ↑ Davutovic, David (17 February 2015). "Socceroos rankings rise leads young stars to English Premier League". The Australian. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 17 February 2015.
  10. ↑ Sydney FC visits St Christopher’s S.C
  11. ↑ Soccer wonder grasps dream
  12. ↑ "Sky Blues down Macarthur Rams 1-0". SydneyFC.com. 22 June 2010. Archived from the original on 1 March 2011.
  13. ↑ "Sweet Sixteen Terry Joins FC". FourFourTwo Australia. 5 June 2010. Retrieved 5 July 2010.
  14. ↑ "Everton lead the pack chasing teenage star". Brisbane Times. 26 June 2010.
  15. ↑ Young gun Antonis against hero Cahill
  16. ↑ Terry Antonis snares Tim Cahill's shirt after debut for Sydney FC against Everton
  17. ↑ Gallant Sky Blues go down 1-0 to Everton Archived 25 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine.
  18. ↑ "Sydney FC stars Terry Antonis and Mitch Mallia on A-League, FIFA 12 and more". EFTM - Everything for the man. 16 February 2012.
  19. ↑ Antonis Set for German Trial
  20. ↑ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/football/young-sydney-fc-midfielder-terry-antonis-attracts-interest-from-parma-as-alessandro-del-piero-named-player-of-the-year/story-fndcv8ir-1226616226238
  21. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 April 2013. Retrieved 18 April 2013.
  22. ↑ "Joel Griffiths to quit Sydney FC for new stint China". The Australian. 15 July 2013.
  23. ↑ "Sydney FC's Terry Antonis on verge of transfer to Greek club PAOK FC: report". 11 August 2015.
  24. ↑ "PAOK set to loan Terry Antonis out immediately to fellow Greek club Veria FC". 11 August 2015.
  25. ↑ "Antonis assured of future by PAOK". 12 August 2015.
  26. ↑ Στην Τούμπα για Βέροια ο Άντονις%5d http://inpaok.com/318039/%CE%B1%CE%BD%CF%84%CF%8E%CE%BD%CE%B7%CF%82-%CF%83%CF%84%CE%B1-%CE%B3%CF%81%CE%B1%CF%86%CE%B5%CE%AF%CE%B1-%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%B1-%CE%B2%CE%AD%CF%81%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%B1/ Στην Τούμπα για Βέροια ο Άντονις] Check |url= value (help). Missing or empty |title= (help)
  27. ↑ https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2016/10/16/greece/super-league/pae-aps-atromitos-athens/veria-fc/2361764/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  28. ↑ "Transfer news: Wanderers sign Caltex Socceroo". 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  29. ↑ https://int.soccerway.com/matches/2017/01/28/australia/a-league/brisbane-roar-fc/west-sydney-fc/2238960/. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  30. ↑ "Antonis joins Eredivisie side VVV-Venlo". The World Game. SBS. 8 July 2017.
  31. ↑ "Victory sign Antonis and Djulbic". The World Game. SBS. 3 January 2018.
  32. ↑ Antonis called up to Australia U-23 national team
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