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Aaron Mooy said a meeting with Huddersfield Town chairman Dean Hoyle and manager David Wagner convinced the Australia midfielder the club wanted to sign him to play his kind of football.
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Mooy joins Huddersfield on loan
The last thing Mooy wanted, after having developed his playmaking skills at Melbourne City, was to be forced into a less dynamic, more workman-like role that would fit in with the way many Championship teams play, but stunt his growth as a footballer.
Speaking to the Huddersfield Town website in his first interview since his loan move from English Premier League giants Manchester City was announced, Mooy revealed how Hoyle and Wagner had made the 25-year-old believe it was the right club for him.
"I had a meeting with the manager and the chairman," Mooy said.
"The manager - he did a very good job of persuading me, because the way he wants to play, I think I’ll fit into that and that’s why I’m here. He’s a great man and a positive guy, what I’ve seen so far.
"I like to play on the ground and play nice football, so that’s part of the reason why I wanted to come to Huddersfield, and David, he’s in charge of implementing that style."
What did you do on your holidays?
Judging by this tweet from Sydney FC central defender Matt Jurman, he began preparing for another season of one-on-one battles with the A-League’s top strikers by wrestling with a tiger in Thailand.
Well sort of!
The word
The Warm-up asked Central Coast Mariners coach Tony Walmsley if he was disappointed or angry with winger Mitch Austin for wanting to exit his contract with the club and switch to Melbourne Victory, and how he thought the Mariners fared with Connor Pain joining them in a swap deal.
"Look, I don’t want to talk about Mitch Austin, because what I think about it is irrelevant, but what I will say is that I think Connor pain is a fantastic footballer," Walmsley said.
"He’s a full international, an Olyroo, he’s got pace and power and contributes in other areas on the pitch, so in the style of play we’re going to adopt, Connor Pain’s a fantastic fit for Central Coast Mariners and he has come to a club where he’s going to get a real opportunity to shine.
"Perhaps at Victory, because of the quality and depth of the squad they have, he didn’t get as many games as he’s going to get with us."
Banter time
Travis Dodd and Scott Jamieson are firm friends from back when Dodd was Adelaide United captain and Jamieson was a young defender there, so they can sledge each other mercilessly without taking it personally.
Well, so far anyway!
After MetroStars SC, the SA NPL side Dodd is enjoying a stint with in the twilight of his career, qualified for the FFA Cup Round of 32, the former Adelaide skipper said he wouldn’t mind drawing Jamieson’s Western Sydney Wanderers side because "I’d love nothing more than to smash him one more time".
MetroStars instead drew Victorian NPL side Bentleigh Greens, while the Wanderers will meet fellow A-League club Wellington Phoenix.
The pair caught up at the draw, where The Warm-up asked Jamieson if he would actually like to smash Dodd at some stage of the tournament.Scott Jamieson: Well, if he gets through to the next round . . . It’s a hard game they’ve got.
Travis Dodd: If we get through to the next round? You’ve got to get through to the next round.
SJ: I tell you what, the Melbourne teams are in season like yourself and they’ll provide a tough battle. I’ve seen them play, first-hand.
TD: Off you go, mate.
SJ: I’m telling you the truth, mate. I actually went and watched the MetroStars two weeks ago and the big fellow was on the bench, resting up.
TD: What happened when I came on though?
SJ: I will let the opposition know he’s not as explosive as he used to be ...
TD: Ha! Everybody knows that.
SJ: But he does have a bit of a football brain, so he’s going alright for an old fellow.
TD: Oh, thank you.
Dedication
City happily announced on Tuesday that last season’s leading goal-scorer, Bruno Fornaroli, who banged in 25 across the regular season and finals, was back at training.
Obviously, negotiations on a new, marquee-level deal for the Uruguayan are heading in the right direction.
What better way to celebrate than to hear from Adele, who compiled a pretty handy “25” herself.
Hello from the other A-League sides, Bruno.