Robbie Kruse
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Robbie Thomas Kruse | ||
| Height | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Fortuna Düsseldorf | ||
| Number | 23 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Albany Creek | |||
| 2004–2005 | QAS | ||
| 2005–2006 | AIS | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2007–2009 | Brisbane Roar | 28 | (4) |
| 2009–2011 | Melbourne Victory | 39 | (16) |
| 2011– | Fortuna Düsseldorf | 8 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2004–2005 | Australia U-17 | 11 | (3) |
| 2006 | Australia U-20 | 8 | (0) |
| 2011– | Australia | 12 | (2) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 11:03, 4 October 2011 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 03:10, 11 October 2011 (UTC) | |||
Robbie Thomas Kruse (born 5 October 1988) is an Australian footballer who currently plays as a forward for German side Fortuna Düsseldorf in the 2. Bundesliga and the Australian national team. He began his career with A-League sides Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory before moving to Fortuna.
Club career
Brisbane Roar
Recruited in 2006 by Miron Bleiberg, Kruse was injured during an otherwise successful Hyundai A-League preseason during training.[1] He scored on debut against Template:ALeague WP on 5 October 2007, his nineteenth birthday, with what was to be the winning goal for that game.[2][3]
On 19 October 2007, Kruse struck against the Newcastle Jets for his second goal of his A-League career.[4] On 16 November, he got his third with an excellent curling effort to the far post as Queensland beat Melbourne 1–0.[5]
Kruse and his close friend Michael Zullo formed a good partnership with each playing either side of a striker in a three-man attack for Queensland which coincided with a seven match unbeaten streak.[6]
Kruse's place in Roar's starting line-up was in jeopardy at the beginning of the 2008 A-league season after he was involved in an altercation outside a Queensland nightspot. The fight resulted in Kruse needing stitches and the then-19-year-old incurring the wrath of club coach Frank Farina.[7][8]
Melbourne Victory
Kruse was linked to a move to reigning A-league premiers Melbourne Victory following the departure of Melbourne striker Danny Allsopp to Qatar club Al-Rayyan.[9] On 10 September 2009, it was confirmed that Kruse had left the Roar for Melbourne Victory.[10]
Kruse made his first appearance for the Victory on 13 September 2009 against Wellington Phoenix after replacing Ney Fabiano at the 58th minute. He scored his first goal for the Victory in the 4–0 demolition of Gold Coast United on 28 November 2009.
A highlight of Kruse's professional career was when he scored a first half hat trick on 16 January 2010 against the Perth Glory.[11] The Victory went on to win 6–2 as the Glory had no answer for Kruse's pace and well timed runs. His fifth goal came against Sydney FC in the major semi final when a well executed backward chip left Clint Bolton no chance as it tore in to the top right corner. His sixth goal for Melbourne came against Gold Coast United when he rounded goalkeeper and former teammate Glen Moss to slide the ball into the open net.
At Victory, Kruse was known for turning his career around through his development and change of attitude, no longer getting caught up in off-field incidents like he did whilst in Brisbane, and taking his footballing potential much more seriously.
Fortuna Düsseldorf
Following his form for the Victory, Kruse signed with German side Fortuna Düsseldorf on a three year contract beginning with the 2011–12 season.[12] He made his competitive debut for the club on 24 July 2011 in a league match against SC Paderborn 07, making a substitute appearance in the second half.[13]
International career
On 28 December 2010, following his impressive level of play in the A-League Kruse was selected in the Australian national team's 23-man squad for the 2011 Asian Cup. On 5 January 2011, he made his Socceroos debut, coming off the bench against UAE in a pre-Asian Cup friendly match. On 25 January 2011, Kruse scored his first international goal, in a 6–0 victory over Uzbekistan in the semi final of the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. In the final of the competition, Kruse made a substitute appearance and almost scored a header with his first touch of the ball. Australia lost the final 1–0 in extra time.
Kruse scored his second international goal in a friendly match against Wales on 10 August 2011, which Australia won 2–1.[14]
| International appearances and goals | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Result | Goals | Competition |
| 2011 | ||||||
| 1. | 5 January 2011 | Al Ain, United Arab Emirates |  United Arab Emirates |
0–0 | 0 | Friendly |
| 2. | 18 January 2011 | Doha, Qatar |  Bahrain |
1–0 | 0 | 2011 AFC Asian Cup |
| 3. | 25 January 2011 | Doha, Qatar |  Uzbekistan |
6–0 | 1 | 2011 AFC Asian Cup |
| 4. | 29 January 2011 | Doha, Qatar |  Japan |
0–1 | 0 | 2011 AFC Asian Cup |
| 5. | 29 March 2011 | Mönchengladbach, Germany |  Germany |
2–1 | 0 | Friendly |
| 6. | 5 June 2011 | Adelaide, Australia |  New Zealand |
3–0 | 0 | Friendly |
| 7. | 7 June 2011 | Melbourne, Australia |  Serbia |
0–0 | 0 | Friendly |
| 8. | 10 August 2011 | Cardiff, Wales |  Wales |
2–1 | 1 | Friendly |
Career statistics
| Club | Season | League1 | Cup | International2 | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Template:ALeague BR | 2006–07 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 2007–08 | 17 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 6 | |
| 2008–09 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2009–10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | |
| Template:ALeague MV | 20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 24 | 5 | |
| 2010–11 | 19 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 23 | 11 | |
| Fortuna Düsseldorf | 2011–12 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 67 | 20 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 86 | 23 | |
1 – includes A-League final series statistics
2 – includes FIFA Club World Cup statistics; AFC Champions League statistics are included in season commencing after group stages (i.e. ACL and A-League seasons etc.)
Honours
Personal Honours:
- Melbourne Victory Young Player of the Year: 2009–10
References
- ^ "Phoenix ready to samba". tvnz.co.nz. 13 Jul 2007. Retrieved 9 August 2011.
- ^ "Debutant Kruse seals win for Roar". smh.com.au. 5 October 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Ritson, Jon (5 October 2007). "Brissie Boys Grab First Home Win". fourfourtwo.com. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Jets and Roar draw". foxsports.com.au. 19 October 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Victory fear deja-vu after another loss". theage.com.au. 18 November 2007. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ Davis, Greg (17 November 2007). "Robbie Kruse is Roar talent". couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Robbie Kruse risks Roar future after late-night punch-up". couriermail.com.au. 5 November 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Punched Roar winger Robbie Kruse warned on clubbing". couriermail.com.au. 6 August 2008. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Allsopp joins Qatar's Al-Rayyan". melbournevictory.com.au. 8 September 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Robbie Kruse leaves Brisbane Roar to join Melbourne". couriermail.com.au. 10 September 2009. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Robbie Kruse's hat-trick seals 6–2 for Melbourne Victory". heraldsun.com.au. 17 January 2010. Retrieved 10 August 2011.
- ^ "Kruse Completes Fortuna Deal". Australian FourFourTwo. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 26 March 2011.
- ^ "Aussies Abroad Weekend Wrap". FourFourTwo. 25 July 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
- ^ "Cahill, Kruse goals sink Wales". The World Game. SBS. 11 August 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2011.
External links
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