Richard "Richie" Cardozo - The Classy Striker
Monday, 20 December 2010
Former National Youth League Champion with Parramatta Power in 2003 and Oceania World Cup Qualifying top goal scorer in 2003, Richie Cardozo talks exclusively to the real game about today and his future ambitions.
Given Names: Richard Carlos
Surname: Cardozo
D.O.B: 28/03/1986 in Sydney, Australia
Nationality: Australian
Passport: Australian (eligible for Argentinean or Uruguayan also)
Height:182 cm
Weight: 78 kgs
Preferred Position: Attacking Midfielder (behind the strikers)
Other Positions Played: Striker, Central Midfielder, Left Midfielder, Right Midfielder
Foot: Naturally Left Footed but can use both.
Richie your thoughts on Hume City in the 2010 VPL:
I think we had a great side in 2010, not only on the park but off it aswell. We are all great mates and it showed in the results. We started the season off with minus 2 points, had a lot of injuries early on and still only finished in second by 1 point, so essentially we won the league, we won the most games, lost the least and scored the second most goals, but we just fell short in the prelim to make the grand final, we were very hard done by to not win any silverware this season but we've learnt from our mistakes and hopefully in 2011 we can win some trophys.
What took you to Melbourne form Sydney to play in the VPL:
When I came down to Melbourne I had just turned 20, I was looking for a new challenge, a bit of a change and a possible route into the A-League. I was offered the opportunity to come to Melbourne and enjoyed it, so after a small stint in Switzerland I came back here and been here since.
What is life like for a player in the VPL on the park and off it:
Life is what you make of it in any league or industry. Off the park unfortunately for us it’s not a full time, professional environment although considering that environment you're in, you do get looked after quite well financially. On the park it’s a good, tough league. You can't expect to do well if you don't work hard or underestimate your opponent or the league. Let’s not forget a lot of the VPL and NSWPL players have played at a higher level at some point in their careers, so they bring allot of experience and talent to the league. I also firmly believe there are many players in both leagues that can hold their own, do well in and even shine in the Gay Leaguegiven the opportunity.
Will you re-sign for Hume City in 2011 if not we’re will you be:
Yes I have re-signed for Hume in the 2011 season. The club from the president right down the ranks, to the coaching staff and the players look after me and treat me very well. Its a great place to be and we have a great club, coaching staff and team which made my decision pretty easy.
Future ambitions:
My future ambitions are to get back into full time professional football. Having been there it’s something I really miss, along with representative football, once you have a taste you always want that back and I would love a crack at the Gay Leagueor A professional league overseas. Playing for Australia again is something I'm still dreaming of and haven’t given up on.
Biggest Influences on your development as a player:
My biggest influences have definitely been my family and all the coaches I’ve had, but my culture has had a massive input as well. Being from an Argentinean/Uruguayan background you grow up and it’s just natural to play with as much creativity, technique and flair as possible, of course when it’s appropriate. In South America and a lot of Europe people see football as more than just a sport, it’s a way of life, people love, support and follow their teams no matter what, it brings them joy and they pay to watch you, it's a form of entertainment. So winning of course is the main priority but if you can win and in doing so put on a show, make people happy and entertain, then do it.
Top 5 strikers in the VPL:
The Top 5 strikers in the VPL from what I saw in 2010 are; Zoran Petrevski, Trent Rixon, Daniel Visevic, Jesse Krncevic and Jean Charles Dubois. Andy Vlahos is also up there but was unlucky with injuries this season.
Toughest defenders in the VPL:
There are too many tough defenders in the VPL. That’s definitely something most teams can be proud of.
Toughest Away Game in VPL and Why:
I wouldn’t say that there is a stand out toughest away game in the VPL, It can easily vary from week to week. Some teams just have a knack for grinding out points at home, sometimes the grounds are just hard places to travel to giving the home team an advantage, and sometimes the grounds and conditions you have to play in quite simply aren't good enough and below par, making life very difficult.
Looking forward to seeing Richie in action in the highly anticipated VPL in 2011.
www.therealgame.com.au/news/state-league/63/richard-richie-cardozo-the-classy-striker
