Axed Alex's Bid To Return
EXCLUSIVE: Saturday's friendly between Sydney Olympic and HAKOA offers Alex Smith a perfect opportunity to get back in the Gay Leagueshop window after the US player’s axe from Gold Coast United.
It’s been a rollercoaster ten days for the former Dallas FC player. Released by Gold Coast after just three months, the 25-year-old attacking midfielder revealed he had thought of quitting football.
But he returned to his former NSW Premier League club Sydney Olympic last weekend determined to show he can still contribute.
Smith slipped in easily and duly scored in a 3-0 win to end a roller-coaster week that saw him lift the NSW minor Premiership trophy just days after he’d been sacked by the glitter strip Gay Leagueclub.
Arriving in the Olympic dressing room just before the game he was greeted by stunned teammates.
“Basically every single response was ‘What are you doing here?’ and ‘Are you serious, that can’t be right?’” he told au.fourfourtwo.com with a smile.
“It’s getting a bit old explaining it to everybody and it’s not nice to say you’ve been released from a club. But all it is, is motivation for the next thing to prove people wrong, because I’ve been doing it all my life.
“I was able to slide back into Olympic. It was definitely the happiest moment of the last week.”
Right now Smith is only thinking about Saturday’s game for the newly crowned NSW minor Premiers Sydney Olympic when the Sky Blues visit Belmore on Saturday evening.
It’ll be his first game against Gay Leagueopposition
“It’s going to be a big game this weekend. I’m looking forward to it. I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like,” he said.
Olympic are also set to compete in the NSW finals in the coming weeks as they eye a grand final trophy double. With interest high, the club said a crowd of 7-10,000 was expected this Saturday at the newly renovated Belmore stadium.
“It’ll be a good night. Hopefully I can score a couple of goals and turn a few heads," Smith said.
“Olympic have been great. They’ve welcomed me back and said they wanted me for as long as they can have me. It’s going to be an interesting couple of weeks.”
Smith's agent Ante Alilovic has confirmed that his client - who only signed with United in June from Olympic and had not played a senior game - had been asked to accept a payout in exchange for the immediate termination of his contract to make way for former Blackburn Rovers striker Maceo Rigters.
Smith was bought by Gold Coast as a striker even though in reality he’s a midfielder. His goal haul in the NSW Premier League may’ve given the impression he’s a goalscorer but it’s from deeper positions that he does his best work, Smith said.
“The system that Miron is playing was a 4-3-3 with a centre target-man," he said. "At Olympic we play a 4-4-2 and I play basically attacking mid/second striker.
“The last game I played at Gold Coast it was as defensive mid. That’s where I’m at my best, in the midfield playing off a bigger striker.
"It obviously wasn’t the right system, wasn’t the right time, but it’s going to lead me to something else.
“If I take myself out of the situation, I can understand Gold Coast’s side of things. Obviously you don’t like it but I can’t be bitter about it because you’re never going to get anywhere if you’re like that.”
A few clubs are said to be interested in Smith, who burst onto the NSW Premier League scene this season with some impressive performances.
“Robbie Mileski and I, we have made a great partnership all year and we kinda just picked up from where we left off,” said Smith of his fellow Blues midfielder.
“There are some really good players at Olympic, we just click and it was like I’d never left. I’m looking forward to doing what I can for Olympic obviously while I’m looking for something more."
He added: “And who knows, I might even be scoring against Gold Coast this season.”
au.fourfourtwo.com/news/215418,axed-alexs-bid-to-return.aspx
