Terry Antonis

Lefteris "Terry" Antonis (Greek: Λευτέρης "Τέρι" Αντώνης;[3] born 26 November 1993) is an Australian association football player who plays for the Suwon Samsung Bluewings as a midfielder.

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]
Position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Suwon Samsung Bluewings
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)
2018–2019 Melbourne Victory 40 (5)
2019– Suwon Samsung Bluewings 27 (0)
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 19 April 2019
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 January 2016

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

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, and is of Greek descent.

He first received media attention in Australia at the age of 10 by winning a football talent competition on the Channel 7 television show Today Tonight, which resulted in 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]

Antonis holds both an Australian and 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 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, Sydney signed him to a 3-year contract .[13] Antonis made his competitive debut for Sydney FC in a 2–1 loss to Wellington Phoenix on 11 September 2010. 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 thwarted his move overseas. In February 2014, he scored against Perth Glory in his first game 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] 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 was 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] but was not signed.

At the conclusion of the 2012–13 season, Antonis was approached by Dutch club FC Utrecht for a trial, but signed a four-year deal with Italian Serie A club Parma instead[20] after Parma triggered a release clause in his contract with Sydney.[21] However, the deal never went through and Antonis returned to Sydney FC.[22]

PAOK

The 21-year-old returned to Sydney from 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 an 84th-minute replacement for Giannis Mystakidis.

Loan to Veria

After failing to break into the starting team at PAOK, Antonis moved to Greek Super League outfit Veria FC, coached by Georgios Georgiadis, a former PAOK favourite as a player.[24][25] Antonis signed a one-year loan deal with Veria on 31 August 2016.[26] He made his first appearance on 16 October 2016 as an 88th-minute substitute for Sisinio González Martínez in an away match at Atromitos.[27]

Loan to Western Sydney Wanderers

As at PAOK, he struggled to break into a starting position, and was returned to Paok only to be immediately loaned to Western Sydney Wanderers FC for the remainder of the 2016–17 A-League season.[28] He made his debut for the Wanderers in an away match against the Brisbane Roar on 28 January 2017 as a 77th minute substitute for Mitch Nichols.[29]

VVV-Venlo

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

Melbourne Victory

Released by VVV-Venlo on 3 January 2018 without having made a single league appearance for the club, Antonis then signed a 2.5-year contract with Melbourne Victory of the A-League[31] where he made 40 appearances before moving on yet again, to Suwon Samsung Bluewings of the K-League.

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 10 September 2020
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 1710050221
2018–19 2642030314
Victory total4352080535
Suwon Samsung Bluewings 2019 K League 1 904000130
2020 1202021161
Bluewings total 2106021291
Career total 1491115113317715

Honours

Club
Melbourne Victory
Suwon Samsung Bluewings

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. Tugwell, Nikki (25 October 2005). "Football Freak". The Daily Telegraph.
  7. "Tyro Terry ready to bend it for Beckham". The 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.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  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".
  27. "ATROMITOS VS. VERIA 1 - 0". Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  28. "Transfer news: Wanderers sign Caltex Socceroo". 30 December 2016. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  29. "BRISBANE ROAR VS. WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS 2 - 1". Retrieved 25 May 2020.
  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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