He may be closing in on his 30th birthday, but Archie Thompson believes he could be tormenting opposition defences for another decade after committing to Melbourne Victory for another two years.
He may be closing in on his 30th birthday, but Archie Thompson believes he could be tormenting opposition defences for another decade after committing to Melbourne Victory for another two years.
The dynamic striker will be 32 when his latest two-year-deal concludes, but he has no intentions of setting a retirement date just yet. With his customary grin, and tongue firmly in cheek, he suggested he could still be playing when he is 40.
“Maybe until I’m 40. I’ve got plenty of run in my legs. Football is all I know. I’m going to try to keep my body in the best shape that I can. I’m still flying and I’m almost 30. I’ve got a good couple of years left in me,” he said.
Thompson has had a tough run with injuries in the past six months, tearing ligaments in his knee when playing for the Socceroos in March and then suffering an ankle injury during the Olympic campaign. But he is not deterred by those setbacks and said that physically he is in the best shape of his career.
“It hasn’t been from strains or muscle pulls. I haven’t had one of those for a long time. It’s just tackles. I’m probably not jumping out of tackles as quick as I used to. My body’s in good shape,” he said.
Coach Ernie Merrick agrees, saying that modern fitness and medical methods will only prolong players’ careers as well as the less hectic 21-game Hyundai A-League season.
“That’s the modern game, with modern training and modern sports medicine. (Kevin) Muscat and Archie were two of our highest scorers on our testing last week. The training will allow players to go much longer,” he said.
Also at the forefront of Thompson’s mind is getting the attention of Socceross coach Pim Verbeek. With World Cup qualification currently underway, Verbeek has said he wants to see Thompson get back to his best. And there’s nothing Thompson would love more than to get another chance in a Socceroos shirt.
“Definitely. If I keep my body right if I play some exciting football, then it’s up to Pim really. I’m always going to have my hand up for the Socceroos,” he said.
“We’ve recruited well and we’ve got some good players up front. If I can keep scoring goals and doing well with Melbourne Victory, I’m hopeful I’ll be back in the Socceroos mix.”
Merrick said he has seen considerable improvement in his marquee man and that he is a much more rounded player than when he arrived.
“I think there’s no question that when we signed him, he was an exciting player. I personally love one-on-one players, someone that can take on a defender in and around the box, and scores goals. I think his whole game has improved from his closing down in the front third to his playing on other players,” Merrick said.
Football operations manager Gary Cole is less reserved in his appraisal of Thompson’s impact in his three and a bit years so far at the club.
“For me, he’s been the best striker, if not the best player in the league in the past three seasons, without a doubt,” he said.
