Last Tuesday Valencia announced the signing of Australian goalkeeper Mat Ryan from Club Brugge on a six-year-deal. With the Australian custodian making a successful debut for the club on Saturday night in a friendly against Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven, Outside90’s Andrew Ryan takes a look at what Los Che fans can expect from the Socceroo goalkeeper.
Ryan began his professional career at the Central Coast Mariners where he came up through the youth from 2009. After keeping a record 12 clean sheets in his debut season, many tipped the young Aussie to for success and a place as one of the next stars for the Australian national team. The impact he had in 2010-11 saw him named the NAB Young Soccer Player of the Month for December as well as being the recipent of the Joe Marston Medal following a penalty shootout defeat to Brisbane in the 2012 Hyundai A-League grand final
In 2013, following his highly rated years at the Mariners, Ryan earned himself a move to Belgian side Club Brugge. In almost poetic fashion, he kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 win over Sporting Charleroi in his debut and over the next year, his performances reached a level that had European and English giants Liverpool looking at the young goalkeeper.
This was also the year in which Ryan became the first choice goalkeeper for the Australian national team. He had previously earned a call-up to the Socceroos for the World Cup Qualifiers in February 2012, but did not make an appearance until December of that year in an East Asian Cup game against North Korea.
However, following embarrassing defeats to Brazil and France, manager Holger Osieck was sacked from the Australian national team and Ryan was made No.1 in October 2013. The young man, still not 23 at this stage, played every game in the green and gold at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he unfortunately conceded nine goals as the side were eliminated at the group stages.
At the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Ryan again played every single minute for the history making Socceroos run, and was named goalkeeper of the tournament for his performances. 2015 also marked the year that he made his move to Spanish outfit Valencia, with the 23-year-old signing a six-year-deal on the 21st of July.
Ryan has already earned numerous honours during his short career, part of the Central Coast Mariners side which clinched the A-League Premiership in 2011-12, as well as the Championship in 2013. From there, hehas earned a Belgian Cup Winners’ Medal at Club Brugge in 2014-15. Alongside the Joe Marston medal, his individual highlights include back-to-back A-League Young Player of the Year awards and two Belgium Pro-League Goalkeeper of the Year awards.
It is perfectly clear that Valencia have signed themselves a top class, if inexperienced goalkeeper in Ryan. The 23-year-old boasts the honours listed above, and is also able to call himself an established international. The deal with Valencia is one which has garnered little traction over the past week, though this comes as no surprise. Ryan finds himself as part of the same generation as goalkeepers such as Iker Cssillas, Gianluigi Buffon, Joe Hart, David De Gea, Petr Cech, Thibaut Courtois, Keylor Navas and many other extremely talented names. However, despite his relatively unknown status and, Ryan should find no problem with establishing himself among some of Europe’s best shot-stoppers.
PSV Eindhoven vs Valencia 0-1 All Goals… by Pewdiepie2011
Only time will tell just how good this young Australian can be, but, if his career up to this point is any indication, the Socceroo No.1 has a very special career ahead of him, with the next chapter set to be written at the it may be the Nuno Espirito Santo, Valencia CF and the fans which will clamour into the Mestalla next season to see him will be able to feast their eyes on something truly special.
It all began Saturday night with a clean sheet in the friendly 1-0 victory over Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. Mathew Ryan will be sure to want to make a very good impression on the Valencia faithful. Whether he demonstrates his obvious goalkeeping ability or not, Mathew Ryan is sure to have a very bright future ahead of him.
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