Labinot Haliti

Last updated

Labinot Haliti
Labinot Haliti WSW.jpg
Haliti with Western Sydney Wanderers in 2013
Personal information
Full name Labinot Haliti [1]
Date of birth (1985-10-26) 26 October 1985 (age 39)
Place of birth Pristina, SFR Yugoslavia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Second striker, winger
Team information
Current team
 Sydney Olympic (head coach)
Youth career
KF 2 Korriku
Sydney Olympic
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2002–2003 Sydney Olympic 2 (0)
2003–2005 Sydney United 22 (7)
2005–2007 Newcastle Jets 27 (3)
2007 Slaven Belupo 0 (0)
2007–2008 Teuta 4 (0)
2008–2009 ŁKS Łódź 22 (0)
2009–2012 Newcastle Jets 63 (12)
2012–2015 Western Sydney Wanderers 60 (7)
2015–2017 Newcastle Jets 8 (0)
International career
2006 Australia U23 6 (0)
Managerial career
2017–2018 Newcastle Jets Youth (assistant)
2018–2019 Newcastle Jets Youth
2019–2022 Western Sydney Wanderers (assistant)
2023– Sydney Olympic
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Labinot Haliti (born 26 October 1985) is a former professional soccer player who played as a second striker or winger. Born in Yugoslavia, he represented Australia at youth level.

Contents

Early life

Haliti's was born in Pristina, [2] and fled his home country at the age of 14 with his family, arriving in Australia in 1999, where they settled in Sydney. [3]

Club career

Since arriving in Sydney, Haliti stamped himself as a potential superstar of the game with impressive stints at Sydney Olympic and Sydney United in the defunct NSL. Haliti's talent was spotted by the legendary Frank Arok, a former Yugoslav player and coach. [2] It was at Sydney Olympic where Haliti played alongside former Socceroos striker and close friend Ante Milicic, who proved influential in bringing the attacking midfielder to the Newcastle Jets in the newly formed A-League. [3]

Newcastle Jets

Haliti's impressive first season with the Jets led to much speculation about his international future, with the Albania national team and Australia U23 national team courting his services. A change in manager in his second season at Newcastle saw his opportunities decrease, and Haliti returned to Sydney United in the NSW Premier League. In June 2007, he signed for Croatian Prva HNL team NK Slaven Belupo, however, he failed to make an appearance for the club after signing for KS Teuta Durrës in the Albanian first division a month later. After a string of appearances and 3 goals, he signed for Polish Orange Ekstraklasa team Łódzki KS, where he established himself as a first team squad member.

On 26 August 2009, he was signed to a short-term deal for the Newcastle Jets as an injury replacement for Marko Jesic. [4] On 2 October 2009, Haliti extended his contract with the Jets to a two-year deal. On 3 September 2009, Haliti was included in the squad against Melbourne Victory after a late clearance from his Polish side ŁKS Łódź and the Polish Football Association. He scored with a header in the 87th minute to secure a 1–1 draw for the Jets. [5] During the 2011–12 A-League season, Labinot continued to be an integral part of the Newcastle Jets team and was a fans favourite.[ citation needed ]

Western Sydney Wanderers

On 2 July 2012, Haliti joined A-League expansion club Western Sydney Wanderers FC on a free transfer. [6]

Haliti played his first game for the new club on 6 October 2012 and it was Western Sydney Wanderers's first competitive match of any kind against reigning A-League Premiers Central Coast Mariners in the first round of the league. On 2 February, Haliti scored a historic goal against Central Coast Mariners in a top of the table clash in front of a packed house at Central Coast Stadium. Wanderers went on to claim the Premiership Plate. [7]

During the AFC Champions League campaign, Haliti was a key member of the squad playing all 14 games to the Final and ultimately winning the 2014 AFC Champions League trophy against Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia. They became the first Australian team to be crowned Asian Champions, an achievement they reached in only their first attempt in the Asian tournament. Haliti is also the first Albanian to ever win the ACL. [8]

In the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco, Haliti captained his side Wanderers for the first time against ES Sétif.

Return to Newcastle Jets

On 22 July 2015, Haliti signed a two-year deal with Newcastle Jets, back to the club where he started his A-League career. [9] On 21 October 2015 It was confirmed that Haliti would miss the remainder of the season after suffering an ACL injury in the defeat to Sydney FC. [10]

International career

Haliti holds Albanian and Australian passports, making him eligible to represent Albania and Australia.

Coaching career

While still recovering Haliti announced that he had begun studying for his coaching badges. [11] Haliti retired at the end of the 2017–18 A-League season, [12] having already taken up a position as Assistant Coach of the Newcastle Jets FC Reserves, serving under Jets CEO and head youth coach Lawrie McKinna. [13]

On 8 May 2019, it was announced that Haliti signed with the Western Sydney Wanderers as an assistant coach ahead of the 2019–20 A-League season. [14]

In 2022, Haliti was appointed head coach of Sydney Olympic FC for NPL NSW 2023 season. [15]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sydney Olympic FC</span> Football club

Sydney Olympic Football Club is an Australian semi-professional soccer club, based in Belmore, Sydney, New South Wales, that plays in the National Premier Leagues NSW. The club was founded as Pan-Hellenic Soccer Club in 1957 by Greek immigrants. In 1977, the club changed its name to Sydney Olympic and became a founding member of the Phillips Soccer League, later named the National Soccer League (NSL), the inaugural national football league of Australia, remaining a member of the competition until its demise in 2004.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lawrie McKinna</span>

Lawrie McKinna is a Scottish-Australian politician and former soccer player and coach. He is currently serving as Mayor for the Central Coast Council and is serving for the East Gosford Ward, heaving led "Team Central Coast" at the 2024 election.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Hutchinson (association footballer)</span> Maltese football player and manager (born 1979)

John Paul Hutchinson is a football manager and former player who serves as interim manager of J1 League club Yokohama F. Marinos. He played as a central midfielder for Eastern Pride, Northern Spirit, Manly United, Chengdu Blades and Central Coast Mariners, for whom he served as captain. Born in Australia, he represented the Malta national team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ante Milicic</span> Australian soccer player and manager

Ante Milicic ( AN-tay MIL-ə-chitch; Croatian: Ante Miličić ; is an Australian soccer manager and former professional player who currently is the head coach of the China women's national football team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tarek Elrich</span> Australian association football player

Tarek Elrich is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a right-back or midfielder for Parramatta FC in NSW League Two.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ante Covic</span> Australian association football player

Ante Covic is an Australian football manager and former soccer goalkeeper, and is the current manager of Bankstown City (Women) in NSW League One. Covic was a member of the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and represented Australia on two occasions. In 2014 he was named Player of the Tournament for the 2014 AFC Champions League, keeping 8 clean sheets in 12 matches with the Western Sydney Wanderers as they defeated Al-Hilal in the final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Griffiths</span> Australian soccer player and manager

Adam Griffiths is an Australian professional football manager who currently serves as the Assistant Coach of Wellington Phoenix. He is a former professional football (soccer) player and Socceroo. Since 2020 he has been Head Coach of National Premiere Leagues NSW side Manly United. In 2022 he turned a difficult season around to come 2nd in the Premiership equal on points to first but missing out by one goal difference. He then took the team into the Grand Final against Blacktown. Adam was awarded Coach of the year 2022 at the Football NSW Gold Medal Awards. In July 2022 he was appointed to the A- League as Assistant Coach under Mark Rudan at The Western Sydney Wanderers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikolai Topor-Stanley</span> Australian soccer player

Nikolai David Topor-Stanley is an Australian former soccer player who played as a centre back. He played for A-League clubs Sydney FC, Perth Glory, Newcastle Jets, Western Sydney Wanderers and Western United. He has also played in international squads, the Olyroos and Socceroos, for Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam D'Apuzzo</span> Australian soccer player

Adam Leonard D'Apuzzo is a retired Australian association football player who played as a left-back. He retired from professional football following his release from Western Sydney Wanderers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy O'Donovan</span> Irish footballer

Roy Simon O'Donovan is an Irish professional footballer who plays as a striker for National Premier Leagues Northern NSW side Newcastle Olympic FC. He has been capped by Ireland at Under-19, Under-21 and B level. O'Donovan has previously played for Cork City, Sunderland, Dundee United, Blackpool, Southend United, Hartlepool United, Coventry City, Hibernian, Northampton Town, DPMM FC, Mitra Kukar FC, Central Coast Mariners, Brisbane Roar, Newcastle Jets and Sydney Olympic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Abbas (footballer)</span> Iraqi-Australian footballer

Ali Abbas is an Iraqi-Australian footballer who last played for the Newcastle Jets in the A-League and the Iraq national team.

The Newcastle Jets 2009–10 season was the Newcastle Jets' fifth season since the inception of the A-League and ninth since the club's founding, in 2000.

Mitch Steven Baggio Cooper is a Ni-Vanuatu footballer who plays for Bayside Argonauts in the Victorian State League 1.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Sydney Wanderers FC</span> Australian professional soccer club

Western Sydney Wanderers Football Club is an Australian professional soccer club based in the Western Sydney region of Sydney, New South Wales. It competes in the country's premier competition, the A-League, under licence from the Australian Professional Leagues (APL). formerly under licence by the Football Federation Australia (FFA). The club had established itself as a major force in both Australia and Asia, having won one A-Leagues Premiership and an AFC Champions League title in its history.

The 2012–13 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season was the club's inaugural season since its establishment in 2012. The club participated in the A-League for the first time, winning the competition and finishing as runner-up in the 2013 A-League Grand Final.

The 2013–14 Western Sydney Wanderers FC season was the club's second season since its establishment in 2012. The club participated in the A-League for the second time, as well as the AFC Champions League for the first time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mario Shabow</span> Australian professional soccer player

Mario Shabow is a professional football player. He currently plays for Blacktown City FC. Born in Iraq, he has represented Australia at youth level.

The 2017–18 A-League was the 41st season of top-flight soccer in Australia, and the 13th since the establishment of the A-League in 2004. The season began on 6 October 2017 and ended with the Grand Final on 5 May 2018.

The 2020–21 Western Sydney Wanderers season was the club's ninth season since its establishment in 2012. The club participated in the A-League for the ninth time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Phillip Cancar</span> Australian soccer player

Phillip Cancar is an Australian professional soccer player who plays as a central defender for Newcastle Jets.

References

  1. ↑ "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 15 December 2014. p. 7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2015.
  2. 1 2 "From the ashes of war, a star is born". sportsaustralia. 16 February 2006. Archived from the original on 20 July 2008.
  3. 1 2 "Jet happy to land on his feet". The Age. 22 January 2006.
  4. ↑ Jets swoop to recapture Haliti [ permanent dead link ]
  5. ↑ Haliti makes his point with late strike Archived 19 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "Wanderers snare Covic and Haliti - Western Sydney FC 2013". Archived from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  7. ↑ "Labi-Yes! Haliti Hauls Wanderers to A-League Summit". 2 March 2013.
  8. ↑ "Western Sydney Wanderers are Asian champions". November 2014.
  9. ↑ "Jets swoop for former Wanderers duo". Football Federation Australia. 22 July 2015.
  10. ↑ "Jets lose loveable Labi to ACL injury". Newcastle Jets. 21 October 2015.
  11. ↑ "Labinot Haliti Embarks on Advanced Coaching Pathway". Football NSW. 8 March 2017.
  12. ↑ "Long-serving retirees to be honoured at Hyundai A-League Grand Final". Hyundai A-League. 8 May 2018.
  13. ↑ "Jets CEO Lawrie McKinna club's new youth head coach". Newcastle Herald. 27 June 2017.
  14. ↑ Gardiner, James (7 May 2019). "Newcastle Jets: Haliti takes next step in coaching career". Newcastle Herald.
  15. ↑ "Sydney Olympic FC appoint A-League alum Labinot Haliti as new head coach". Greek Herald. 19 October 2022. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.