NSR sat down with soccer legend, Simon Colosimo to talk about his sporting career both in Australia and abroad. Simon has enjoyed a fast paced soccer career playing for powerhouse teams around the world; including the likes of Manchester City, Belgium’s Royal Antwerp and Melbourne Heart, to name a few. Simon was initially signed to the National Soccer League Club in Carlton. Soon after, he was offered an amazing opportunity to move to the UK to play for Manchester City. Describing his experience as flattering and an achievement that he would always cherish, Simon goes on to say that playing for one of the EPL’s powerhouse teams was a career highlight.
Playing for a soccer club that has been established since 1880, there is a huge difference between competing in Manchester City as opposed playing for an Australian team. Telling of the large number of passionate Manchester City fans, Simon tells of how tradition is a huge part of playing for such a reputable club. When playing for a club with the history of Manchester city, one must ask about the infamous rivalry between Manchester City and Manchester United. Simon describes the fans within Manchester as being mainly supporters of Manchester City; they were highly passionate about the sport. Simon received nothing but supportive comments regarding his place on the Manchester City team, making for an unforgettable experience on and off the ground.
In addition to his time in the UK, Simon has played for and against clubs in Europe. Each country was a unique experience in itself; however, it was not without hardships. Living in another country, making particular reference to his time playing for Belgium and Turkey; he tells of how he encountered a number of cultural communication issues. Simon goes on to explain “…Language was a challenge, obviously playing for a country such as Manchester City you have the primary language of English, whereas playing in a European country such as Belgium, that isn’t the case…” Allowing for effective communication with a language barrier, not to mention varying cultural influences, provided a challenge for Simon. In order to overcome this barrier, he advises to “…Research as much as possible, research the culture…” raising the importance of knowing what ‘you’re heading into’ prior to your departure. More importantly, Simon advises to enjoy the experience! Having the support of his family, was a great motivating factor for Simon to see the positive aspect of every challenge during his career.
After an extensive career within the UK and Europe, Simon returned home to Australia in 2002 to play for Perth Glory! Understanding that ‘there is no place like home’ was the key motivational factor in Colosimo’s return to Australia “…you don’t know what you’ve got until it’s not there…” A well understood theory amongst most travellers. Simon describes how living in another country opens your eyes to the simple things you’ve previously taken for granted. Jumping from Perth to Sydney and back to Melbourne, Colosimo was signed to Melbourne Heart FC “…It was home; I started my career in Melbourne. It was a great honour to have the opportunity to play for Melbourne Heart as inaugural captain…”
Taking nothing for granted and maintaining a positive frame of mind is a key element to Simon’s success both within Australia and abroad.
Stay tuned for part two of our interview with Simon Colosimo, as he discusses his process of overcoming a serious knee injury to come back better than ever!