Skippy Has Come On Leaps And Bounds .. He's Up There With Viduka And Kewell Says Fellow Aussie Erik Paartalu
Oct 8 2007
By Scott Mcdermott
Gretna V Celtic Today, Kick-Off 3pm Live Setanta Sports
GRETNA ace Erik Paartalu believes fellow Aussie Scott McDonald should now be hailed alongside Socceroo superstars Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell.
The Black and Whites midfielder will shake McDonald's hand for the first time today before the SPL new boys take on Celtic.
Paartalu has idolised the Hoops star since the striker arrived in Scotland three years ago with Motherwell.
McDonald has grasped his Parkhead chance with both hands since moving from Fir Park in the summer and netted a memorable midweek winner against AC Milan in the Champions League.
And Paartalu reckons the 24-year-old is now ready to compete with Premiership icons Viduka and Kewell for a regular Australia place.
Erik said: "I don't know Scott at all but I'll try to shake his hand before the game. His profile back home has been raised since the move to Celtic.
"I've always known about him and now he's getting picked for the Socceroos. I'm certain he will become a regular for Australia. Scott has the quality to compete with the likes of Viduka and Kewell.
"He can create things - as he's shown for Motherwell and Celtic.
"In Australia we have plenty of players who work hard and have good tactical awareness. But Scott is up there with Viduka and Kewell because he's different. He makes and scores goals.
"I'd like to introduce myself on Sunday and see what he says. I'm looking forward to playing against him."
McDonald will now have his sights on the 2010 World Cup with the Socceroos but Paartalu has his own international target.
At 21 he's vying for a place in the Aussie Olympic side and is praying his displays for Davie Irons' men catapult him into the Beijing tournament next year.
He said: "It could benefit me if selectors come to Scotland to watch Scotty.
"It's great exposure for me at Gretna and I might not get the chance to play in the SPL again.
"I'm eligible for Australia's Under-23 Olympic team and that's what I'm going for. They're still qualifying at the-moment but I'd love to play well for Gretna and force my way into one of the squads.
"Going to the Olympics would be massive. It's something I would remember forever.
"As a kid I set goals. The first was to play at the Under-17 World Championships and I did that in 2003.
"Playing at the Olympics was another of my childhood ambitions and hopefully I can get there."
Paartalu played a pivotal role in getting Gretna to the SPL - proving that his decision to try his luck in Europe was the right one.
He started his career with Rangers' former feeder club Northern Spirit and admits the Ibrox side's interest in Aussie football made him leave his homeland. He said: "Northern Spirit were my first professional club when Rangers had an affiliation with them.
"They sent players to us on loan and we had some boys go on trial in Glasgow.
"We were getting great crowds back then but all of a sudden Rangers pulled out.
"A few years down the line the club went bankrupt because of it.
"So that killed me. A lot of boys were really upset about it and they had to go to Central Coast Mariners - Ian Ferguson was one of them and he later turned to coaching.
I'm not bitter about it. I'd have jumped at the chance to try my luck at Ibrox. But Rangers' interest in the club made me decide to go to Europe.
"It motivated me to progress in my career and reach my goals."
Paartalu would love to cause a major upset this afternoon by beating Celtic at Fir Park. But he knows how tough it will be after watching the SPL champs topple Milan on Wednesday.
He said: "We'll get some sort of reaction from Celtic after the Milan game.
"That probably isn't good for us and we'll need to be at the top of our game. We're at the bottom of the league and they're at the top so it will be tough."
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