Career Chronology
1982
Commenced at Australian Institute of Sport (age 17).
Played in Joao Havelange tournament in Acapulco.
1983
Commenced with national soccer league (NSL) team, Canberra Arrows (age 18).
Played in World Youth Cup in Mexico City.
1984
Selected in Socceroos squad (Australian national team) at 19 years and played in tournaments in Australia and overseas throughout 1984 and 1985, including 1986 World Cup qualifiers.
Voted Most Entertaining Player in NSL by SBS Television viewers.
1985
Commenced with national league team, Sydney City. Won Championship.
1986
Sydney City won Cup.
1987
Commenced with national league team, Marconi (also in Sydney).
Top goalscorer in national league.
Voted Most Entertaining Player by SBS Television viewers.
Voted Players’ Player of the Year.
1988
Played in Bicentennial Gold Cup in Australia.
Played in Olympic football tournament, Seoul.
Marconi won Championship.
Top goalscorer in national league.
Voted Players’ Player of the Year.
Named Oceania Footballer of the Year.
1988-89
Commenced with Club Brugge in Belgium.
1989
Played for Socceroos in 1990 World Cup qualifiers.
1989-90
Club Brugge wins Belgian Championship.
Top goalscorer in Belgian League.
Voted Best Foreign Player by Belgian media.
1990-91
Club Brugge wins Belgian Cup.
1991-92
Commenced with Bari in Italy.
1992-93
Commenced with Strasbourg in France.
1993
Retired from Socceroo duty after 1994 World Cup qualifiers.
1994-95
Commenced with Lille in France.
1995
Captained friendly match for Australia against Ghana as a farewell game from international competition.
1995-96
Returned to Australia to play for Brisbane Strikers.
1996-97
Became player-coach.
Brisbane Strikers win Championship.
Named Queensland Coach of the Year.
1998
Book on playing career published, My World is Round (written by Bonita Mersiades)
1998-99
Coach of Marconi.
1999
Appointed coach of Socceroos.
2000
Australia wins Oceania Nations Cup.
Awarded an Order of the Medal of Australia (OAM) for services to football as a player and coach.
Named runner-up in Oceania Player of the Century.
2001
Australia placed 3rd in FIFA Confederations Cup.
2002
Appointed coach of Olympic team (Olyroos) for 2004 Athens Olympics.
2004
Socceroos win Oceania Nations Cup.
Olympic team (Under 23) participates in 2004 Athens Olympics.
2005
Replaced as coach of Socceroos in June by Guus Hiddink.
2006
Appointed coach of Brisbane Roar in November.
2007-08
Brisbane Roar reaches finals and finishes 4th in A-League.
2008
Made a Life Member of Professional Footballers Australia (PFA).
2008-09
Brisbane Roar reaches finals and finishes 3rd in A-League.
2011
Appointed coach of New Guinea national team (part time role).
2012
Awarded the PFA Alex Tobin Medal.
Appointed OFC Technical Advisor/Coach Mentor in New Guinea.
Appointed coach of Sydney FC in A-League until end of 2012-13 season (with effect from 3 December 2012).
2013
Appointed coach of Sydney FC in A-League until end 2013-14 season.
2015-16
Appointed Technical Director for Fiji Football Association and coach of Fiji U-20s for FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Appointed coach of Fiji National Team and Fiji Olympic Team for Rio 2016 Olympics until conclusion of Rio 2016 Olympic campaign.
Commenced at Australian Institute of Sport (age 17).
Played in Joao Havelange tournament in Acapulco.
1983
Commenced with national soccer league (NSL) team, Canberra Arrows (age 18).
Played in World Youth Cup in Mexico City.
1984
Selected in Socceroos squad (Australian national team) at 19 years and played in tournaments in Australia and overseas throughout 1984 and 1985, including 1986 World Cup qualifiers.
Voted Most Entertaining Player in NSL by SBS Television viewers.
1985
Commenced with national league team, Sydney City. Won Championship.
1986
Sydney City won Cup.
1987
Commenced with national league team, Marconi (also in Sydney).
Top goalscorer in national league.
Voted Most Entertaining Player by SBS Television viewers.
Voted Players’ Player of the Year.
1988
Played in Bicentennial Gold Cup in Australia.
Played in Olympic football tournament, Seoul.
Marconi won Championship.
Top goalscorer in national league.
Voted Players’ Player of the Year.
Named Oceania Footballer of the Year.
1988-89
Commenced with Club Brugge in Belgium.
1989
Played for Socceroos in 1990 World Cup qualifiers.
1989-90
Club Brugge wins Belgian Championship.
Top goalscorer in Belgian League.
Voted Best Foreign Player by Belgian media.
1990-91
Club Brugge wins Belgian Cup.
1991-92
Commenced with Bari in Italy.
1992-93
Commenced with Strasbourg in France.
1993
Retired from Socceroo duty after 1994 World Cup qualifiers.
1994-95
Commenced with Lille in France.
1995
Captained friendly match for Australia against Ghana as a farewell game from international competition.
1995-96
Returned to Australia to play for Brisbane Strikers.
1996-97
Became player-coach.
Brisbane Strikers win Championship.
Named Queensland Coach of the Year.
1998
Book on playing career published, My World is Round (written by Bonita Mersiades)
1998-99
Coach of Marconi.
1999
Appointed coach of Socceroos.
2000
Australia wins Oceania Nations Cup.
Awarded an Order of the Medal of Australia (OAM) for services to football as a player and coach.
Named runner-up in Oceania Player of the Century.
2001
Australia placed 3rd in FIFA Confederations Cup.
2002
Appointed coach of Olympic team (Olyroos) for 2004 Athens Olympics.
2004
Socceroos win Oceania Nations Cup.
Olympic team (Under 23) participates in 2004 Athens Olympics.
2005
Replaced as coach of Socceroos in June by Guus Hiddink.
2006
Appointed coach of Brisbane Roar in November.
2007-08
Brisbane Roar reaches finals and finishes 4th in A-League.
2008
Made a Life Member of Professional Footballers Australia (PFA).
2008-09
Brisbane Roar reaches finals and finishes 3rd in A-League.
2011
Appointed coach of New Guinea national team (part time role).
2012
Awarded the PFA Alex Tobin Medal.
Appointed OFC Technical Advisor/Coach Mentor in New Guinea.
Appointed coach of Sydney FC in A-League until end of 2012-13 season (with effect from 3 December 2012).
2013
Appointed coach of Sydney FC in A-League until end 2013-14 season.
2015-16
Appointed Technical Director for Fiji Football Association and coach of Fiji U-20s for FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Appointed coach of Fiji National Team and Fiji Olympic Team for Rio 2016 Olympics until conclusion of Rio 2016 Olympic campaign.