Time for part two of Dadi’s Diary. Star Perth Glory striker Eugene Dadi writes more about his loan spell in the Swiss Super League with FC Vaduz and a new friendship with a former Hyundai A-League foe!
Arriving in Vaduz after my flying visit to Perth it was straight down to business, my first game coming just two days later against FC Sion in Geneva. It’s a beautiful stadium where one of the semi-finals of European Championships took place. I came off the bench at half time to play my first minutes but we unfortunately lost 2-1.
My first start came the following week in Bellinzona (near the Italian border). That was on the 18th February but we didn-t create a lot of chances and lost 1-0.
The next weekend we were playing them again but at home this time. That was my debut in front of – wait for it… 925 people!!! Jamie Harnwell, who played with Vaduz last season, told me they didn-t have huge crowds but it still surprised me. There was definitely no chanting “who’s ur Dadi, who’s ur Dadi!” like you guys do back in Perth. It was a good game however and we won 1-0, they had chances to score but we held them out thankfully.
Next up it was a trip to Zurich, travelling is very different than in Australia. There isn-t a need to travel four hours on a plane to get anywhere, it was a nice leisurely 45min drive by bus.
Zurich has a beautiful stadium and is a big club. They recently were playing AC Milan in UEFA Cup. They were very impressive on their home pitch and we lost 5-0. It didn-t make the job any easier when one of my team mates got sent off after 20 minutes! I was substituted at half time for tactical reasons.
So, after three games I started to have an idea about us as a team and about the league. I think the Swiss League is comparable to the A-League, especially if you don-t take the really big teams like Grasshopper, FC Zurich and Basel FC into account. They have a lot of money to spend on players and are regularly playing in the European cup competitions.
I haven-t scored yet which has been frustrating, I knew that I wouldn’t have many chances to score a lot of goals and it was a relief when my coach told me this too one day. I also knew that it would take some time to digest all those long training sessions three times a day – and yes, I am praying not to get injured.
Since the Zurich game we-ve played Neuchatel Xamas FC away and lost 3-1, I came on for the last 15. We then took on BSC Young boys and won 3-1 at home but I didn-t play in that game.
Outside of football I am sometimes catching up with friends for coffees and Chinese food (I love it!!). It has been good to get to know Mark Rudan, he is in the same situation as me with his family is still in Sydney.
We went out for dinner a few days ago and we had an argument because he’s thinking that Sydney is better than Glory, how does he dare even thinking about that… he’s out of his mind!!!
I am happy to have met him here because he is actually a nice bloke to be around.
After spending more than two months in a hotel room I found out that I would be in a new flat very soon and would be finally able to welcome my family to Vaduz.
Vaduz is a nice town where the people enjoy being on the terraces for coffees or lunch at the first sun ray – even if it is only 10 degrees!
Liechtenstein is a beautiful country of only 35,000 inhabitants with a Princely family and a castle that towers from a rock over Vaduz. It averages minus five degrees in winter with a lot of snow but I can’t ski! The city has some wonderful museums and beautiful country side and it has the Rhine running through it.
It’s beautiful, all is beautiful but Swan River, I miss you!!
Au revoir et a bientot. (Goodbye and see you soon)
