25/07/2008 11:01 AM
Boom Queensland Roar recruit Sergio Van Dijk wanted a football adventure in a foreign land, and nine weeks into his Aussie adventure the powerful Dutchman could not be happier.
The 25-year-old striker has spent the last eight seasons plying his trade in Holland's second-tier competition and enters the Hyundai A-League on the back of a three-year stint at FC Emmen.
Looking to add to the club's strong line-up of local talent, Roar coach Frank Farina invited van Dijk to trial with the club at the end of May and both parties evidently liked what they saw.
"It was supposed to be a three-week trial but after two weeks the club wanted to sign me," van Dijk recalled.
"I was happy here so that's why I chose the Roar."
"I wanted to play football in another country and to see a different country and Queensland always has sunshine so I'm very happy."
Van Dijk's lethal-left boot and general football nous were on show in the Roar's 2-1 defeat at the hands of Sydney FC in the opening round of Pre Season Cup.
The Dutchman peppered Clint Bolton and the Sydney defence throughout and scored his side's only goal of the contest with some nifty work on the edge of the box.
"It was good and my team-mates played good football (as well)," van Dijk said of his first hit out in official competition for his new club.
"We had a lot more of the ball than Sydney but still lost so we'll have to work on that."
"I was dangerous (during the match) but I'm not satisfied with my performance, I could have scored at least one more goal."
But while the prize recruit impressed with his own array of skills, his potent combination with young-gun Tim Smits is a major plus for the men from Queensland.
"We are working well together and are only going to improve as a combination," van Dijk said of the new partnership.
"I'm very happy to play alongside him and when he's doing well defenders go looking for him which means more space for me so he makes my job easier."
Pressed on his ambitions over the next two seasons with the club, van Dijk said his expectations extend beyond his natural hunger to find the back of the net on a regular basis.
"I'm a striker so the main thing is to score goals but I also want to be important for the team and Frank Farina expects me to do good things for the team," he said.
"But I want to accomplish something with this team and if we can play in a grand-final and play in the (Asian) Champions League that would be great."
The Roar will continue their pre-season campaign when they host the Wellington Phoenix at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.