The arrival of his family from Serbia last week means Brisbane Roar striker Andrija Kaluderovic is now feeling at home in Queensland, both on and off the pitch.
The 28-year-old arrived in Brisbane in late January after signing a contract for the rest of the Hyundai A-League season and waited almost two months for wife Milica and sons Luka, 4, and Lazar, 2, to join him in Australia.
Now they’re here, Kaluderovic said he’s much more relaxed and he hopes that can translate into more strong performances for the Roar in both the Hyundai A-League and the AFC Champions League.
“I am here and I’m happy with everything, training, the people at the club, the city,” he said.
“My family is now here and everything is good for us.
“For the club, the results need to be better because we have a good team, better than the results show. We have a chance now to make a real push towards the end of the season.”
The arrival of Kaluderovic’s family coincided with his first starting berth at Suncorp Stadium and his first goal from open play, following a penalty against Central Coast Mariners on debut and another against Sydney FC in Round 21.
“It was my first start at the stadium and my first goal there, which I am happy about,” Kaluderovic said.
“I’ve scored two goals from penalties, but I want to score more goals normally.”
With the Roar’s Brazilian winger Henrique having surgery on his knee later this week, Kaluderovic could find himself with added responsibility in the final third.
Henrique has scored eight goals in 16 Hyundai A-League appearances this season but Kaluderovic was confident he could continue to find the back of the net.
Following his fifth minute goal against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday, the former Red Star Belgrade and Beijing Guoan became the fifth player to have scored three or more goals from their first five matches in the Hyundai A-League (after James Meyer, Charlie Miller, Simon Lynch and Besart Berisha).
“I needed that goal because I know how to score,” he said.
“Sometimes it’s not easy to come into a new club and you need time. The other players can look at how I play and I can see how my new teammates play and I’m feeling better every game we play together.
“That’s why I came here – to play and score goals for Brisbane Roar.”
Kaluderovic is expected to start for the Roar in tomorrow night’s Hyundai A-League match against the Wanderers at Suncorp Stadium (kick-off 7pm).
Head Coach Frans Thijssen will be without Matt McKay, Luke DeVere (both Socceroos duty), Corey Brown, James Donachie (both Olyroos duty) as well as injured players Michael Theo (groin) and Henrique (knee).
Decisions on Thomas Broich and Jean Carlos Solorzano’s involvement in the match have not yet been made.
