Alvin Ceccoli (/ˈælvɪn ˈɛkli/; born 5 August 1974) is an Australian footballer who played for three A-League clubs (Sydney FC, Central Coast Mariners and Adelaide United) and was capped internationally for Australia.

Alvin Ceccoli
Personal information
Full name Alvin Ceccoli
Date of birth (1974-08-05) 5 August 1974 (age 50)
Place of birth Sydney, Australia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Left Back
Team information
Current team
Albion Park White Eagles FC – Football Head Coach
Youth career
APIA Leichhardt
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–2002 Wollongong Wolves 156 (31)
1999AEK Athens (loan) 4 (1)
2002–2004 Parramatta Power 54 (2)
2004 Dapto FC 21 (15)
2004–2005 Wollongong City 15 (6)
2005–2007 Sydney FC 43 (2)
2007 Avispa Fukuoka 34 (1)
2008 Central Coast Mariners 6 (0)
2008 Adelaide United 0 (0)
2008–2017 Kemblawarra Fury 225 (62)
2018 Wollongong United 5 (0)
2019–2020 Corrimal Rangers 35 (8)
International career
1998–2006 Australia 6 (1)
Medal record
Representing  Australia
Men's Association football
OFC Nations Cup
Runner-up 1998 Australia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 23 November 2018

Club career

edit

Alvin Ceccoli is of Sammarinese heritage.[2] Alvin started his National Soccer League (NSL) career at Wollongong Wolves in 1995 as a 21-year-old. He played 156 matches in the National Soccer League, punctuated by a short stint in Greece with AEK Athens FC. He won successive NSL Championships with Wollongong in 1998/99 and 1999/2000 before joining Parramatta Power, becoming part of the losing grand final side in 2003/04.

He was one of seven players signed by Sydney FC from the defunct NSL. Ceccoli's first season at the glamour club was a rebirth for his career. Alvin not only became one of the strongest defenders in the league, but also earned his second national team cap against Bahrain in a qualifying match for the Asian Cup in 2007, as a reward for an excellent season with Sydney FC. During the second season with Sydney however, he had some disagreements with new coach Terry Butcher which soured his relationship with the club, and he sought a move elsewhere.

A transfer to Japanese second division team Avispa Fukuoka allowed him to reunite with former Sydney coach Pierre Littbarski, and was formally released by Sydney on 16 January 2007.[3] He spent close to a year at Avispa and was released at the end of the season.

On 3 January 2008 Ceccoli signed a contract for the remainder of the A-League season with Central Coast Mariners FC as cover for Dean Heffernan, his contract running until after the 2008 Grand Final on 25 February.[4] Ceccoli agreed on 20 January 2008 to sign with rival A-League club Adelaide United for their 2008 AFC Champions League campaign beginning in March. It would be his third A-League club in as many years, but was notably absent from Adelaide's first two ACL matches. On 20 March 2008 it was revealed he had left the club to return home to Wollongong to be close to his young family.[5] Staying locally, he has joined Illawarra Premier League club Dandaloo FC for 2008. In 2015, he was selected in Sydney FC's team of the decade.

After leading Corrimal Rangers FC to Grand Final glory in the 2019 season of the Illawarra Premier League Ceccoli decided to retire due to ongoing injury problems. He is held in high regard in the Illawarra region as a pioneer of local football. Ceccoli now takes on an Assistant Coach role alongside Roger Jonovski at Corrimal Rangers focusing on youth development pathways.[6]

Career statistics

edit

Club

edit

[7][8]

Club Season League[a] Cup[b] Continental[c] Other[d] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Wollongong Wolves 1995–96 National Soccer League 16 2 16 2
1996–97 24 2 24 2
1997–98 27 7 27 7
1998–99 15 1 15 1
AEK Athens 1998–99 Alpha Ethniki 4 1 ? ? 4 1
Wollongong Wolves 1999–2000 National Soccer League 27 2 27 2
2000–01 24 2 24 2
2001–02 23 1 23 1
Wollongong Wolves total 156 17 156 17
Parramatta Power 2002–03 National Soccer League 33 0 33 0
2003–04 21 2 21 2
Parramatta Power total 54 2 54 2
Wollongong Wolves 2004–05 NSWPL 0 0 0 0
Sydney FC 2005–06 A-League 24 1 5 1 8 0 37 2
2006–07 19 1 0 0 5 0 24 1
Sydney FC total 43 2 5 1 13 0 61 3
Avispa Fukuoka 2007 J2 League 34 1 ? ? 34 1
Central Coast Mariners 2007–08 A-League 3 0 3 0
Total 294 23 5 1 13 0 312 24
  1. ^ A-League statistics include final series matches
  2. ^ Includes the Greek Football Cup, Emperor's Cup, and FFA Cup
  3. ^ All appearance(s) in O-League or AFC Champions League
  4. ^ Includes the OFC Club Championship Qualifying Tournament, A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup

International

edit
Australia national team
Year Apps Goals
1998 4 1
1999 0 0
2000 0 0
2001 0 0
2002 0 0
2003 0 0
2004 0 0
2005 0 0
2006 2 0
Total 6 1

International goals

# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 28 September 1998 Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane, Australia   Cook Islands 8–0 16–0 1998 OFC Nations Cup

Honours

edit

Central Coast Mariners

Sydney FC

Wollongong Wolves

Australia

References

edit
  1. ^ "FIFA Club World Championship Japan 2005 – Official Rosters". FIFA. 4 December 2005. Archived from the original on 19 December 2005.
  2. ^ "ADSL, ADSL2+, Broadband plans, Internet, Telephone, VOIP, SIM | Internet Service | Adam Australia | Internet Service | Adam Australia".
  3. ^ "Ceccoli trades Sydney for Japan". 16 January 2007. Archived from the original on 11 September 2012.
  4. ^ Ceccoli back as 'ancient mariner'
  5. ^ Zalunardo, P (20 March 2008). "Ceccoli chooses family over contract". Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  6. ^ Zalunardo, P (21 March 2008). "Battle for A-League star lasts just a day". Illawarra Mercury. Archived from the original on 17 July 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2008.
  7. ^ Alvin Ceccoli at National-Football-Teams.com
  8. ^ "Alvin Ceccoli Appearance Details". ALeagueStats.com. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  9. ^ "Oceania Nations Cup 1998". Retrieved 14 October 2024.
edit