Real name	Mark Viduka
Height	6.02
Weight	14.04
Date of birth	09-10-1975
Place of birth	Melbourne,Australia
Position	Forward
Nationality	Australia

Mark Viduka is one of the most controversial characters to grace the Parkhead stage in recent years.

An undoubtedly talented forward, the Australian international signed for the Bhoys in November 1998 for a reputed fee of £3.5 million. He had been snapped up after impressing for Croatia Zagreb in a Champions League qualifier against the Hoops earlier that season.

But just four days after arriving in Glasgow Viduka shocked the Celtic support by fleeing home to Australia, claiming he was too "stressed" to focus on football. With Dr Jo Venglos’ side already playing catch-up with Rangers in the title race this was the last thing the Hoops fans wanted to hear from their big money new signing.

Viduka eventually returned to make his debut as a substitue in a 2-1 home league win over Dundee United in Feb 1999. In truth his belated arrival was never likely to help Celtic retain their championship but the striker certainly displayed enough quality during the remainder of the season to build up hope for the future.

The big Aussie was not the fastest of players but he had an excellent touch. This combined with considerable strength, good vision and an eye for goal made him a more than useful all round striker. A strikeforce of Viduka and Henrik Larsson had the potential for greatness and it was with some excitement that the Parkhead faithful looked forward to the new campaign under the new management team of John Barnes and Kenny Dalglish who had promised an attacking and entertaining side.

However, disaster was just around the corner. Hoops talisman Larsson broke his leg in a UEFA Cup tie in Lyon and as the Celts began to stutter in the title race rookie coach Barnes and his expensively constructed team began to crack under the pressure. Viduka though continued to bang in the goals and with Larsson out for the season it was the Aussie who had emerged as Bhoys star performer.

His goals could not however prevent Celtic’s season unraveling and matters would come to a head in the now infamous Scottish Cup defeat to First Division Inverness Caledonian Thistle. With Celtic trailing the minnows at half-time Viduka was involved in a dressing room bust-up with the coaching staff and fellow players which saw him allegedly toss his boots in the bin and refuse to take to the field for the second half.

Barnes would be sacked hours later and with Dalglish temporarily in charge for the remainder of the season Celtic and Viduka would claim some small consolation by taking the League Cup. But such a smalltime prize couldn’t disguise the club’s pathetic league form.

Viduka for his part continued to find the net on a regular basis and his performances were such that he would be voted Player of the Year by his fellow professionals. That was no mean feat considering the turmoil which had surrounded Celtic’s season, but despite his goals and this accolade from his peers the Bhoys fans could not take the forward to their hearts.

The Aussie was clearly a top draw forward but their remained serious doubts over his attitude and commitment. The disappearing act on his arrival at the club had sown seeds of doubt into the minds of the support and his role in the shameful Inverness debacle could not easily be forgiven. A sending off for spitting at an opponent did little to endear him while newspaper reports suggested Viduka was actively looking for a move to England or Spain.

The arrival of Martin O’Neill in the summer of 2000 could not prevent the forward getting his wish and leaving Parkhead. O’Neill stated he tried to persuade Viduka to stay but it was a fruitless task and the Australian striker moved to Leeds in a £6 million deal.

O’Neill used that cash to tempt Chris Sutton from Chelsea and the former Norwich man would soon ensure that Viduka was soon forgotten.


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Quotes
Some people I know say he's a very nice man once you get to know him. Everyone is entitled to their opinion I suppose!!! Mark Viduka on Fergus McCann 1999

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Viduka refutes the "70%" comment by David O'Leary:

Angry Viduka hits back at boss O'Leary -
Football
Sun, The (London, England)
August 26, 2000
Author: John Shields

MARK VIDUKA has hit back at Leeds boss David O'Leary and insisted: I gave Celtic 150 per cent every time.
Elland Road boss O'Leary prompted fury last week when he claimed his Pounds 6million buy from Celtic told him he only ever had to play at 70 per cent to be a smash hit in Scotland.

But Aussie striker Viduka - who is hoping to head for Parkhead to take in tomorrow's Old Firm showdown - reckons his gaffer is talking rubbish.

He rapped: "The results I had last season at Celtic prove that I wasn't going at it 70 per cent.

"It's just stupid for people to say these things. I never had a conversation remotely like this with David O'Leary, not at all.

"I don't know where these comments are supposed to have come from. I don't know if they are David's thoughts or what, but I certainly didn't say

anything like that. I would have been stupid to. And it's not the way I felt.

"I gave 150 per cent in every game I played for Celtic. If I hadn't I don't think I would have been top scorer and player of the year. The Scottish people aren't that stupid, are they?

"It wasn't just the fans. The players voted me player of the year and they are the best people to judge whether I was giving 100 per cent or not."

Viduka will lead the Leeds line against Middlesbrough today and then hopes to fly north to take in a game which he insists proved his commitment to Celtic.

He added: "If I had gone into an Old Firm game playing at 70 per cent I would have come off on a stretcher.

"You can't go into any game like that, never mind a Glasgow derby. It just doesn't happen.

"It's not only about getting injured. I'm just not the sort of bloke who would do that.

Extended

"With me it's 100 per cent every time and I don't want anyone thinking differently."

Section: Sport
Page: Scotland 80
(c) News Group Newspapers Limited 2000, 2003
Record Number: 946768312
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