Vass Returns to Where it Began

After a trip to Viareggio in Italy with the A.P.I.A. Leichhardt Tigers under-20s in 2005 to participate in the Coppa Carnevale, Vass returned briefly to Australia to play in the TeleChoice Premier League.
Success followed success for this talented striker. He was quickly noticed in Germany and signed a contract with third division side Kiel, before moving to fourth division side Neumunster a year later.
However, after two years in Germany he returned to Australia after suffering a serious knee injury.
?I had a knee operation in August last year, so I?ve only started training three months ago,? he said.
?I have just signed with A.P.I.A. and I am hoping to get into the first team, but I?ll be starting with the under 20s at the moment.?
At Kiel, he was lucky enough to play under Frank Neubarth, a coach who had won the German Bundesliga with Werder Bremen.
Vass?s ambitions though these days are a little more modest and focused mainly on the home front.
Like most local players he is hoping to secure an A-League contract, but there is also a ?plan B? which would involve joining the Police Force.
?It would be great to play in the A-League, who doesn?t want to, but in the first season back with A.P.I.A. I am just hoping to be injury free,? he said.
?I am also looking for a job at the moment…I want to join the NSW Police Force but you can?t do that with soccer, so we?ll see in the next few years how things work out.?
Three years after leaving A.P.I.A. Vass?s career has come full circle. He is back at Lambert Park hoping to resurrect what was once a very promising football career.
-By Joe Russo