Monie the World traveller

The Central Coast resident first caught the eye of state league scouts when playing for the Coasties in 2002 after finding the back of the net 16 times in 22 appearances.
An ill-fated stint at APIA followed before a call from Phil Moss at Manly United saw Monie call Cromer Park home for three and a half years.
After helping the club win promotion from Super League, the stonemason became an integral part of the Manly United Premier League squad and managed to win a part-time A League contract with the Newcastle Jets, such was his form in the 2005-06 campaign.
He parted company with the northern beaches club this year following disciplinary issues and was promptly snapped up by Bankstown player / coach Peter Tsekenis as a direct replacement for Tallan Martin who signed with Marconi.
?It wasn?t how I wanted to end things at Manly but at the end of the day I stuffed up and we parted company,? he said.
?I don?t hold any grudges and I still talk to a few of the boys, I?ve put it behind me.?
The 25-year-old endured a mixed year with the Lions but did pick up some silverware after lifting the Tiger Turf trophy following a 3-1 win over Sydney Olympic.
?I enjoyed the season, we had a good bunch of blokes and while we didn?t go that well in the league it was nice to win it (the Tiger Turf),? he said.
?We had a great squad but for whatever reason we weren?t able to put it together each week.
?I signed a two-year deal and I am already looking forward to pre-season around November.?
Monie is well equipped to life as a professional footballer, after a handful of stints in Asia the past few years.
?Once you get a taste for it (full time professional football) you want more,? he said.
?I feel at 25 I am ready, I just need to be given a decent opportunity to show what I can do.?
With the A-League making headlines for the right reasons and frequent talk of club expansion across the country in the next few years, Monie knows what he has to do to get noticed ? score goals on a frequent basis.
Often deployed as a lone man up front due to his ability in the air, goal scoring has been an issue in his career but he is determined to amend that facet of his game.
?Out and out goal scorers are a dime a dozen and if I can become more clinical in front of goal I am sure clubs will come knocking.
 ?The Lions have looked after me from day one and it is up to me to repay that faith by scoring goals consistently.?
-By Andrew Prentice