Nicola Rizzo: A cut above the rest
It was almost like déjà vu for Nick Rizzo, the former Socceroo, Olyroo and youth international, when he commanded his first chief coaching role in the absence of Gary Ward at the APIA Leichhardt Tigers v Sutherland clash at Lambert Park on Good Friday.
The Tigers held a 1-0 lead before a goalkeeping error in the 70th minute allowed the Sutherland Sharks to score and deny Rizzo a first up win as head coach.
Similarly, Rizzo hit the headlines in 1995 when he was signed by Liverpool FC at the tender age of sixteen, after former Socceroo great, Archie Blue, arranged a trial for him. At this time he was expected to achieve great heights in the game.
“Nick was in the same class as Atti Abonyi and Ernie Campbell when they were young players because he displayed this natural flair which very few players can duplicate”, says Blue.
In the 1995/96 season Rizzo played in the Liverpool reserves with the mercurial Michael Owen, and was on the bench for the first team in six matches during the 1997/98 season before he was offered a four year contract to stay at Anfield.”
“At the time this offer was most tempting but when Terry Venables, the Crystal Palace manager and Socceroo coach, offered me a good deal and guaranteed me regular first team football and a chance to play for the Socceroos, I decided to accept his offer”, says Rizzo.
Even the promptings of the legendary Liverpool flanker, Steve Heighway, who suggested to Rizzo that if he stayed the four years and didn’t make it , at the age of twenty two he could still move to another club with that great Liverpool experience behind him, still didn’t dissuade Rizzo.
This move would have a profound influence on his career.
“When I look back on it now it was a ludicrous decision because I was only eighteen with my own squad number and was training in the first team squad with players like Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler in one of the strongest clubs in world football”.
However, how things change in football, when at that moment Rizzo was on top of the world and suddenly that world came tumbling down after Terry Venables was sacked as manager and in the same year Palace went into administration.
Also, the club v country issue raised its ugly head when Rizzo was asked to come to Socceroo camps but declined because he didn’t want to lose his spot at Palace.
“Obviously it’s a different scenario today when players are released by the clubs but sadly I only played for the Socceroos once against Croatia when I perhaps would’ve played many more times if I had made myself more available”.
In his second season, Rizzo played under the another legend, Steve Coppell but with another two seasons on his contract left, he made another questionable decision which would affect the rest of his career.
He received a call from Vince Grella who suggested he come to Italy which was supported by Attilio Lombardo, the magical Italian winger, who agreed he would be perfectly suited to the Italian game and signed a four year deal with Ternana in Serie B.
Within one month of being with Ternana, Rizzo returned for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and developed a knee issue which would plague him for another three seasons and he only played one game with Ternana before making only twenty seven appearances with Ancona and AC Prato in Serie C from 2001-2003.
He played out the remaining of his career in English Division 1 after leaving Italy in 2004 where he made sixty three appearances with Milton Keynes Dons and played games with Chesterfield and Grimsby Town on loan.
“After three years not playing regularly I just wasn’t the same but people don’t acknowledge the depth in English football so I still had to rise to the plate at the Dons for those three years”.
In 2007 Rizzo returned to Australia and signed with Perth Glory but in many people’s eyes he was used sparingly because he always made an impact with his direct approach in running at defenders and whipping those marvellous crosses over.
“I can’t really explain why I didn’t receive more game time but I never questioned coach, Dave Mitchell, only to say I looked back at some of the tapes of the A- League and couldn’t really believe I wasn’t used more regularly”.
Dave Mitchell had this to say about Rizzo.
“Rizzo was a player with great skills, and two great feet which assisted him in tight situations and was also a superb crosser
“Perhaps he should’ve scored more goals”, added Mitchell.
In 2009 Rizzo was signed by the Central Coast Mariners to play in the Asian Champions League but unfortunately was not used by Lawrie McKinna so he decided to leave the club and return to Sydney.
Rizzo has devoted his time in the last few years to coaching youth players and since last season has held the post as assistant coach for the Tigers and playing when required.
As a player he may not be at full fitness but when he came on as a second half substitute against the Central Coast Mariners he showed his ability on the ball has not deserted him and his wonderful skill on both feet is clearly demonstrated when he controls the ball on one side and quickly lays it off with the other.
That beautiful ball played with the outside of his right foot into space beyond the Mariners left fullback split the opposing rearguard, allowing Nikola Taneski to find the time and space to score the equalising goal.
In the 1-1 draw against Sutherland Sharks, his curling free kicks were a constant menace to the Sutherland defence and it was unfortunate some of them could not be finished by his team-mates.
“We’re a team in transition and probably need to add a few more players to strengthen the squad but in experienced campaigners like D’Apuzzo, Byrnes and Parisi and youngsters Taneski, Kays and Bartels we have a good mix”, says Rizzo.
Last season Rizzo achieved wonders with the Tigers u/14 squad when they won the minor premiership by ten points and defeated Marconi in the grand final.
“Some experts considered this was one of the best youth teams for many years”, says Rizzo.
“Two of the players Daniel Maskin and Ricky Bernadini have been called up to the Joey’s squad and Mark Rodic is expected to follow soon”.
“As a twelve year old nobody wanted to know Maskin but I saw great potential in this young boy and he now is a great prospect”.
“I suppose it’s a bit like my own experience when Peter Katholos pulled me out of Sydney Olympic under 15’s and promoted me to the NSL youth squad way back in 1994 which created such a great opportunity for my football future”.
Nick Rizzo is enjoying his life in football at the moment and has just obtained his C licence.
He intends to complete all his qualifications, culminating in obtaining his Pro licence which he should achieve easily with that extensive professional playing career behind him.
With such a professional attitude and approach, the game of football can only benefit from his participation.
-By Roger Sleeman
