Melbourne Heart FC’s Aziz Behich has been promoted to the Club’s permanent roster after signing a deal that will take him to the end of the Hyundai A-League 2011/12 season.
Melbourne Heart FC-s Aziz Behich has been promoted to the Club-s permanent roster after signing a deal that will take him to the end of the Hyundai A-League 2011/12 season.
While Behich initially joined Heart on a short-term replacement player contract, the 19-year-old has been rewarded for his stellar start to the Hyundai A-League season, impressing the Club-s coaching staff with his tenacity and versatility.
Head Coach John van ‘t Schip said Behich-s adaptability makes him a valuable asset to Heart-s inaugural squad.
“Aziz has done well since he joined the group in pre-season, and has been prepared to play wherever the team needed him. Every week he has been taking steps forward,” he said.
“It is a great reward for the effort that he is put in that he now has a longer term contract. We have no doubt he will continue to work hard and become more and more important to the group.”
Behich-s signing provides further confirmation of Heart-s commitment to promoting both local and young talent, the former Green Gully and Hume City player joining fellow 2010 VPL graduates Nick Kalmar and Kliment Taseski.
In addition, Behich-s status as a replacement player for the injured Kristian Sarkies will be taken by another local starlet, VPL Under-21 Player of the Year and Melbourne Knights product Adrian Zahra.
With the signing of Behich, Heart now has seven contracted players under the age of 20.