“Chinese Beckham”

Zhang Yuning

Yuning for Queensland Roar against Alex Wilkinson of Mariners

If ever there was an ironic nickname, here it is.

Beckham was a very hard worker with great qualities on the pitch. Yuning was lazy, unfit and not that good.

He had scored nine times in 15 internationals for China, with his voluble agent Benny Luo describing the photogenic Chinese striker from Shanghai Shenhua as “Beckham of China”.

He played at Queensland Roar but after a handful of games (during his stint he went back to China to get married) and only two starting appearances was sent home by then-coach Miron Bleiberg. 

Yuning retired soon after.

“Thunder from Kincumber”

Matt Simon

 

Also nicknamed “The Albino Messi” Simon’s fiery nature and place of upbringing are perfect for the Mariners’ captain who has been firing up the A-League for years at Mariners (two stints) and Sydney FC. 

“The Gympie Flyer”

Jimmy Downey

The Gympie Flyer training with Phoenix

 

Apparently, anyone who made it in a sport that required some running and was from the Queensland town was dubbed “The Gympie Flyer”.

So there are a few “Gympie Flyers” knocking about.

The A-League version Jimmy Downey was lightning fast to be fair. And was from Gympie.

He played for Glory, Fury, and Phoenix.

“Tensai”

Shinji Ono

Tensai means “genius” in Japanese.

"Aand genius you are” exhorted Fox Sports commentator Brenton Speed after the former Wanderers hero scored one of the great A-League goals in a Finals match against Roar.

Still a Wanderers great. 

“El Tuna”

Bruno Fornaroli

Apparently, nothing to do with high-protein diets, the Uruguayan A-League great and new Glory signing got the nickname for his spiky hair (El Tuna translating to “Prickly Pear”).

“Mozart”

Thomas Broich

Broich (left) warming up with Berisha

 

He was the conductor on the pitch at Brisbane Roar.

Coupled with his love of music (he’d often be seen a music jam nights in the city), the German’s nickname perfectly summed up the brilliance and poetry in motion of this German A-League superstar.

“La Bala”

Jorge Drovandi

Drovandi (left) against Sydney FC

 

In 2007 Newcastle Jets signed the Argentine 23-year-old attacking midfielder. “He’s an excitement machine and is an old fashioned left winger who takes players on,” then-coach Gary Van Egmond told FTBL.

Sadly, La Bala (Spanish for “The Bullet”) failed to fire and was given the bullet by the club not long after.