Australian centre-back Curtis Good appeared a major coup when he signed for Newcastle United in 2013 – but injuries have taken their toll.
Curtis Good’s nightmare spell at Newcastle United could come to an end this summer, The Chronicle reports, with a return to the Australian A-League beckoning.
The one-time Socceroo arrived on Tyneside from Melbourne Heart in 2013 as one of his country’s most exciting young talents. However, thanks to a series of hip injuries, Good has been restricted to just one appearance in two years – January’s 3-0 FA Cup humiliation at Oxford United.
As such, it appears that his time in the north east is drawing to a close with The Chronicle claiming that his former club, who have since been rebranded as Melbourne City after investment from The Etihad, could offer him a chance to kick-start his career down under.
Despite appearing regularly for Newcastle’s Under-23s this season, the 24-year-old has obviously not done enough to suggest to the club’s coaches that patience would be a virtue as he attempts to regain full fitness.
And this represents the culmination of a disappointing and brutal fall from grace for a player who looked certain to play a major role for Newcastle when arriving for £400,000 as a level-headed 19-year-old.
“He’s already big and strong. He’s tall and quite powerful. He’s not scared of a physical battle at all, and he’s technically outstanding,” Melbourne’s football operations manager John Didluca told the Shields Gazette after Good’s transfer was completed in 2013.
“He’s got a wonderful left foot. “There aren’t too many players in the world, let alone Australia, who are big, strong and have a wonderful pass.”
Injuries, however, meant Good was unable to back up such praise during four years in England. In fact, a loan spell at Bradford in 2013, helping the League Two club to the League Cup final, remains his most successful spell in the British game.
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