When fans are posting montages of famous “Barclaysmen” on the internet, few former players more closely match the description than Mark Viduka, a former talisman for Leeds United, Newcastle United, and Middlesbrough who has dedicated his post-retirement life to operating a coffee shop and performing in a band.
Being a manager or a pundit is the usual path taken by former professionals who want to escape the excitement and drama of the beautiful game, but a few choose to pursue their aspirations. However, Viduka, one of the best Australian players ever, had a completely different plan.
His feelings for the luxuries of elite football were and still are well known. He was a devoted fan of the game, but he detested the pointless politics and hypocrisy of it all, or as he put it, “All the b****ks.”
Therefore, it is not surprising that after he retired in 2009, he chose to live an unconventional lifestyle. At the moment, he spends his forties operating a coffee shop and occasionally filling in for his son’s band in sunny Croatia, where he used to work.
Viduka plays in a band and owns a coffee shop.
“I simply sit here and sip my coffee.”
Viduka’s post-retirement path has been as unique as his path to the pinnacle of English football. He described what life is like while operating a coffee shop, playing the guitar, and avoiding the spotlight in an exclusive interview with Mail Online.
The first step was to find out why he decided to open a business in Croatia instead of his home city of Melbourne or one of the UK, where he is still a beloved figure who is known for his recreational goal-scoring.
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“I left Australia to sign for Croatia Zagreb at the age of 19, and I fell in love with the lifestyle,” he replied. And we’d always wanted to open a café where everyone was welcome, just for fun. So here we are.
The 43-cap Australia international, who previously talked exclusively to GMS about his time at Newcastle, joked that his partner handles all the work around the coffee shop while he relaxes and enjoys the coffee his shop, which is situated in the secluded hills just north of their capital Zagreb, produces.
“Listen, I just sit here and drink coffee while my missus does all the work.”
Non Plus Ultra, meaning No Higher Point in English, is the name of Viduka’s coffee business. A frequent visitor is Goran Ivanisevic, a former Wimbledon champion who took home the grass-based title in 2001.
In response to a question about his hobbies after quitting, 15 years later, aside from managing his well-known coffee shop, the former centre forward shared his love of music, particularly playing the guitar in his son Oliver’s band.
“Aside from sipping coffee? I’m a guitarist. Oliver, my son, plays drums in a band. I step in when one of his friends is unable to attend. We make advantage of our basement. The neighbours don’t like it at all! The boys and I adore Arctic Monkeys. The lyrics are brilliant, man.
Viduka is leading a quiet life free from conflict. Can you really blame him, though, given the current climate of controversy surrounding former players?
Viduka’s Football Career: Celtic, Leeds, and Newcastle
‘Barclaysman’ is the perfect term to describe the former striker.
The Australian-born striker started his career with the Melbourne Knights in his homeland of Melbourne before being noticed by Dinamo Zagreb, where he scored five goals in 19 games.
He was well-known in the Croatian and Australian Leagues before Celtic gave him his big break. He earned his maize in Scotland and, predictably, won Player of the Year after scoring 27 goals in his debut season.
Viduka: Statistics on Senior Careers
Years
Group
Looks
Objectives
1995–1998
Zagreb Dinamo
84
40
From 1998 to 2000
Celtic
38
31
From 2000 to 2004
Leeds United
166
72
2004–2007
The Middlesbrough
101
42
2007–2009
Newcastle United
40
7.
1994–2007
Australia
43
11.
Leeds United, a Premier League team at the time, became interested as a result. His four goals against Liverpool were the most memorable of his time wearing the Yorkshire club’s legendary white, and he was frequently serenaded by the Elland Road supporters. But according to Viduka, he didn’t perform well that day.
“I didn’t perform too well. Poor hold-up play and a few bad touches stick in your memory. That day, I scored four goals with four shots. How frequently does that occur?
The technically proficient former Socceroos captain left Leeds for Middlesbrough in 2004 after winning over the team’s supporters. After that, he retired in 2009 after finishing his career at Newcastle United, where he became a Premier League cult legend.
Alongside players like Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell, the former Scottish League Cup winner, who was a skilled marksman at the height of his abilities, scored 11 goals for the Australian national team and became one of his country’s most treasured assets.
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