Olympic FC have swooped on former Socceroo and Brisbane Roar star Shane Stefanutto – announcing the veteran has joined the club until the end of the 2017 season.
The 36-year-old left fullback becomes the latest signing for Olympic coach Terry Kirkham as he continues to put his stamp on the squad he inherited from former coach Jim Bellas in late April.
He will join the squad in coming weeks with the club confirming they intend to include him as a marquee player under the competition’s Player Points System, which still requires formal approval from Football Queensland.
Stefanutto made 134 Hyundai A-League appearances for Brisbane Roar since 2010 – winning two Premierships and three Championships with the club – in addition to representing in the AFC Asian Champions League.
He also made three appearances for the Caltex Socceroos during a five year stint in Norway’s Tippeligaen with Lyn and Lillestrom, before returning to Australia in 2009.
Stefanutto said despite ongoing injury concerns in recent seasons suggesting his playing days may be coming to a close, he still has the desire to test himself in competitive football.
“When I retired from the Roar I was contemplating what my next step would be, and Terry got intact with me and he outlined his plans for the future,” Stefanutto explained.
“Straight away it excited me and I wanted to be a part of it. So in the last few weeks we’ve been having discussions and they’ve been really positive.”
CLICK HERE for the full story.