I live in Austria and we had a retreat at a Sportschule outside of Vienna. It is apparently the training facility for FC Magna Wiener Neustadt (Matt's new team). I didn't happen to notice him among the players and the place was filled with Americans from our school so I'm pretty sure he would've said something had he heard all of the English. That doesn't mean he wasn't there, I may have just somehow managed to miss him.
Looks like Matt is currently with SV Magna Wienerberg. If you go here... http://www.svwienerberg.at/ ... and click on "Kader" he is listed there. It looks like he played for their first team on Nov. 10 in a 4-3 win over SV Würmla.
I guess I shouldn't dieparage the Austrian 3rd division ... according to Matt's MySpace page he's making over a quarter mill. (He wouldn't exaggerate would he? ).
Matt has been called in to Rongen's camp which started on the 15th. I'd never even heard of this guy. http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_11993091.html
FC Magna is now in the Eerste Liga, the Austrian second flight. They are currently in first, so if they can hold on they'll be playing in the A-Bundesliga next season. http://www.bundesliga.at/bewerbe/index.php?&sub1=2&sub2=2_2&sub3=2_2_1 Matt has made one appearance this season.
Haven't really checked this out, but from the Schulz site: Matt Luzunaris, who signed in January 2008 with FC Magna Wr. Neustadt (current leader in the 2nd divison in Austria) showed a lot of improvements while playing for the U20 US National Team last week. “Matt learned a lot in Europe in only 10 months. He is a complete different player now, and is showing promise for the future. I am working on a possibility for him in Brazil with Botafogo for the next 6 months so he can make the next step. Also, interesting: Matt is only 19, and can still learn a lot. I think in 1 or 2 years he can play in one of the big soccer countries in Europe on the highest level”, says Josef Schulz, who represents Matt in international transfers, and trained Matt since he was 12 years old. http://www.schulzsocceracademy.com/home/296898.html That's an interesting model, certainly.
So he's gonna go on loan to Botafogo? It'll be interesting to watch this spot. I'm assuming he and Jozy have played together up top before. Would be cool to see that happen again at U-20 level.
No kidding. He's appeared in only one match so far this season: http://www.bundesliga.at/bewerbe/index.php?sub1=2&sub2=2_4&sub3=2_4_1&vrnr=4276 Is this guy really in the mix for the U.S. U20 national team? Apparently not enough to be placed on Rongen's squad for CONCACAF qualifying: http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_12812288.html
Well, it looks like Matt Luzunaris' club SC Magna Wr. Neustadt will be playing in the A-Bundesliga next year as they have clinched promotion with one game to spare: http://www.austriantimes.at/index.php?id=13388 He's still listed on the club's roster, but I'm not sure that he's received any further playing time than what was listed above. (http://www.fcmagna.at/de/teams/adeg-erste-liga/kampfmannschaft/get/page/luzunaris-matthew/) http://www.bundesliga.at/bewerbe/index.php?sub1=2&sub2=2_4&sub3=2_4_1&vrnr=4276&spnr=3300812
Interesting situation here: American striker Matthew Luzunaris has completed his six-month loan at Brazilian club Botafogo and is en route back to newly-promoted Austrian club SC Magna Wiener Neustadt. ... Although collecting no first team appearances in Brazil due to visa restrictions, the striker trained with the first side and benefited from his time there. ... Wiener Neustadt join Austria's top-flight league for the first time in its brief history after finishing at the top of this season's Erste Liga table with 69 points. SCR Altach will take their spot in the second league after their sluggish third season in the Bundesliga. http://www.yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4787
Barely beat you to it. Interesting how we both posted the same passages though. I guess great minds think alike or something.
I was wondering why Luzunaris wasn't getting any playing time at the Austrian second level. Hopefully he puts himself on the YA map by breaking into the first team next season. Whatever happened with Damon Wilson at Kapfenberger?
According to YA, he's about to sign with Rapid Vienna. EDIT: And also Austrian sources. http://www.nachrichten.at/sport/fussball/sportnet;art99,229874
I was just going to post this. It looks like a good move for Matt. He scored in both friendlies during his trial. http://yanks-abroad.com/get.php?mode=content&id=4954
This is definitely a step up, as Rapid Wien is one of the traditional powers in Austrian football. If Matt can eventually find his way into the 1st team he'll be playing at a good level. Best wishes.
He played with the second team on August 1 in a 2-0 loss: Die Rapid Amateure spielten mit: Königshofer - Kayhan, Schößwendter, Jusic, Mohr (73. Luxbacher) - Mehic (73. Cetinkaya), Tosun, Ildiz, Jelenko - Sandic, Luzunaris; http://www.skrapid.at/9608+M51d030423a6.html The club's web site still doesn't list him as signed, however.
He scored twice and picked up an assist in a first-team friendly last week against Al Jazira: http://www.austriantimes.at/news/Sports/2009-08-13/15545/Al_Jazira_Club_thrashed_by_Rapid_Vienna In some translation I saw of a match write up, but now I've lost of course, it said he signed a three-year contract with the amateur team a couple of weeks ago. This, I think (German speakers?), seems to confirm that: http://www.skrapid.at/9608+M5df05eb64ed.html