By Craig Simpkin
In the ‘good old days’, strikers were judged solely on their proclivity for putting the ball in the back of the net. In these most modern of times, the role of the erstwhile frontman has changed to incorporate an involvement in both build-up play and defensive duties too.
But goals are still the main currency for attacking players, and somebody who can stick the ball in the onion bag remains worth their weight in gold.
And while this may not be a name familiar to millions, few in Europe are better at that right now than Marc Janko.
Goal-Den Boy
To really get a handle on Janko’s exploits in front of goal we have to explore the chronology of his career to date. He started in his native Austria with first Admira Wacker and latterly Red Bull Salzburg, for whom he netted 85 goals in 139 appearances. In 2008/09 Janko set a new record with 39 goals in a single Bundesliga season, and in the 2009/10 campaign he helped Salzburg to the title and to the Europa League knockout phase after impressive group wins over the likes of Lazio and Villarreal.
Naturally this kind of goalscoring form caught the eye of scouts across Europe, and it was Twente who took the plunge on the leggy frontman. After plundering 35 goals in 70 appearances for the Dutch side – including five in nine in the Europa League – Portuguese giants Porto were convinced that Janko was the man for them and landed his signature in a bargain £3 million deal. Could the Austrian make the step up in class?
Well, not really, although in truth he was ever given a chance. In just 12 appearances for the club during the 2010/11 campaign, Janko netted five times….but it would prove to be a short stay in Portugal as he was subsequently offloaded to Turkish outfit Trabzonspor.
But that move didn’t quite pan out either, and the 6ft 5in striker’s career was in danger of coming to an abrupt halt. He sought sun, solitude, spiders and strikes at goal with Sydney FC in 2014/15 – and it was this spell that rejuvenated Janko. He bagged 16 goals in 24 games, scoring in seven consecutive games at one point and breaking the A-League record, but after struggling with the travel required in playing internationally for Austria and then commuting back Down Under, Janko sought a return back to the continent. And boy, did he find one.
At FC Basel this season he has netted 16 goals in 17 Swiss Super League games and three in eleven in the Europa League, as well as firing his country to Euro ’16 in the process. Not bad for the ‘Austrian Peter Crouch’.
That international record is worthy of more scrutiny as well. Janko has found the net on 26 occasions in just 51 starts for his native Austria; find ten strikers with a better goal-per-game ratio than that and you have done well. He also scored seven times in their European Championship qualification campaign, which is essentially a goal-per-game and more than Cristiano Ronaldo and Kevin de Bruyne could muster for Portugal and Belgium respectively.
Now that you know about Janko’s career in greater detail than perhaps even the man himself does, maybe you have come to the same conclusion as many other observers: his goal record dictates that, even at the age of 32, this is a frontman that deserves another shot at the big time with one of European football’s big cheeses.
An Austrian Abroad
Remember, this is an Austria side that finished above Russia and a Zlatan-inspired Sweden in qualifying, so they should prove to be no pushovers at Euro ’16 this summer. They have been drawn in Group H alongside Portugal, Iceland and Hungary, so they have an ideal opportunity to progress to the knockout phase of the competition. That will give Janko at least six matches to impress.
There are two major obstacles that could block a potential move to a big side, however. The first is that he is 32 – 33 in June – and thus doesn’t represent the kind of investment that many clubs are willing to make.
The second is his height: Janko stands a full 6ft 5in. While that shouldn’t be seen as a negative, and some clubs would certainly view it as a positive (hello Stoke City circa 2011), it is clear that a side that favours a metronomic passing game would be unwilling to take a chance on the lanky frontman. And that’s a shame, as a cursory YouTube search reveals that Janko boasts a good touch for a big man and has scored some absolute worldies in his time.
So don’t expect him to be pulling on the white of Real Madrid or the red of Arsenal any time soon. But, and this is the key, for a player with such a proven record in front of goal – and one that would come cheap given his age – Janko looks a fantastic potential acquisition for any side with designs on a top eight place in their domestic division. Watch this space.
