Michael Thwaite facts for kids
Thwaite playing for Western Sydney Wanderers FC in 2018
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Michael Errol Thwaite | ||
| Date of birth | 2 May 1983 | ||
| Place of birth | Brisbane, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in) | ||
| Playing position | Centre back Defensive midfielder |
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| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2002 | Sydney University | 22 | (5) |
| 2002–2004 | Marconi Stallions | 34 | (0) |
| 2004–2006 | Naţional București | 36 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Wisła Kraków | 6 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | SK Brann | 2 | (0) |
| 2008–2009 | → Melbourne Victory (loan) | 16 | (0) |
| 2009–2012 | Gold Coast United | 78 | (1) |
| 2012–2016 | Perth Glory | 85 | (2) |
| 2016 | Liaoning Whowin | 25 | (3) |
| 2017–2018 | Western Sydney Wanderers | 21 | (1) |
| 2019–2020 | Gold Coast United | 45 | (3) |
| National team | |||
| 2002–2003 | Australia U20 | 8 | (0) |
| 2004 | Australia U23 | 3 | (1) |
| 2005–2013 | Australia | 13 | (0) |
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Michael Errol Thwaite, born on May 2, 1983, is a former professional soccer player from Australia. He was known for playing as a centre back or defensive midfielder.
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About Michael Thwaite
Michael grew up in Cairns, Australia. He played soccer for the Saints Soccer Club as a child. He later moved to Sydney University to play soccer and study.
Michael earned a degree in Human Movement Science from CQUniversity Australia. He also became a certified soccer coach.
Michael's Club Career
Michael started his senior soccer career at Edge Hill-Saints. He then played professionally for Marconi Stallions from 2002 to 2004. This team was part of the NSL, which no longer exists.
After playing in Australia, Michael moved to Romania. He joined FC Naţional București in Romania's top league. Later, he moved to Wisła Kraków in Poland.
Playing for Melbourne Victory
In 2008, Michael signed with SK Brann in Norway. He was then loaned to Melbourne Victory in Australia. On July 26, 2008, he scored his first goal for Melbourne Victory. This goal helped his team win 1-0 against Perth Glory in a pre-season game.
Joining Gold Coast United
In January 2009, Michael joined Gold Coast United. He moved there after leaving Melbourne Victory. On February 1, 2012, he scored his first professional goal for Gold Coast United. This goal was against his former team, Melbourne Victory. The game ended in a 1-1 draw.
Time with Perth Glory
Michael joined Perth Glory for the 2012–2013 A-League season. He was chosen for the PFA team of the year. He also played in an All-Stars match against the famous Italian team Juventus. During the 2014–2015 A-League season, Michael played every minute of every game.
Playing in China
In January 2015, Michael moved to China. He joined the Chinese club Liaoning Whowin. In his first season in the 2016 Chinese Super League, Michael played 25 games and scored 3 goals.
In 2017, Michael left Liaoning Whowin. This was due to new rules about foreign players in the Chinese Super League.
Return to Australia
Michael signed with Western Sydney Wanderers for the 2017–2018 A-League season. He scored 1 goal for the team. On February 25, 2018, he played his 200th A-League game. After this season, Michael moved back to the Gold Coast to be with his family.
In 2019, Michael played for Gold Coast United again. This time, it was in the Queensland National Premier League. On June 8, 2019, he played his 100th game for Gold Coast United. He even scored a goal in that game.
Retirement from Soccer
On March 23, 2021, Michael Thwaite announced he was retiring from professional soccer. He had played for 19 years. Gold Coast United thanked him for his great contribution to the sport. They said he was a dedicated and professional player.
International Career
Michael played for the Australian under-20s team in 2003. This was at the FIFA World Youth Championship in the UAE. He was also part of the team trying to qualify for the 2004 Olympics.
He played his first game for the senior Australian national team on October 9, 2005. This was in a friendly match against Jamaica in London. Australia won the game 5-0.
Michael was also part of the Australian team that played against Uruguay to qualify for the FIFA World Cup. He was selected for the Socceroos at the 2007 Asian Cup. Australia reached the Quarter-Finals in that tournament. Michael was also a member of the Australian team that qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Awards and Achievements
Michael Thwaite won several awards and honours during his career:
Wisła Kraków
- Ekstraklasa: 2007–08 (This is the top football league in Poland)
Melbourne Victory
- A-League Men Premiership: 2008–2009 (This means they finished first in the regular season)
- A-League Pre-Season Challenge Cup: 2008 (A cup competition played before the main season)
Individual Awards
- Gold Coast United Player of the Year: 2010–2011
- Gold Coast United Player's Player of the Year: 2009–2010 (Award voted by his teammates)
- Gold Coast United Member's Player of the Year: 2009–2010 (Award voted by the club's fans)
- Perth Glory Most Glorious Player: 2013–14 Perth Glory FC season
- Perth Glory Member's Ultimate XI 1996–2016 (Chosen as one of the best players in the club's history by fans)
- A-League All Stars Game participant: 2014 (Played in a special game with the best players from the A-League)
- Gold Coast United Player of the Year: Queensland NPL season 2019
- Queensland NPL All Stars and Queensland State team: 2020
See also
In Spanish: Michael Thwaite para niños
