Craig Goodwin has returned home for a fourth stint at Adelaide United. In this wide-ranging interview, he reflects on his motivations, leadership ambitions, World Cup experience, and desire to finish his playing career where he feels most connected – with the Reds.
Welcome home, Goody. How good does it feel to be a Red once again?
Craig Goodwin: Yeah, obviously really excited. You know, it’s my fourth stint now, so something keeps drawing me back here. Don’t know what it is [chuckles], but yeah, just really excited about the opportunity going forward and being back home and being again involved in the club that I have the most passion and love for and, yeah, look forward to much success.
What was the driving factor behind your decision to come back? The club obviously means a lot to you and your family.
CG11: Yeah, definitely. I think the fact that obviously both myself and my partner, Katelyn, are from Adelaide, so we have a family – that is a drawing card – but if taken into account, obviously the football side as well as the family side, it aligns perfectly. And, you know, obviously I had to leave due to an opportunity that was probably too good to turn down, to set me up for the rest of my life, and now I’ve got the opportunity to, obviously, come back and, like I said, be where I most enjoy my football.
You said you had to leave for yourself. How have you changed as a person, on and off the pitch, during that time? What Craig Goodwin is returning to Adelaide?
CG11: Someone that’s still very hungry to have success. Someone that feels a little bit like there’s unfinished business, and someone who wants to win another championship, wants to win another Australia Cup. You know, I thrive on the thoughts of that. And, you know, besides your international football, nothing means more to me than winning with Adelaide United. So I have a great drive and a great hunger to bring success to the club and to the fans.
You’ve always had a really strong connection with the Reds. How important was that in your decision to return?
CG11: Yeah, massive. I’m 33 now. I feel like I’m still in my prime in terms of my performances and stuff, but I know age-wise that I might not have too many seasons left. But I also take into consideration when thinking that is – where do I want to spend the last few seasons of my career? What do I want to do? And the biggest thing for me is, you know, to have that real passion again and to be somewhere where I really love my football, I love what I do – and everything aligns with Adelaide United. I think it suits me down to a tee.
Have you been watching the Reds while you’ve been away? Who are you most excited to play with again – or for the first time?
CG11: Every game – unless my games are somewhat interfering with it – but usually the timing is pretty good, being in the morning. Really excited by what the Reds have been able to do this season. And in terms of who I’m most excited to play with again, it’s definitely Ryan Kitto – my roommate, good friend – and we have a great connection and have been able to create many memorable moments. So I look forward to that.
You’ve played at a World Cup and overseas. What benefits from those experiences can you bring back to a relatively young side at United?
CG11: Well, obviously definitely the experience and just, I guess, knowing what it takes to, I guess, have some sort of success at those levels. And having such a young group and knowing that all of those players will aspire to some of the things that I’ve been able to achieve – and hopefully more.
So for me, the biggest thing is being able to help them, guide them – but also, at the same time, because of the personality I have, it’s about wanting to be the best and wanting to set that standard. So for anyone in the squad and anyone that knows me from being there previously, every day when I’m at training, I demand the best from myself and I demand the best from my teammates. So I look forward to going there and trying to set the standard for as long as I possibly can, and raising the level of the boys and trying to help the young boys and everyone else in the squad be the best that they can be.
What are your personal goals for the season, the next three years, and beyond? What do you think you’ll bring to the team on and off the pitch – beyond the leadership you’ve already mentioned?
CG11: Well, definitely, in terms of goals, it’s to win silverware with the club. I think we are in a position to do that. Obviously, the boys have done reasonably well this season, but obviously over the last few seasons we’ve come so close and fallen short at the semi-final. So I think we are a chance to do that. Hopefully heading into the next season, we can have a really strong year.
That’s my main target – to try and win silverware and bring success to the club. Aside from that, trying to contribute to as many goals and assists as possible and to try and be a real leader in my performances and the way I conduct myself around the club.
I do know that I’m on 60 goals, and maybe – maybe it’s a difficult target – but I would like to be the first player to hit 100 goals for the club. We’ll see how I go. I’m not too strict on that target, but I’ll give it my best chance. I think that’d be a nice, memorable thing to have. But first and foremost, it’s about trying to bring silverware to the club.
The club has a strong reputation for developing young South Australian talent. Have you thought about your coaching future and how much of a role model you can be for our NPL side and the next generation in the senior system?
CG11: Yeah, coaching is definitely something that I can see myself doing post-playing career. I hope that I’ve got at least three or four years left of playing, but it’s something that I’ve spoken with the club about and worked out – to be involved post-playing career, to start my coaching journey along the way and, you know, start that next phase.
To try and give back even more – in more capacity than I can as a player – in terms of the younger players and the players that are trying to aspire to reach new heights in Australian football.
You’ve had some incredible moments in an Adelaide United shirt. Are there any particular memories that stand out for you?
CG11: It’s hard to look past the 2016 Grand Final – obviously the first Championship the team has won. So that’s a special one. The FFA Cup in 2018 against Sydney FC – a really special one for me. A lot of the highlights for me – a lot of the day-to-day – are really just enjoying and loving what I do every day, going into work, sharing the changing room with the players that I have and the people that I have.
And then on top of that, obviously the most special games – and the most memorable ones, besides your championship ones – are the ones against Melbourne Victory. And I’ve been lucky enough to win quite a few games at Coopers and away, and to have scored a few goals against them as well.
You mentioned that magical “C” word – Coopers Stadium. How much have you missed that atmosphere, and how excited are you to grace the new pitch?
CG11: I’m really interested to see what the pitch is like – or what the pitch is now – because I think it was renowned as probably the best surface in the country. So if it’s gotten better than that, I don’t know how you do that. So it’ll be interesting to see that.
But obviously, I’ve got great memories of Coopers Stadium, and I’m grateful that I have the opportunity now, over the next few seasons, to add to that and to create even more memories. And hopefully I’ll have the chance – and be blessed – to be able to lift silverware with the team there.
Bit of a light-hearted one – we now have two Goodwins. What are we going to do about the back of the shirt? Have you spoken to Archie about this?
CG11: I have not spoken to Archie about this, and I’m open to negotiations, and we can discuss. [smiles] But I am the older player, and I may get the preference. [laughs]
Have you been in touch with the playing group? An old teammate of yours, Bart Nieuwenhof, is now at the club – was that always part of the plan?
CG11: I wouldn’t say it was necessarily part of the plan all along. I did try to get Bart to the club a couple of years ago, and it wasn’t the right timing. And then when I knew that he was interested again, I did try and push him down that path.
I knew he was speaking to some other A-League clubs and didn’t want to see a player of his quality go to, I guess, a rival. So I tried to put him in contact with Marius. And then obviously having the Dutch connection there worked really well for the club.
I’m delighted that he’s at the club and we’ll have the chance to play together again, as I did at Sparta Rotterdam a few seasons ago. Yeah, I look forward to that opportunity as well. He’s a great person, great personality, great for the changeroom – got along with him really well in the Netherlands.
Besides Kitto and Bart, have you been in contact with any of the other boys?
CG11: Yeah, I keep in contact with a lot of the boys – message them via social media or WhatsApp. I obviously have a good connection with the group and the team. But also a lot of new faces coming in as well – a lot of young faces – so I look forward to getting in, meeting everyone, and building up that connection again and trying to make it the best environment it can be.
And finally, your message to the Red Army and fans who are so excited to have you home once again?
CG11: Just – thank you. Thank you for your support. It’s always meant the world to me playing in front of a packed-out Coopers Stadium, and I look forward to having that opportunity again. I’ll do my best to deliver silverware to the club again, and hopefully we can share many more memories before my time’s up playing.
