Kenny Athiu
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Kenjok Athiu | ||
Date of birth | 5 August 1992 | ||
Place of birth | Juba, Sudan (now South Sudan) | ||
Height | 2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team | Visakha | ||
Number | 21 | ||
Youth career | |||
2006–2010 | South Springvale | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2010–2011 | South Springvale | 36 | (17) |
2012 | Springvale White Eagles | 9 | (2) |
2012–2014 | Box Hill United | 40 | (30) |
2014-2017 | Heidelberg United | 74 | (43) |
2017–2018 | → Melbourne Victory (loan) | 4 | (1) |
2018–2020 | Melbourne Victory | 32 | (0) |
2021–2022 | Sri Pahang | 11 | (4) |
2022– | Visakha | 0 | (0) |
National team‡ | |||
2019– | South Sudan | 7 | (0) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 November 2021 ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 November 2019 |
Kenjok "Kenny" Athiu (born 5 August 1992) is a South Sudanese professional footballer who plays as a forward for Cambodian Premier League club Visakha and the South Sudan national football team.
Club career[]
Youth[]
Athiu joined South Springvale SC in 2006 at 14 years of age, and became a member of the first team three years later.[2] In 2012, Athiu signed a short term deal with rivals Springvale White Eagles, with the success from the Springvale based clubs later earning him a deal with the more prominent Victorian State League side Box Hill United in the same year. Following more success, in 2014 Athiu signed for Heidelberg United in the NPL Victoria.
Melbourne Victory[]
After initially being linked with a move to Perth Glory,[3] Athiu signed his first professional contract with Melbourne Victory in October 2017 on a season-long loan from Heidelberg United.[4] Victory coach Kevin Muscat initially stated that it would be some time before Athiu would make the first team due to injury and fitness concerns.[5] Nevertheless, Athiu made his debut for the club as a substitute in a draw with Western Sydney Wanderers on 6 November after a number of Melbourne's attacking players were unavailable for the game.[6] On 18 June 2018, Athiu signed a new two-year contract with Melbourne Victory.[7] On 28 August 2020, Melbourne Victory announced that Athiu would not be receiving a new contract.[8]
International career[]
Athiu was eligible to represent his nation of birth of South Sudan or his country of residence in Australia prior to making his competitive debut for South Sudan against Equatorial Guinea on 4 September 2019 in the first leg of the first round for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Athiu was substituted on David Majak Chan at the 54th minute and assisted in the equalizing goal of the eventual 1–1 draw.[9][10][11][12]
Personal life[]
Athiu was born in Sudan but left with his family as a refugee in the Second Sudanese Civil War, first to Kenya (aged four) and then to Australia (aged eleven).[13] He initially settled in Keysborough, before moving to Noble Park and then Narre Warren.[14]
Athiu has seven siblings, and is good friends with former teammate Thomas Deng, with both their families having known each other since they were children.[15]
Career statistics[]
- As of 22 February 2020
Club | Season | League | Cup[A] | Continental[B] | Other[C] | Total | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Melbourne Victory | 2017–18 | Y-League | 1 | 0 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 0 |
2017–18 | A-League | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 4 | |
2018–19 | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 22 | 0 | ||
2019–20 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | ||
Career total | 31 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 51 | 4 |
Footnotes[]
Honours[]
Club[]
- National Premier Leagues: 2017
- National Premier Leagues Victoria Premiership: 2017
- Dockerty Cup: 2017
- Melbourne Victory
- A-League Championship: 2017–18
Individual[]
- National Premier Leagues Victoria Golden Boot: 2017
References[]
- ^ "Kenny Athiu". Melbourne Victory FC. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
- ^ Stogiannou, George (31 October 2017). "South Springvale revels in the rise of former junior Kenny Athiu". Herald Sun. News Corp. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ Mitchell, Tim (8 October 2017). "Ken Athiu set for A-League deal with Perth Glory after prolific NPL season at Heidelberg United". Herald Sun. News Corp. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ "Victory confirm Athiu signing". FourFourTwo. 13 October 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ Tito, Clement (19 October 2017). "Muscat: We're easing Kenny into it". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ Tito, Clement. "King Kenny 'buzzing' but Muscat urges patience". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ "Athiu signs two year deal". Melbourne Victory. 18 June 2018.
- ^ "Victory launch massive cleanout as another four players leave". FTBL. Retrieved 29 August 2020.
- ^ "A-League news: Melbourne Victory striker Kenny Athiu makes surprise international debut for South Sudan in World Cup qualifier | Goal.com".
- ^ https://dailyfootballshow.com/australian-links-aplenty-as-south-sudan-open-2022-world-cup-qualifying-campaign/
- ^ "News - A Leagues | KEEPUP".
- ^ "Liberia win on opening day of African World Cup qualifiers". 4 September 2019.
- ^ Stamocostas, Con (3 September 2016). "From refugee to Warrior king". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
- ^ Windley, Matt (2 August 2017). "Heidelberg striker Ken Athiu keeping a level head after his winning FFA Cup goal against Perth Glory". Herald Sun. News Corp. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
- ^ Tito, Clement. "DENG EASES A-LEAGUE TRANSITION FOR 'KING KENNY'". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
External links[]
- Kenny Athiu at Soccerway
- 1992 births
- Living people
- Australian soccer players
- South Sudanese footballers
- South Sudanese expatriate footballers
- South Sudan international footballers
- Association football forwards
- Springvale White Eagles FC players
- Melbourne Victory FC players
- National Premier Leagues players
- A-League Men players
- Australian people of South Sudanese descent
- Sportspeople of South Sudanese descent
- Expatriate soccer players in Australia
- Heidelberg United FC players
- South Springvale SC players
- Expatriate footballers in Cambodia