Date: March 10th 2010
Author: Sebastian Hassett
From: The Age

SIMON Colosimo has confirmed he won't be going anywhere until after the completion of Sydney FC's finals campaign, ending speculation he was set to cut ties with the club before the Japanese and Chinese transfer windows shut at the end of the week.

The news will come as a boost for coach Vitezslav Lavicka, who would be loath to take Colosimo from his defensive set-up, where the 31-year old has returned to arguably career-best form.

But, the prospect of Colosimo staying in Sydney after the grand final appears almost non-existent.

While he is understood to have agreed to a three-year deal with Melbourne Heart and has a long-stated desire to one day return to his home town, his goal of representing Australia at this year's World Cup arguably hinges on his ability to find an overseas deal for the next three months.

Colosimo comes out of contract at the end of March but it is believed that should he find a deal with an overseas club, Heart will be forced to relinquish any claim on the player.

It's a delicate situation for the ex-Perth Glory captain but he is determined to win what would be the first championship of his career before departing overseas.

''The status right now is I'm working closely with 'Vitja' and we're openly talking about these things. I've said all along that if we're there until the grand final, I will be here,'' Colosimo said. ''I had some really disappointing years in Perth - not having a go at them, that's more about myself - and now that I've won a minor premiership, I want to win a grand final. That's my main focus.

''If other things eventuate, then I'll be straight up about it. [The club] are fully supportive of me and I've got no qualms.''

On paper, the most logical option for Colosimo after the grand final is to head to Korea, where Australian players have been embraced by K-League clubs - though not always with prime results - as a result of the three-plus-one rule, and where the transfer window remains open until March 28.

Yet while Colosimo concedes Korea is still his most likely destination, the opportunity to move to China or Japan is not beyond the realms of possibility when he becomes a free agent.

''I could have signed somewhere else and just start-dated it later. That could have happened,'' Colosimo said. ''There's opportunities in those three regions but which one is going to fit the bill will probably depend on when we finish.''

Asked if this meant an overseas deal had already been done, the defender re-affirmed it wasn't the case. ''I don't have anything [yet].

What I'm saying is that although the windows have closed, because I'm coming out of contract, there's loopholes to make it happen,'' he said.

One man who will be intent on keeping Colosimo's championship dreams at bay is Wellington goalkeeper Liam Reddy, who has signed with Sydney FC for next season but, quite literally, will stand between the Sky Blues and their hopes of a grand final appearance on Saturday night.

Quizzed whether he would be pleased by a good performance from his future goalkeeper, Lavicka replied that it was a difficult conundrum.

''I've thought about it, I watched their game [against Newcastle] and he did a very good job,'' Lavicka said. ''

He has also been good not just in that game but in the last part of the season for Wellington, just like their whole team.

''It will be interesting to play against him on Saturday, but we have a real intention and a big desire to win.''

http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/colosimo-staying-put-for-finals-20100309-pvsd.html