Panadic completes Sturm move
Monday, January 28, 2002
Article summary
SK Sturm Graz have signed Andrej Panadic on a one-and-a-half-year contract from Hamburger SV.
Article body
SK Sturm Graz have completed the signing of Hamburger SV defender Andrej Panadic on a one-and-a-half-year contract.
Ten points clear
Sturm have recruited the 33-year-old Croatian international as they look to catch runaway Austrian Bundesliga leaders FC Tirol Innsbruck. Tirol are ten points clear of the Graz club but Sturm will be hoping to close that gap when Austrian season resumes in February.
Increasingly difficult
Panadic spent five seasons in Hamburg but was finding it increasingly difficult to break into the first team on a regular basis. His contract with Sturm also contains an option to extend his deal by a further year.
'First-class team'
"The fact is the club [Hamburg], which intends to bring new, young players, do not need me anymore," Panadic said. "I have to accept that. Sturm are a first-class team. They have potential to play in the [UEFA] Champions League and I want to be with them."
Playing career
Panadic moved to Hamburg from KFC Uerdingen 05 in 1997 and has also played for NK Zagreb, Chemnitzer FC and NK Gorica.
