Name To Remember: Marc Janko.

By: chris | November 7th, 2008

There was a link to the story on Marc Janko with FIFA in the Daily Dose yesterday, so I decided to check out the Red Bull Salzburg match this evening to catch a glimpse of this goalscoring monster and all I can muster is…wow. The Austrian Bundesliga isn’t exactly a top drawer league, but it’s impossible to argue with his numbers. After his hat trick tonight, at least his third this season, his total in 15 league games ratchets up to 20 in the first week of November. A total which is four more than last season’s top scorer managed for the entire season.

Actually, for a more detailed comparison, how about the goal leader in Austria each season this decade:

00-01: 22
01-02: 27
02-03: 21
03-04: 27
04-05: 21
05-06: 15
06-07: 22
07-08: 16

So…first week in November and it’s safe to say he might double the highest total this decade.

Marc is, by footballing standards, gigantic; standing 196cm (or 6′5) and proportionally muscular (so he’s no Crouch), he’s just a beast. And it’s not as though he’s gangly or uncomfortable, he actually looks like a real, actual athlete (once again, unlike Crouch). So creating his own space and opportunities aren’t exactly an issue. Plus he’s got a good bit of technique and can absolutely hammer a ball, as you’d expect from someone his size.

And these skills aren’t exclusive to domestic soil. Injuries have caused a few bumps in his international career, he’s 25, but he was an absolute handful against France in Austria’s unexpected win, playing a role in the first goal (may have even scored it) and winning a penalty. Could become an integral part of a team with a decent future ahead.

The question now is…how many goals will he score this year? Which can actually be rephrased to…which league will he be playing in come January? It’s impossible not to notice this kind of production, and it’s been rumored he’s caught the eye of clubs like Bayern, Roma, Tottenham and Blackburn. Big guys tend to ripen a little bit later, particularly strikers, and it could be that he’s the next…I’ll let you finish that one off yourselves.