Erik Paartalu
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 30 July 2016.
Erik Endel Paartalu (born 3 May 1986) is an Australian footballer playing for Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors in the Korean K League Classic.
Erik Paartalu Posters
Erik Paartalu Poster
Erik Paartalu Poster
Club career
Paartalu began his career with Northern Spirit in the National Soccer League, after stints with the Spirit youth team and the New South Wales Institute of Sport. His NSL career at the Spirit was however limited to a single appearance as a substitute on 11 January 2004 against the Melbourne Knights.
After the dissolution of the Northern Spirit, Paartalu moved to the Northern Tigers in the New South Wales Winter Super League where he played 17 matches scoring four goals in the 2004 season.
During 2004 Paartalu moved to the Parramatta Eagles who were then playing in the New South Wales Premier League. He continued with the Eagles until the latter half of the 2006 season, before he decided to take his chances on a career in the United Kingdom.
After a trial with Doncaster in League One it was expected he would sign a contract until the departure of manager Dave Penney put an end to the deal. Arriving at Gretna in September Paartalu was signed on a short term contract after a trial. A number of impressive performances led to a two and a half-year contract being signed in January 2007. Paartalu joined Stirling Albion on 1 January 2008 on a loan deal from Gretna until the end of the 2007/2008 season. Paartalu made his debut for the Binos against Hamilton on 5 January 2008 at New Douglas Park. In his second game he scored his first and only goal for the club, in a 4-1 defeat to Livingston.
Paartalu was released by Gretna in March 2008 due to them entering administration. He then joined Greenock Morton. After helping Morton stay in the First Division, Paartalu signed a two-year deal at the end of April 2008 to keep him at Cappielow until 2010.
With his contract at Morton running out in the summer, Paartalu signed a pre-contract agreement with Brisbane Roar on 24 February 2010. Paartalu became an important player for Brisbane, a linchpin in the midfield and scoring crucial goals. Paartalu's defining moment at the Roar came in the 2011 A-League Grand Final, where he scored the equaliser with the last touch of the game in the 120th minute. He also went on to score the Roar's second penalty in the shootout against the Mariners. Paartalu was awarded the A-League Solo Goal of the Year for the 2010–11 season for his volley against Gold Coast United in the last game of the regular season.
In Brisbane's first match of the 2011–12 finals series, Paartalu's powerful strike sealed a 2–0 win for Brisbane in the first leg against the Central Coast.
Paartalu started in all of Brisbane Roar's matches in both the 2010–11 and 2011–12 seasons, including the A-League finals series and the AFC Champions League.
On 21 January 2013 it was confirmed that Paartalu had signed a two-year deal with Tianjin Teda in the Chinese Super League.
After leaving Tianjin Teda in February 2014, Paartalu signed for Muangthong United in the Thai Premier League.
In July 2014, Paartalu was offered a to be signed as a domestic marquee player by Newcastle Jets, but he opted to see out his contract with Muangthong United. In September Newcastle Jets reopened talks with Paartalu, following the departure of Craig Goodwin from the club. However, despite the courting and lucrative offer by Newcastle Jets, on 15 September Paartalu signed a four-year deal with Melbourne City under the salary cap, saying "I want to be at a club with an ambition to be successful on/off the field and Melbourne City FC is that club." After 40 games and 7 goals for the club across nearly two season, Paartalu was released by the club to pursue opportunities in South Korea.
Following his release from Melbourne City, Paartalu joined K League Classic side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors.
International career
Paartalu represented Australia at the 2003 FIFA U-17 World Championship. Paartalu played in all three of Australia's three games in the tournament, including losses against Argentina and Nigeria. On 21 February 2012 he was selected to play for the "Socceroos" against Saudi Arabia national football team in a World Cup qualification match.
Honours
With Gretna F.C.:
With Brisbane Roar:
