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Kosta Barbarouses has explained why he chose South Melbourne after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, putting his young family ahead of another A-League playing contract.<\/strong><\/p>\n Speaking to Football360<\/a>, the 36-year-old former Panathinaikos forward said years on the road across New Zealand, Australia, Russia and Greece had reshaped his next step.<\/p>\n Rather than chase another A-League contract after Western Sydney Wanderers, he weighed Melbourne\u2019s A-League clubs or a return to Wellington Phoenix. Then he opted for stability at Lakeside Stadium.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was either knocking on the door of the Melbourne teams here in the A-League, or really it was only Wellington that would make sense for the family,\u201d<\/em> Kosta Barbarouses said.<\/p>\n Read more: Hellas vs Victory: The Australia Cup final Greek Melbourne has waited 21 years to see<\/p>\n \u201cIt was either putting the family first for once. My kids have changed schools a few times in the last couple of years.<\/em> \u201cOr do I continue putting myself first and move interstate alone and keep them here?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day, we decided it was best for me to stay put.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Conversations with former teammate Paulo Retre also helped. \u201cHe had nothing but positive things to say, so we got the ball rolling with those conversations,\u201d<\/em> the New Zealand international said.<\/p>\n Greek City Times earlier profiled him as the A-League\u2019s quiet achiever. The Greek-Australian diaspora club South Melbourne Hellas has since added him for the Australian Championship and NPL VIC.<\/p>\n In addition, South Melbourne \u2014 the Australia Cup champions who beat Melbourne Victory on penalties \u2014 now juggle the NPL, Australia Cup, Australian Championship and OFC Pro League.<\/p>\n Captain Marco Jankovic has said the club is \u201cnot just an NPL club\u201d<\/em> anymore. As a result, the side has played more than 60 matches in 2026.<\/p>\n Following the Cup win, it also entered AFC Champions League Two.<\/p>\n Kosta Barbarouses watched that final from the stands. He later debuted in the Australian Championship and saw the club take a bonus-point shootout win at Lakeside.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been very surprised at the quality, the standards, the application from the players,\u201d<\/em> he said. \u201cMost of them want to make a step up to a pro level.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Even so, he went further on the facilities. \u201cI\u2019m guessing I\u2019ve probably walked into the most professional team,\u201d<\/em> he added. \u201cIt\u2019s not too much different from what I\u2019m used to.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n Meanwhile, new head coach Jamie Reed replaced Cup-winning boss Sinisa Cohadzic, who left for Avondale. Still, Kosta Barbarouses rates the club\u2019s A-League hopes highly.<\/p>\n \u201cI think they\u2019re well on their way,\u201d<\/em> he said. \u201cI\u2019ve come straight from a World Cup. I wanted to play as high a level as I can, and South is that.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n A 76-time All White with four A-League titles and three OFC Nations Cups, he is also eyeing media work and youth coaching while finishing his A Licence.<\/p>\n However, senior coaching can wait. \u201cI just want to be grounded and stay put for a little bit,\u201d<\/em> he said. The club\u2019s Lakeside base<\/a> now anchors that choice.<\/p>\n Source: Football360<\/em><\/p>\n <\/p>\nWhy Kosta Barbarouses put family first<\/h3>\n
South Melbourne\u2019s pro push at Lakeside<\/h3>\n