Aaron Romein’s shock decision to walk away from the game has disappointed Ballarat City manager Danny Gnjidic, who is now without his first-choice goal-keeper for the rest of the National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 campaign.
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Romein told teammates on Monday of his immediate retirement, which comes just days after the transfer window closed.
Gnjidic questioned the timing of Romein’s announcement.
“It came out of left field. The emotion probably best described is disappointment that he would choose now to make this decision,” Gnjidic said.
Romein spent last season playing in the top tier of the NPLV with St Albans, but returned to Ballarat City for the 2018 campaign.
The shot-stopper’s long and decorated career has included a number of trials with Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory, but never included an A-League contract.
Romein said his decision to retire was purely for family reasons.
“My wife and I have got a really good business opportunity in the background to create something really special for our family and we just decided that it was time to honour ourselves and put all of our time and all of our efforts into trying to create our vision for our family,” Romein told The Courier.
Romein, 29, said he was aware of the unfavourable timing of his decision – which leaves the club without the chance to seek an alternative goal-keeper from another club – but said it was the right one for he and his family.
Romein’s departure means Ryan Schorback will step up and take over the goal-keeper’s role.
He will start in Saturday’s home encounter against St Albans Saints.
Ballarat City will return to home soil at Morshead Park on the back of a 4-3 defeat by Langwarrin last weekend.
That has left the side third last on the west division table.
Gnjidic said Ballarat City would head into the match with plenty of confidence after it beat St Albans – on its home pitch – early in the season.
In that round two fixture, Liam Harding, Shaun Romein and Nelson Salvatore all found the net in a 3-1 victory.
Since then, St Albans has gone on to be positioned in second spot on the table and will travel to Ballarat following a 2-0 victory against Eastern Lions last weekend.
Saturday’s game will kick-off at 6pm, following the under-20 fixture which begins at 4pm.