Daniel McBreen

Daniel McBreen
Born	(1977-04-23) April 23, 1977 Burnley, Lancashire, England
Occupation(s)	Soccer player, coach
Years active	2000–2015 (player)
Known for	Striker for Central Coast Mariners, Falkirk, and others; head coach of Newcastle Jets youth squad

Daniel James McBreen (born 23 April 1977) is a retired professional soccer player who operated primarily as a striker. Throughout his career, he competed in various leagues, such as Romania's Divizia A representing Universitatea Craiova, the Scottish Premier League with Falkirk, England's Football League playing for Scunthorpe United, Australia's A-League featuring for North Queensland Fury, Perth Glory, and Central Coast Mariners, the Chinese Super League with Shanghai Dongya, and the Hong Kong Premier League with South China. After retiring from playing, he took on the role of head coach for the Newcastle Jets youth squad.

Originally born in England, McBreen relocated to Australia as an infant. He began his football journey at local clubs Toronto Awaba Stags and Edgeworth Eagles. In 2000, he secured a professional contract with National Soccer League side Newcastle United, where he played for two seasons before moving to Romanian club Universitatea Craiova. Following a salary dispute in 2004, McBreen signed for Falkirk, achieving both the Scottish First Division championship and the Scottish Challenge Cup during the 2004–05 season. He competed in the Scottish Premier League with Falkirk in 2005–06 before transferring to Scunthorpe United in England’s League One in 2006. Limited game time there led to a loan spell at Conference Premier club York City in 2007, followed by a short period at Scottish First Division team St Johnstone. McBreen returned to York City for the 2008–09 season, concluding his European tenure after their defeat in the 2009 FA Trophy Final held at Wembley.

McBreen made his return to Australia's A-League by joining North Queensland Fury, then midway through the season signed a two-year contract with Central Coast Mariners. He ended the 2009–10 season with Perth Glory, where his impressive form earned him selection for the Australia national team. While with the Mariners, he helped secure second place in 2010–11 and clinched the Premiership title in 2011–12, although they fell short during the finals series. In 2013, McBreen scored during the A-League Grand Final as Central Coast Mariners captured the championship; his performance garnered him the Joe Marston Medal and he also claimed the A-League Golden Boot as top scorer with 17 goals. Following this success, he was loaned to Shanghai Dongya before signing permanently for their 2014 Chinese Super League campaign and subsequently joined South China for the remainder of the 2014–15 Hong Kong Premier League season.

Early life and career

Daniel McBreen was born in Burnley, Lancashire, England to parents Jim and Kathy (née Wood). When he was six weeks old, his family emigrated to Australia after his father secured a contract with Edgeworth Eagles. Raised in Newcastle, McBreen started playing local football with Toronto Awaba Stags before moving on to Edgeworth Eagles in 1999. During that year’s Northern NSW State Football League, he netted more than 20 goals and led the league’s scoring charts in the following season by scoring 23 goals. Despite this success, he was omitted from the grand final lineup, which saw Edgeworth suffer a 3–0 defeat against Hamilton Olympic.

At 23 years old, McBreen secured his first professional deal with National Soccer League outfit Newcastle United in July 2000. He credited Edgeworth coach Bobby Naumov as being pivotal in advancing his career into professional ranks. Making his debut that same year, McBreen scored six times over 23 appearances as Newcastle finished 14th in the 2000–01 National Soccer League. The club transitioned to full-time status in the next season; McBreen featured in 13 matches and scored three goals while Newcastle climbed to second place in the 2001–02 National Soccer League. Although his playing time decreased, he commended new manager Ian Crook for excellent man-management and fostering an enjoyable training environment.

Spells in Europe

Following an arranged trial through an agent, McBreen committed to a three-year deal in July 2002 with Romanian top-flight side Universitatea Craiova. He made his first appearance on 17 August in a 3–1 victory over Astra Ploiești and managed one goal across 13 matches during a season that saw the team finish seventh in the 2002–03 campaign. Despite facing frequent delays in salary payments and transfer difficulties—where Craiova increased his transfer valuation twice—he was close to transferring to Norwegian club Lillestrøm SK. In the subsequent season, McBreen featured in 20 games and scored twice as Craiova secured fourth place. He departed in 2004 after the club president, and former teammate Pavel Badea, terminated his contract. With assistance from Professional Footballers Australia, McBreen sought compensation for unpaid wages via FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport; Craiova encountered penalties including potential points deductions and relegation threats before settling the debt.

McBreen planned a return to Australia but instead trialed with Scottish First Division outfit Falkirk in 2004, also making a brief appearance for Conference South's St Albans City while awaiting international clearance. He debuted in September 2004, quickly netting his first goal and igniting a streak of nine goals within seven games. By season’s conclusion, McBreen and fellow forward Darryl Duffy combined for a total of 40 goals, aiding Falkirk in clinching the First Division title and promotion to the Scottish Premier League. He ended the season with 13 goals from 26 appearances, ranking as the fourth-highest scorer.

In June 2005, McBreen extended his contract with Falkirk by one year. Among his key contributions were an equalizer against Rangers and a decisive goal versus Livingston. Although he featured more regularly during the 2005–06 SPL season (38 appearances), he scored only eight times as Falkirk finished tenth. Following Duffy’s January exit, McBreen assumed the role of primary striker but was released at season’s end in May.

After trials with League One sides Northampton Town, Brighton & Hove Albion, and Scunthorpe United, McBreen inked a two-year contract with Scunthorpe on 30 August 2006. He debuted two days later but suffered a hamstring injury that sidelined him for approximately ten months. He appeared ten times as Scunthorpe achieved promotion from League One in the 2006–07 season. Despite having one year remaining on his deal, manager Nigel Adkins encouraged him to explore other options.

On 5 October 2007, McBreen joined Conference Premier club York City on a one-month loan with an option to extend. He made his debut during a defeat to Histon and scored his first goal in a match against Stafford Rangers. After five appearances yielding two goals, Scunthorpe recalled him due to striker shortages. York manager Billy McEwan expressed interest in re-signing him.

McBreen terminated his contract with Scunthorpe to sign for Scottish First Division team St Johnstone on 2 January 2008 until the end of the season. He debuted the same day but sustained a knee injury that limited his contributions. A highlight was scoring during extra time of the Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers, although St Johnstone ultimately lost on penalties. The club finished third; McBreen recorded seven appearances and one goal before being released in May.

He engaged in discussions with A-League club Adelaide United and trialed with rivals Wellington Phoenix prior to rejoining York City on a one-year contract on 25 June 2008. His return match resulted in a victory over Crawley Town, and he opened his scoring account early that season against Histon. Primarily deployed as a lone striker away from home, his style of play attracted varied assessments. In early 2009, he was linked with A-League newcomers North Queensland Fury, confirming plans to join after his York contract expired in June.

Throughout York’s 2008–09 FA Trophy run, McBreen scored consistently and started in the final at Wembley Stadium where they were defeated 2–0 by Stevenage Borough. He accumulated 48 appearances and netted ten goals that season as York finished seventeenth in the Conference Premier standings.

Return to Australia

McBreen made his first appearance for North Queensland Fury on 8 August 2009, entering as a substitute in the 82nd minute during a 3–2 defeat at home against Sydney FC. He soon earned a spot in the starting lineup and opened his goal account in a thrilling 3–3 draw with Adelaide United on 28 August. In December, he committed to a two-year pre-contract agreement with A-League competitors Central Coast Mariners for the 2010–11 and 2011–12 campaigns. After experiencing limited opportunities on the field, McBreen moved to Perth Glory in January 2010 as part of a player exchange involving Jimmy Downey, having tallied three goals across 21 matches for the Fury.

McBreen’s debut for Perth Glory occurred on 16 January 2010 during a heavy 6–2 defeat to Melbourne Victory, but just three days later he scored the decisive goal in a 3–2 victory over Adelaide United. Over seven appearances, he found the net five times, contributing to Perth Glory’s fifth-place finish and subsequent qualification for the finals series. He concluded that season with eight goals, ranking eighth among the league’s top scorers and earning his inaugural selection for the Australia national team.

Joining the Mariners, McBreen made his first appearance on 5 August 2010 in a narrow 1–0 triumph against Melbourne Heart, and nearly a month later registered his initial goal in a 2–0 win over Melbourne Victory. Despite receiving a red card in November, he played an important role in guiding the Mariners to second place in the 2010–11 A-League standings, securing a spot in the finals. Throughout their finals campaign, including the Grand Final loss on penalties to Brisbane Roar, McBreen featured prominently, finishing the season with 31 appearances and five goals.

At the start of the 2011–12 season, McBreen was deployed as the central figure of the midfield diamond, which coincided with an improvement in team performance. He scored both from penalties and open play during this period, helping Central Coast clinch the A-League Premiership by topping the regular-season table. Although they advanced to the finals, their campaign ended following defeats by Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory. Additionally, McBreen appeared five times in the AFC Champions League group stage, scoring twice before their elimination. He amassed four goals from 30 matches overall and secured an extension on his contract for another season.

The following season began with McBreen scoring shortly after being introduced off the bench in a victory over Perth Glory. On 3 November 2012, he achieved a milestone by recording the Mariners’ first-ever hat-trick during an emphatic 7–2 win against Sydney FC. This performance sparked an impressive run where he netted 14 goals across 15 matches, driving Central Coast to second place and qualification for the finals. With a total of 17 goals, McBreen claimed the A-League Golden Boot as the league's leading scorer.

During finals action, McBreen delivered crucial goals including a match-winner versus Melbourne Victory and two goals—one from a penalty—in Central Coast’s historic maiden A-League Championship triumph over Western Sydney Wanderers at Sydney Football Stadium. His standout performance earned him the Joe Marston Medal as man of the match in the Grand Final and selection in the PFA A-League Team of the Season. He contributed six appearances during their AFC Champions League campaign reaching the round of 16 before signing another contract extension for 2013–14, concluding that successful season with 19 goals from 33 matches played.

Asian Tenures

On 8 June 2013, McBreen secured a five-month loan move to Chinese Super League side Shanghai Dongya, where he was reunited with his former teammate Bernie Ibini-Isei. He made his first appearance on 7 July in a 3–0 defeat against Beijing Guoan, and scored his inaugural goal a week later during a 3–0 victory over Guizhou Renhe. Over the course of 13 matches, McBreen found the net three times before returning to the Central Coast Mariners, where he notably scored a backheel winning goal against Sydney FC on 7 December.

Following two goals in 12 outings for the Mariners during the 2013–14 season, McBreen completed a permanent transfer back to Shanghai Dongya on 31 January 2014 for a fee of $250,000. His second debut came on 9 March, and on 26 April he impressed with a left-foot volley against Shanghai Greenland Shenhua. He concluded the campaign with five goals from 28 appearances as Shanghai finished fifth in the league standings. Although keen to remain, McBreen acknowledged uncertainty regarding his future amid changes in club ownership.

On 21 January 2015, he signed with Hong Kong Premier League outfit South China for the rest of the season. Shortly after joining, he made his debut and scored twice in a commanding 6–1 AFC Cup group stage triumph over Global. McBreen featured in the Hong Kong League Cup Final, which ended in defeat to Kitchee, but played a pivotal role by scoring both goals in South China's AFC Cup play-off semi-final win against Eastern Sports Club. He also appeared in the final, helping South China secure victory via penalties. The team finished fourth in the league, with McBreen tallying 11 goals across 17 appearances before his contract expired in May.

International career

Australia’s national team coach Pim Verbeek named McBreen among an extended squad of 25 players for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against Indonesia held in Brisbane on 3 March 2010. Although he did not take the field, Australia secured a narrow 1–0 win.

Style of play

As a striker, McBreen was recognized for his prowess in aerial duels, ability to hold up play, and facilitating involvement of teammates. Standing at , he posed a significant threat during set-piece situations. Ian Ferguson, coach of North Queensland Fury, characterized him as "an aggressive player ... who will give centre halves a hard time."

Coaching career

In October 2015, McBreen was appointed head coach of the Newcastle Jets under-15 squad while simultaneously continuing semi-professional football with Edgeworth in the National Premier Leagues Northern NSW throughout the 2016 season. He concluded his playing career at the end of 2019 and was named head coach of the Newcastle Jets youth team on 13 September that year. In April 2022, he departed from this coaching position amid reports suggesting diminished confidence in club management alongside football manager Craig Deans.

Media career

Beginning in 2021, McBreen has contributed as a commentator and analyst for Network 10, covering matches involving the Australia men's national soccer team and competitions within the A-League Men.

Personal life

Prior to embarking on his professional football career, McBreen balanced various occupations alongside playing, expressing a preference for training sessions over desk jobs or physical labor. In December 2014, he wed Gabrielle Stockton in Sydney, New South Wales. Together, they have two sons named Noah and Leo.

Career statistics

rowspan="5"|Central Coast Mariners2010–11 A-League 31 5 colspan="2"| — colspan="2"| — colspan="2"| — colspan="2"| — 31 5 2011–12 A-League 25 2 colspan="4"| — 5Template:Efn name=ACL / / 30 4 201213 A-League 27 19 / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / 33 19 201314 A-League 12 / / / 12 / / / / / / / 12 / / / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 / / / 12 /

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Newcastle United	2000–01	National Soccer League	23	6	—		—		—		—		23	6
	2001–02	National Soccer League	13	3	—		—		—		—		13	3
	Total		36	9	—		—		—		—		36	9
Universitatea Craiova	2002–03	Divizia A	13	1			—		—		—		13	1
	2003–04	Divizia A	20	2			—		—		—		20	2
	Total		33	3			—		—		—		33	3
Falkirk	2004–05	Scottish Football League First Division	23	13	1	0	0	0	—		2	0	26	13
	2005–06	Scottish Premier League	32	6	4	2	2	0	—			—		38	8
	Total		55	19	5	2	2	0	—		2	0	64	21
Scunthorpe United	2006–07	EFL League One	7	0	1	0	0	0	—		2	0	10	0
	2007–08	EFL Championship	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	Total		7	0	1	0	0	0	—		2	0	10	0
York City (loan)	2007–08	Conference Premier	5	2	—		—		—		—		5	2
St Johnstone	2007–08	Scottish First Division	6	0	1	1	—		—		—		7	1
York City	2008–09	Conference Premier	38	5	2	0	—		—		8 || 5 || 48 || 10
North Queensland Fury	2009–10	A-League	21	3 || colspan="2" | —	colspan="2" | —	colspan="2" | —	colspan="2" | —	21 || 3
Perth Glory	2009–10	A-League	7	5 || colspan="2" | —	colspan="2" | —	colspan="2" | —	colspan="2" | —	7 || 5
Career total !414 !104 !27 !23 !4 !0 !18 !10 !20 !10 !845 !147

Honours

Falkirk

• Scottish First Division title: 2004–05
• Scottish Challenge Cup winner: 2004–05

York City

• FA Trophy finalist: 2008–09

Central Coast Mariners

• A-League Premiership champion: 2011–12
• A-League Championship winner: 2012–13

Edgeworth

• National Premier Leagues Northern NSW champions: 2016, 2019

Individual

• A-League Golden Boot recipient: 2012–13
• Joe Marston Medal awardee: 2013
• Named in the PFA A-League Team of the Season for 2012–13