High-profile Australian career boost falls flat for struggling ex-Portsmouth, Luton and Millwall man

Ryan Tunnicliffe ventured to Adelaide United in a high-profile move following a Fratton Park release in the summer of 2023.

The midfielder had been largely underwhelming during two years with the Blues, despite an encouraging start, and was among nine players handed free transfers by John Mousinho.

Having previously been linked with a move to the A-League, Tunnicliffe sealed a switch in September 2023 on a two-year deal with hopes of shining Down Under.

Yet while his maiden season with Adelaide failed to live up to expectations, it was damning that he didn’t even make their squad for the opening match of their new league campaign.

Boss Carl Veart named a 20-man squad for last week’s encounter with champions Central Coast Mariners. He was without three players through injury, while Tunnicllife was absent through ‘selection’.

The writing had been on the wall for the ex-Manchester United, Fulham and Millwall man, who featured as a regular substitute in their Australia Cup campaign, which precedes the league season.

During Adelaide’s march to the semi-finals, the 31-year-old came off the bench in all four matches, albeit totalling just 44 minutes.

Now the big-name recruit from England has been omitted from their squad for the A-League kick-off, with Veart’s men drawing 1-1 in his absence.

Tunnicliffe's new challenge had begun promisingly enough, scoring in his second appearance after coming off the bench in a 6-0 victory over Melbourne City in October 2023.

However, by the season’s end, of his 21 outings, 11 were as substitute, with just that one goal, as Adelaide finished eighth in a 12-team league won by Central Coast Mariners.

Tunnicliffe finished the campaign on the bench for 11 of the final 12 matches, unused in four of them, as his involvement in the team substantially declined.

Now his second season has begun disappointingly, finding himself out of the first-team frame, with Adelaide next in action on Saturday with a trip to Western Sydney Wanderers.

Tunnicliffe was signed for Pompey by Danny Cowley in June 2021 following his release from Luton - and he began 2021-22 with a flurry of assists, while netted the winner against Shrewsbury.

However, a hamstring injury sustained against Bolton in October 2021 sidelined him for three months and he never rediscovered that sizzling form.

Pompey decided against taking up their club option on him in the summer of 2023 after 69 appearances and three goals - now he’s struggling for match action in the A-League.