Tapping a new market

[Ricky Otto]

The players who don’t get picked up by clubs at an early age and force their way into professional football by performing in non league football have often been the best signings clubs in league one and two make. Peterborough are the obvious example but we’ve had luck ourselves in this area with Freddy Eastwood being one of the best players we’ve ever had. The landscape is changing for these players though, so many talented young players are choosing to play in the Australian state leagues rather than take offers from non league clubs. The pay is good and the opportunity to life in the sunshine is appealing. In my time travelling I encountered many players of good pedigree who chose Aussie clubs over offers from home. These clubs are often the play things of wealthy business men of Italian and Greek heritage who love football and British talent is very popular due to how easy it is for us to get a young persons working holiday visa. The players generally get a decent wage from the football club but an even better package with a token job at the club owners company.

The quality of player at state league level is good and it attracts players with pedigree as well as players who are on their way up. I have heard nothing but good things from players who have played about how good the coaches are and how they have developed. I had friends at, and followed, a club in the WA state league called Armadale, at the time they were coached by an old Perth Glory and Australia player called Scotty Miller who holds a UEFA A licence, the quality of coaching out there is very good. The players you get out there are very good as well, when I was there Armadale had half of the Preston NE reserve/development side and just after I left Andy Todd (ex Bolton) signed for them. They have also developed talent, Trent Sainsbury recently got called up to the Australia squad and plays for PEC Zwolle in the Dutch league who won the Dutch cup and recently beat Ajax in the Dutch super cup. Chris Herd and Shane Lowry both at Aston Villa came straight from ECU Joondalup in the same league. Basically there are good players out there and I’m sure it will be tapped soon, why not by us? Cheltenham have just signed a British keeper who was playing in the state leagues of Aus and NZ.

Getting scouts out there wouldn’t be a problem, there are loads of ex pats out there who love their football and watch the state leagues week in week out and I’m sure a few guys would do this for replica shirt once a season, surely the club can stretch to that? I could go on in a lot more detail but I thought I’d just give an overview to start. I’m happy to address any queries that I can, this is a forum after all (I don’t have all the answers but I do have some)

 

[Pubey]

Surely a job for Spinner?

 

[Ricky Otto]

Surely a job for Spinner?

Hadn't thought of that angle, he is in Sydney I think? I'm sure NSW has it's talent too

 

[Pubey]

Hadn't thought of that angle, he is in Sydney I think? I'm sure NSW has it's talent too

I guess if the idea was to link with some of these clubs in Australia then he's someone who could get names and details and point in the right direction. He'd also be a useful ambassador for our club.

By all accounts he's pretty high up in the coaching structure at the Australian FA.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Wouldn't they need work permits though unless they also have EU passports?

Don't you need to be an established international or have appeared in a certain number of games to get the work permit?

 

[Ricky Otto]

Wouldn't they need work permits though unless they also have EU passports?

Don't you need to be an established international or have appeared in a certain number of games to get the work permit?

I was using the Aussie players as a reference to the quality of player in those leagues. I think we should be looking at the British players over there as a lot of quality non league players and those released by league clubs are going there.


There are a lot of very good Aussie players out there though and the development set up is outstanding, the technical ability is very impressive. Generally the kids that play "soccer" are from British, Greek, Italian parentage. I'm no expert on work permits but I can't imagine they would be a big problem in most cases.

 

[Tampa Blue]

Yes, I agree that we should be casting our net far and wide.

I am amazed that we do not appear to be scouting in the 'new EU' ie Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania etc - there must be decent players there and no work permit issues at all.

For example, we have a real quality forward from Bulgaria as a team mate of Tamika's over here in Tampa as per the link - he is excellent and playing for a pretty poor Team hence his goal ratio, imho he would fit in really well with our current Team as he is a great finisher.

http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/team/roster/player/uuid/rrw27lic08ey1utrs3uktk2vh/georgi-hristov

 

[Ricky Otto]

Yes, I agree that we should be casting our net far and wide.

I am amazed that we do not appear to be scouting in the 'new EU' ie Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania etc - there must be decent players there and no work permit issues at all.

For example, we have a real quality forward from Bulgaria as a team mate of Tamika's over here in Tampa as per the link - he is excellent and playing for a pretty poor Team hence his goal ratio, imho he would fit in really well with our current Team as he is a great finisher.

http://www.rowdiessoccer.com/team/roster/player/uuid/rrw27lic08ey1utrs3uktk2vh/georgi-hristov

Scouting is difficult, I spoke to Bob Shaw some time ago and he has himself, Coughlan who watches the odd game when he can locally and a young lad who watches games for nothing just because he loves football. It's people like this young lad we need and whilst I am sure there is loads of talent we could utilise in Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania, I don't think we can afford to scout there and I think we may have difficulties finding a willing English speaking party to watch for free in those countries. In Australia we have SUFC supporting ex pats.

 

[LCBB]

Surely a job for Spinner?

Didnt he fall out with Ron over his testamonial .

 

[davewebbsbrain]

The players who don’t get picked up by clubs at an early age and force their way into professional football by performing in non league football have often been the best signings clubs in league one and two make. Peterborough are the obvious example but we’ve had luck ourselves in this area with Freddy Eastwood being one of the best players we’ve ever had. The landscape is changing for these players though, so many talented young players are choosing to play in the Australian state leagues rather than take offers from non league clubs. The pay is good and the opportunity to life in the sunshine is appealing. In my time travelling I encountered many players of good pedigree who chose Aussie clubs over offers from home. These clubs are often the play things of wealthy business men of Italian and Greek heritage who love football and British talent is very popular due to how easy it is for us to get a young persons working holiday visa. The players generally get a decent wage from the football club but an even better package with a token job at the club owners company.

The quality of player at state league level is good and it attracts players with pedigree as well as players who are on their way up. I have heard nothing but good things from players who have played about how good the coaches are and how they have developed. I had friends at, and followed, a club in the WA state league called Armadale, at the time they were coached by an old Perth Glory and Australia player called Scotty Miller who holds a UEFA A licence, the quality of coaching out there is very good. The players you get out there are very good as well, when I was there Armadale had half of the Preston NE reserve/development side and just after I left Andy Todd (ex Bolton) signed for them. They have also developed talent, Trent Sainsbury recently got called up to the Australia squad and plays for PEC Zwolle in the Dutch league who won the Dutch cup and recently beat Ajax in the Dutch super cup. Chris Herd and Shane Lowry both at Aston Villa came straight from ECU Joondalup in the same league. Basically there are good players out there and I’m sure it will be tapped soon, why not by us? Cheltenham have just signed a British keeper who was playing in the state leagues of Aus and NZ.

Getting scouts out there wouldn’t be a problem, there are loads of ex pats out there who love their football and watch the state leagues week in week out and I’m sure a few guys would do this for replica shirt once a season, surely the club can stretch to that? I could go on in a lot more detail but I thought I’d just give an overview to start. I’m happy to address any queries that I can, this is a forum after all (I don’t have all the answers but I do have some)

How about you time travel back to 1992 and get us a young Stan Collymore. He would rip up L2

 

[Jam_Man]

There's one thing discovering English players over there who went over there to get clubs, but trying to attract players to migrate to England to earn £1000 a week on a 2 year deal isn't going to be easy.

 

[thenobster]

Southend or Brisbane?... think some would struggle to leave Aus. I do however feel we should be growing better links throughout Europe, especially Spain, Portugal, Cyprus etc.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Southend or Brisbane?... think some would struggle to leave Aus. I do however feel we should be growing better links throughout Europe, especially Spain, Portugal, Cyprus etc.

Most of the British guys are only on working holiday visas for 1yr or 2yrs, a resasonable offer from a pro club would be enough to tempt them

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

Do you know James Robinson? Was at Armadale last season I think? Think he did pretty well for them.....nowhere near football league standard over here though.

 

[buffalowolf]

Now this is the kind of thread we should see more off ,well done KINGSHRIMPER,and i agree there is a lot of untapped talent out here in Australia,3 or 4 years back i sent an email to SUFC advising them on two young players out here but nothing was done.They both internationals now.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Do you know James Robinson? Was at Armadale last season I think? Think he did pretty well for them.....nowhere near football league standard over here though.

I do know James very well, I lived with him in Perth. He was at Armadale, he has spent his whole career at Ryman level and you are probably correct that he's not at league standard but that's not to say there aren't players that are.

 

[Ricky Otto]

Now this is the kind of thread we should see more off ,well done KINGSHRIMPER,and i agree there is a lot of untapped talent out here in Australia,3 or 4 years back i sent an email to SUFC advising them on two young players out here but nothing was done.They both internationals now.

I contacted the club a few years back about a Trent Sainsbury who was at the time interested in coming to England (his dad is from Chelmsford) I got nothing back. I suggested another player about 18 months ago and the club contacted me the next day with Bob Shaw's mobile number saying he wanted to speak to me. Thinks seem to have changed so if you have ideas on players maybe try again?

 

[The General]

I remember Mark (Overseas_Shrimper) (who was back in England last week - good to see you mate; if your reading this!) posting up a similar sort of thread 7/8 years ago about Mifsud from Malta ; suggesting it to the club and being blanked - lo and behold 2/3 years later he was bossing it for Coventry! Bit like me and Frecklington when he was at Lincoln but that was ignored as well! :winking:

 

[WESTY_SUFC]

I'd prefer us to concentrate on local non league talent before we worry about going abroad. We seem to have missed a fair few good local players from non league in recent years.

 

[chapperzUK]

I'd prefer us to concentrate on local non league talent before we worry about going abroad. We seem to have missed a fair few good local players from non league in recent years.

Seem to someone said we were looking at a player from Dulwich Hamlet, Oztumer (or something like that), who is now at Peterborough.