Friday, 26 August 2011 02:50
Accies say aye to Andrew MacLean
Written by Craig MacKenzie / Vol.7 No.25
ANDREW MacLean has agreed a one-year deal with Scottish First Division club Hamilton Academicals.
The 18-year-old defender was made the offer by Accies manager Billy Reid two weeks ago after a three-week trial.
During that time he played four games and ironically it was his final hit-out at Murray Park against his beloved Glasgow Rangers that clinched the deal.
Rangers supremo Ally McCoist and assistant Kenny McDowall were at that trial match as was Reid with the Accies boss making the offer the next day.
“Andrew says that was the best he’d played during the trial. In fact he said that that was the best he’d ever played,” said his dad, Rothmans Medal and Bill Fleming Medal winner Jim MacLean, a former Morton and Sunderland midfielder who enjoyed a celebrated career here after arriving in 1981 to play for Brisbane Lions in the National Soccer League.
Andrew MacLean’s career kicked off at Eastern Lions when he was five years old. He had a couple of seasons there before switching to Port Melbourne for a similar length of time then returning to Eastern Lions.
His second spell at the club saw him come under the coaching guidance of former Green Gully star Billy Morrey.
That stint at under-13 and under-14 levels played an important part in MacLean’s development because Morrey had great belief in the teenager and always encouraged him.
Next season he was part of Don MacLaren’s all-conquering Green Gully under-15 side and was selected to represent Victoria by state coach John Campelj.
“His time with Donnie was Andrew’s introduction to winning everything. It was a big learning curve for him,” said Jim MacLean.
Andrew MacLean also was selected in a squad put together by former Mooroolbark star Ian Williamson to play in a junior tournament in Singapore and at that tournament he was offered a trial with English Premier League club Fulham.
Suddenly the youngster was a wanted man. He was offered a trial at the Victorian Institute of Sport after previously being overlooked but he declined.
His two weeks at Fulham gave him important feedback regarding the fitness levels required. Fulham never queried his ability though.
MacLean returned to Australia and joined Richmond where his father was now on the coaching staff.
He debuted for the under-21s when he was 16 and last season won their player of the year award. By now he’d made the switch from midfield to defence.
Although he trained with the senior squad, Richmond’s 2010 minor premiership success suggested that he may find game time in the firsts hard come by this year.
“I thought that his opportunity of getting into the starting line was slim and I felt that he’d only go backwards if he kept playing in the under-21s. I suggested to him that he needed to play against men,” said Jim MacLean.
His son agreed. Eddie Krncevic alerted North Geelong coach Vinko Buljabasic who took a liking to the youngster immediately and MacLean signed with the Croatian-backed club for the 2011 season.
But things started to unravel for MacLean when North Geelong controversially sacked Buljabasic prior to the start of this season, replacing him with Ante Skoko.
Some committemen wanted Skoko to release the “Melbourne contingent” among the playing staff and MacLean jumped before he was pushed.
He joined Brunswick City where senior coach Tony Ciantar quickly became an admirer.
“As soon as he got here you could see that his skill and technique were brilliant,” said Ciantar.
“He’s the full package as far as I’m concerned. I just felt that he needed to work on his fitness.”
Jim MacLean was delighted with his son’s progress at Brunswick City and the youngster was keen to head back overseas for more trials.
Initially MacLean trialled with Morton when he arrived in Scotland but only lasted 20 minutes before suffering a groin injury.
He recovered from that setback and has now grasped his chance at New Douglas Park with both hands.
“It’s up to him now to continue his progress,” said Jim MacLean. “I’m really happy for him because he’s found someone over there other than his father who has some belief in him.”