Well said mate.

The club you play for means nothing. If you are good, you will get seen.

I. The club you play for at first grade level will not hamper your progress, and if you stand out in the NSWPL, people will hear about you.

Olympic were by far the best team in the NSWPL this season, yet only one player went to the A-League. Your club team means nothing. If the A-League clubs like you, then you get that contract.

Clubs like United have strong links with A-League clubs though.

Sydney FC - Kalac, Rudes (I know that he's at Rockdale now), Poppa
Heart - Tezza
Jets - Well there was Culina... Someone like Culina will always be in and around the A-League.

These are people who still have very close ties with the club and are capable of highlighting players if they think it's necessary.

Obviously if you're good enough you're often going to get picked up eventually but it's not always the case. I'd say that United has arguably the most links to A-League clubs through former club legends/coaches/players. It's definitely not the be-all and end-all of getting an A-League contract but it cant hurt.

It's probably just my bias coming out here but I'd say there is a bit more "prestige" involved in playing for a United, Marconi or Olympic. Realistically, 99% of State League players dont even consider that but some might

the A-League clubs don't even waste 2 seconds looking at players in the NSWPL, if you think they do your kidding yourself.......the only way is if you have a manager/agent pushing your case.......it's that simple.....

there are plenty of decent players in the NSWPL who are better than some of the A-League player IF they were training every day......but if an A-League club signs a NSWPL player its seen and a joke......all the A-League coaches don't have the knowledge or skills to find a player they rely on scouts/agents......

The issue is that the best NSWPL players are usually on close to 1000 a game, if not more. Most would also have a full-time job that would probably pay anywhere between 50-100k (again, some might be earning more), while others have their own business.

I doubt that many A-League clubs are willing to offer 'unproven' State League players much more than 70/80k, even that would probably be at the higher end of the scale.

Given all that, why would any State League player give up 2 sources of income and an established career (or business) and risk it all on an A-League stint?

You make some very valid points mate and I agree with most of them.

The NSWPL community is tiny, and most clubs are all on a very friendly basis. If there is a good player though, coaches and clubs all take and I'd be confident in saying that 98% of the time he will get picked up.

The prestige aspect was stronger post NSL I think though, as we are talking 8 years since you guys all were sitting at the big table. I will concede however that there is some glamour to being at one of these three clubs.

Batfink I think you are far off the mark. I was at every game at Lambert Park last year, and every NSW based A-League coach made more than 1 visit. APIA finished 10th, so god only knows how many times they went to watch the stronger teams play.

Disagree mate.

Get junior away from Melita and he will get spotted.

your kidding yourself, get serious ...who have they signed so far????? LOL.....



Edited by batfink: 16/1/2012 04:19:18 PM

Well not your boy obviously.

the whole prestife thing - maybe you guys are right. but in terms of better positioning yourself- its a myth. every club has a contact. if a player is worth being looked at, he will be looked at regardless of where he is. oh and its more to dow itht he player agents who tap on the door of the a-league clubs.
using hayes as an example, hes played at utd past couple of seasons, has killed it, plays under john paul, at club with extensive contacts throughout a-league clubs- did it get him anywhere? nop.
the point about what a squad player in the aleague earns as opposed to say working full time and having a pl contract is a valid one.

Disagree... You can't tell me that having coaches at A-League clubs doesn't help (eg. Tezza, Kalac and Culina).

Both FC's youth keepers are United boys. It's natural that coaches prefer players they know and have worked with. Happens all over the world in every sport

Hayes has had trials with A-League clubs... For all we know, the only reason he hasn't signed for a club is because the deals weren't good enough - not out of the question when NSWPL clubs are allegedly offering him close to 2k a week ;)

well he was but because he had played as a professional in singapore he wasnt eligible for the youth squad.....

A-League clubs don't want to be seen as using players from a lower grade, they want the glitz and glammer of bring players in from 3rd world countries, so it looks good in the media, and as far as aussie players they go from one club to the next club to the next club, i think personally the A-League clubs were told by the FFA to promote youth this year and just about all club have 2 youth players in their roster......

This exactly.

I've bought Lawrie McKinna a roll at Jensen, at one point Culina was taking the same seat at every single game. One week I had the shock of my life when Ron Smith came all the way from Perth to stand on the uncovered side alone with an umbrella. The A-League coaches always scout the NSWPL.


What the other poster said about money being the impediment is right. I know one player who was earning 250K p/year with his full time job and got offered a contract by Wellington for 50K p/year. While it would be nice to be a professional footballer, sometimes it just doesnt make financial sense.

agreed....but the FACT of the matter is no players are signed to the A-League from the NSWPL.....

look at alex smith played in the US and was leading goal scorer at olympics, and all he can get is a scabby Pheonix temp contract......

Alex Smith is an import, and at best an average player only. You dont waste an import slot on an average player, unless you're Sydney FC.

further proves my point......

so what is A-League coaches go to NSWPL games.....means nothing.....

Can you back your statement with facts?

Daniel Severino at GCU from BWE and SO, last year Hiro…? from APIA to SFC, Mitch Mallia Macarthur Rams and Marconi to SFC… just from the top of my head… and so on.

Who do you think plays for the A-League youth teams, at SFC majority players are from NSWPL and one boy from ST George.

People that are good enough will get a professional contract not in the A-League alone but also overseas.

As for coaches or scouts watching, you do not know when and where someone important is watching you it could when least expected.

I think batfink assumes that because his son hasn't been picked up then clearly nobody does. He needs to consider the possibility that his son just isn't good enough

Glavas, Tomic, Jedinak, Vidaic, Mijic, Simic, Norvall, Jozic, Haliti, Speers... A list of United players who went from State League to A-League youth or first team (a couple did have NSL experience)

Obviously there are instances where players who probably could make the step-up are overlooked or just aren't interested

I think the bigger issue is how many of those players don't get a first grade opportunity

To more important football topic,Batfink you do not have pork chevapis, it is like having pork kebabs or in your case going to AFL game and thinking that you went to a football game.
You have to go to a continental butcher and get proper chevapies they have mixture of beef, mutton and some pork mince with secret herbs and spices. Bonno have best chevapis , so does the Chinese Restaurant inside the Club.

Also good to know that you are head banger =d> .

batfink appears to be very bitter about his own personal experience.

If the kid is good enough, eventually he will get picked up.

Although I do conceed there may be a few (rarely) who miss out but by and large, the NSWPL is a great shop window for playing aiming for A-League careers.

Agreed.

Kid probably just not up to it.

APIA have had a tonne over the years too, and we haven't won anything in 8 years so you can't call us a big club who the coaches watch. A few of the top of my head include Nash, Vass, Hiro, Robbie Younis, Dave D'Apuzzo and Brynes, and a lot more to the NYL teams.

I stand by the theory that if they are good enough they will make it.

i do use a continental butcher, he is a wog and uses a hungarian recipe, he wont use anything but pork, and his/my chevapis are the best, bonnyriggs and bankstowns don't even come close.....

sean rooney, neveski, kwasnick, joel chianese just the top of my head from blacktown city who have played in the a league.
its definetly a fact that they look at the NWSPL. if your good enough you will get a call up.

and im talking first grade contracts not youth league......and another point is usually they are connected.....

like chevapi everyone has their own opinion, so your low level attempts to provoke me about my son will go unanswered......as it's only your opinion......

as far as the names you mentioned signed in the A-League they are majority youth deals, and at best fringe players, there are shit loads of decent players in the NSWPL who are overlooked, and if any of you have a thread of credibilty you would know the nepotism thats involved......

have agreat day everyone :)

the bottom line is its not what you know its who you know and if you think any different your kidding yourself. also severino did not get picked up on his performances last seasion because bomber had him on the bench nearly every game he had contacts over there. nash got his break because nis resume is impressive, AIS joeys and a short term contract at the mariners a few years ago once again not on his performance at apia, marty vass had a stint in germany on his resume also

agree

Petratos, Shannon Cole, Jurman, C. Triantis from Olympic to SFC
Iain Ramsay from Olympic to Adelaide Utd
Smith from Olympic to Wellington
Caravella from Olympic to NZ Knights
Tarek Elrich from Olympic to Newcastle

so where are we with the steve hayes issue, has he signed anywhere yet????