Just wondering if any of you guys either have, or have come close to becoming a profesional musician, artist, sports person etc?? and if you would like to share your stories of how it happened or why it didnt happen?

For me I played a handful of professional football games.

I spent most of my youth career with Bohemians in Prague but never earned a senior game, the closest I got was a spot on the bench in a friendly, as silly as it sounds, I still kept my kit from that match even though I never played, but decided to pursue other career options.

I had a successful trial at a club called Mechelen KV and was over the moon, in my first season I made the bench 7 times without an appearance, and in my second season I played 4 cup games scoring once but no league matches.

I went looking around in europe after that, but the pickings were slim, I got a gig in cyprus after 2 years and 6 senior apperances-all from the bench, totaling about 40-50 minutes I was let go.

After that I had trials in scotland, USA and Macedonia to name a few, I went to Hong Kong where I played for 2 clubs and made 50+ apperances in 3 and a half years, after that I went on holiday to Myanmar and ended up staying for 2 years playing over there, meeting a girl there and coming to Australia, where I have lived since 2010, I spent a year out of the game before playing locally over here, I've got to tell you, your pitches are f-cked to say the least, I had achiles problems from day one, the grounds here are too hard to get used to.

I'd like to say my career was a success, but in the long run it wasnt, I couldn't cut it in europe, but made a few dollars along the way, without football I would not have discovered my wife and australia, or even learned english.

Has anyone had a similar story? Please do share!

Great post. Thanks for sharing.

Looking forward to other contributions.

Played park footy, but pissups got in the way of potentially an illustrious career...I got a beer gut to prove it

Had a kick about after an NPL game a few weeks ago and Stefan Mauk was there chatting with his mum. Ball went over the bar, he went to fetch it for me, lobbed it over the fence to me and I slotted it home.

It doesn't matter at all, but I scored from a Stefan Mauk pass and that's the closest I'll ever get to being a pro.

Nutmegged Brendan Renaud in year 7

Westfields Sports High Allumini?

:lol: Nah Fairfield Pats, he came to the school for some tournament thing so I rekt him. He was playing for Marconi at the time I think

Edited by sydneycroatia58: 6/7/2016 01:39:03 AM

Farken Marconi...always thinking they the top dogs of football in Sydney's West
:lol:
Speaking of Marconi, I was at the Marconi club recently and spotted Paul Okon

Edited by Socawho: 6/7/2016 02:05:29 AM

Never really got close to pro. I was very talented as a kid. Made all stars in America at 5 for the U7's. Basically regional team. Was scoring 30-50 goals a season in Melbourne from U7's to U10's back when there was only 14-18 games a season. After that I got ahead of myself, got cocky, got too complacent and all the other kids caught up to me. This frustration me and instead of working harder I got lazier and whiny when I didn't play well or we didn't win and tapered off into an average player. How I wish I could turn back the clock.

It does just go to show how important mentality is in young kids. I'm seeing a similar pattern in my younger brother, 5 years old playing above his age group and scoring 5+ goals a game. Hopefully I'll be able to guide him and get him through the mistakes I made as a kid.

Kicked 3 goals in a forum vs forum AFL game.

I existed as a player in Football Manager for several years. Bow down to me.

So, xbox or PS4?

Nutmegged Bradden Inman, bow down.

Was a reasonably talented youngster that made a reasonable name for himself regionally but could never really take the next step. Unfortunately i wasn't naturally gifted and had to work for every scrap and every opportunity. By the time i got to about 17 i knew the dream was over and remained with my home town club instead of pushing for more. Spent basically my entire senior career at the same club drifting between divisions from premier league to div 2. Got paid a little bit of money along the way but never enough to consider it employment :lol: Fitness has always been a major issue for me and has held me back i've no doubt about that.

At the end of my career now really with the injuries starting to mount up. I've enjoyed the time ive had but i really should have given it one more real good go to at least remain in the premier league long term.

Scored more goals than Harry Kewell in games played at Epping Stadium

Played an auskick game on the MCG back in the day when they put the auskick score on the scoreboard.
Stats
1 Mark
3 Handballs
3 Kicks
1 Free kick for

We got belted by 60 points by Freo.

I played cricket for ACT under 10's. Was swimming champion at primary school and first year of high school also. I also got to shake Mark Viduka's hand at the 2000 Olympics.

I've always been pitiful at soccer though.

Played representative footy for Norwood up until u15s. I knew I was done though when I played on Matthew Pavlich in high school footy (he was at Sacred Heart) in Year 9 :lol: Even as a 14 year old he was incredible, I'm sure I played some other future AFL players but he's the only one I remember facing.

I still remember playing Reserve Grade NPL and coming up against a 14/15 year old Ben Kantarovski, who scored 4 goals past us from midfield including one of the best volleys I've ever seen. It was at that moment I realised there's a difference between aspirations to becoming a solid NPL player to being a future professional footballer :lol:

Raced karts for a number of years at club and state level, but like with most people in motorsport the time and money soon ran out as real life caught up :lol: Raced against a few people who are now in Formula Ford/F3/V8 Development Series fwiw, definitely some talented drivers out there

Knocked Chris Rogers middle stump over (20 years ago), not quick enough to earn cash doing it though.

Big-hitting all rounder, so like to think I might have made some Twenty20 money if they'd had it back then.

My second cousin (cousin's cousin's cousin) is captain of a national team who competed at the Euros and is one of the most recognisable faces of the sport in Europe. Never met him (twice when we were really young kids and dont remember it) but have a couple of match kits.

If I didnt smoke weed I could have been an astronaut and went to mars

Or did I already do that? :-k

Rofl. Not that cunt. Hes recognisable worldwide.

I'm super interested who it is now :lol:

After a bit of thought, I'm deciding on this man:



The only reason I'm thinking otherwise is you said you'd met him when you were kids, which makes me think you two are similar age and I don't remember for the life of me ever reading if you'd posted your age bracket :lol:

I'm going to be pedantic but a cousin's cousin's cousin wouldn't actually be your second cousin and in fact you'd technically not be related (only through marriage) if I understood it correctly. A second cousin would be someone you share great grandparents with. Only pointing this out because I recently discovered my dad's family tree back to 1539 through a chance meeting on Facebook and I was trying to work out how I was related to someone else :lol:

I'm gonna go with Lewandowski, thats my guess.

m8 haven't you heard that basically every Australian is related to Banjo Patterson..

:lol: =d>