The world at his feet

* Words Craig Cook, picture Matt Turner
* From: AdelaideNow
* March 13, 2010 12:00AM


STEVEN Pepper has won a place at the training academy that feeds Europe's biggest clubs.

BARCELONA is a town renowned for nurturing the artistic genius of Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali and Antonin Gaudi, but most revere the Spanish Mediterranean city for a more athletic artistry. Soccer supporters across the globe regard Barcelona as a Mecca of the world-wide game. From the beaches of Rio to the streets of Soweto young lads dream of playing football in the 100,000 capacity Nou Camp stadium, home to "Barca" - FC Barcelona - and some of the world's greatest and most expensive players. Hoping to join their ranks is a fresh-faced teen from Adelaide's northern beaches. Former Rostrevor College student Steven Pepper is living the young boy's dream, but it comes at a cost - the 16-year-old is learning his trade, and two new languages, alone and a 20-hour flight away from his tight-knit family at North Haven.


Pepper's entry into Spain last year for a one-month training camp with youth development club Union Deportiva Cornella got off to the worst possible start. "He lost his passport five minutes after the plane landed," father Rick Pepper says. "It turned into a major drama. I guarantee he won't do that again in the rest of his life." In a rush to let his family know he had arrived safe and sound, Pepper put his passport on a bench while he pulled out his mobile phone to text his parents. "We got another text 10 minutes later saying his passport was gone," his father says. "I was steaming, but I kept it together."

Property developer Pepper says he was "a wreck" when his son left alone for his initial trial. "You're always concerned about what might happen. Before this I wouldn't have let him catch the train from Adelaide to Port Adelaide, let alone go wandering around Barcelona on his own."

The Cornella academy is a feeder club renowned for producing quality youth for the big spending clubs of Spain, Italy and England. It recently sold 15-year-old Ignasi Miquel to London club Arsenal for $4 million from right under the noses of an apoplectic Barcelona.

When Cornella confirmed Steven had won a highly prized one-year apprenticeship, Pepper flew over to be by his son's side to see him settle in. He will return and spend a month in Barcelona before the end of the soccer season in May. "He's growing up quickly. He even makes his own bed now," Pepper says, closely observing his son who is home for a short break from the European winter. "He's oozing confidence in everything he does . . . he even looks like a Spaniard now."

Mum Naomi Agius is equally thrilled to have her boy back. "It's been really tough having him away, but you can't say no just because you're worried. You just have to let them go."

An assured and politely spoken Steven comes over sweating profusely after being out in the Adelaide summer sun. He's hot, but more than happy to have escaped the European big freeze for a few weeks. "I went to the beach when I first got there, but it got to be hell cold real quick," he says. "I have to wear three jumpers just to go to school and training."

Pepper is already experiencing the privileged life of a pampered soccer player. He lives in a serviced apartment complex, owned by the Espanyol club, right in the centre of Barcelona and has a cavalcade of ladies to take care of his housekeeping. "They cook my meals and clean my kit. It's better than being at home," he says, flashing a smile at his mother.

Pepper must attend school in Barcelona as part of his apprenticeship and all his lessons are in Spanish or Catalan, the co-official romance languages of Andorra and northern Spain. "I'm struggling a bit at school because we're learning Catalan as well, which is quite different and harder than speaking Spanish. I'm good at English though." he says with a cheeky grin.

Mentor Ross Aloisi was amazed to hear his protaacégaacé was attending a Spanish school with all the associated difficulties. "It was a bit of shock to me because I thought he was going to an English school over there," the former Adelaide United captain said. "I'm assuming it's very hard on the parents because he's only young and across the other side of the world, basically on his own. Some kids can handle it. I can't see myself going over at 15 . . . no way. I went over at the age of 19 and I know how homesick I was. And my brother John was the same. This kid is mentally strong. He's something special."

Homesickness is a serious impediment to fulfilling sporting excellence and many potential stars have floundered when leaving the security of a home base. The issues are even more intense for indigenous sports people who can confront massive cultural and social challenges even within their own country. Soccer players, especially those hoping to play at the highest level, will likely suffer a nomadic life-style during a career fraught with tenuous employment opportunities. Aloisi himself played for 13 clubs in eight different countries in a career spanning 18-years and played a maximum of just 57 games at any one team.

The Fox Sports TV pundit was the first to identify Pepper as a player and person capable of coping with the demands of an elite European academy and recommended him to former West Adelaide Sharks team-mate Cyrille Ndongo-Keller. The Cameroon international is now a scout for leading European clubs. "When you talk about talented kids, and I saw a few growing up, so many don't make it. They just lack the determination or total dedication, but Steven's got it all," Aloisi says. "No matter how hard you work him, Steven works harder. Some people can see players at a young age that other's can't . . . they just see pace. We're obsessed with pace in Australia, while in Europe they focus on technique. Other coaches were saying, `He's all right, but he's nothing special'. I told Cyrille I've got one kid who's as tall as me and still growing . . . he's very quick, fantastic with both feet, he's awesome. He sees things before they happen. I put him in midfield in a 4-4-2 system and he was doing things I've never, ever thought of."

One thing Aloisi didn't identify was Pepper's potential as a striker. Cornella coaches played Pepper in many positions, including a stint as goalkeeper, but quickly seized on his natural talent as a goal scorer. "I've scored eight goals from 13 games and my team's undefeated so far, top of the league," the youngster says with pride. "The style and tempo they play over there suits me."

Current Adelaide United captain Travis Dodd is the Australian player Pepper idolises and is a motivating factor in his ambition to play for the Socceroos, the national side. "Yeah, I look up to him (Dodd) heaps," he says. "He's an indigenous player who has inspired me." Dodd created history by becoming the first indigenous player to score a goal for the Socceroos in a 2-0 win over Kuwait in an Asian Cup fixture in 2006.

"I thought the kid would get good experience playing with class players of his own age," Aloisi says. "In Spain they teach you the technical side of the game. That's their life. Football is number one. I know they are very happy with him because clubs don't need to mess around with some kid from Adelaide if they don't think he can make it big. They get to choose the elite young players from across the world." As well as Europeans from various nations, Pepper is playing alongside players from Ghana, Paraguay, Brazil and the Congo, as well as another Australian from Sydney.

Naomi Agius claims her side of the family added the sporting gene to allow her son to succeed at the highest levels. She has solid grounding for the assertion as cousin Fred Agius is a former Adelaide United player now with Brisbane Roar in the Australian A League.

"I taught him everything I know," Rick Pepper chimes in. "But that wasn't much. I played soccer until I was 17 and that's when Stephen was born. We've got photos of him kicking a ball at one. When he goes home he kicks that ball every spare minute of the day."

Parental expectation has prematurely ended many careers and the Peppers are determined to let Steven make his own choices. "There's no pressure from family or anyone else for Steven," Rick says. "If he wants to leave Barcelona we'll have him home in a shot. It's all about his desire and drive. We've all seen those dads standing on the sidelines yelling and screaming at their kids or the linesman and referee. It's more the parent's dream. I'm happy just to watch him play. If I pushed it wouldn't be long before he pushed back, so I've never started. You get enough pressure as an adult, you don't need it as a kid."

Steven shows no signs of insecurity and has no doubts about his future. He wants to play "anywhere where it's big". Cornella has indicated another year's apprenticeship will be offered.

English Premier League side Liverpool is Pepper's favourite club and he longs to follow in the footsteps of Harry Kewell, Australia's greatest soccer export, by playing in front of the legendary Kop at Liverpool's home ground, Anfield. Kewell also left home, aged 15, for a trial with Leeds United and has never returned to play or live permanently in Australia. He joined the gypsy existence of a soccer marvel and two years ago moved from Liverpool to the Galatasaray club in Turkey.

Across the Mediterranean, and with Gaudi's imposing Sagrada Familia church as a backdrop, Steven Pepper has embarked on his own cultural, sporting odyssey.

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/in-depth/the-world-at-his-feet/story-e6frebsu-1225839661639