Former Australian under-23 international Adam Casey is looking to pass on his experience to the next generation of Canberra soccer players in the National Premier League.
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After an A-League career including stops at three clubs and a championship with Sydney FC, the 28-year-old midfielder has joined Tuggeranong United for the Canberra NPL season and its entry into the inaugural Football Federation Australia Cup.
United will hope to continue its impressive start to the season when it takes on the Cooma Tigers at Nijong Oval on Sunday.
Casey has been well travelled since coming through the AIS and the Australian under-17 ranks.
He had stints in the A-League with the New Zealand Knights, Sydney FC and North Queensland Fury, and spent last season in the NSW Premier League with Rockdale United.
Casey has moved back to Canberra for personal reasons and said the time he had away from the game had done him the world of good.
''I was contemplating where I should go next and I got a phone call from the Tuggeranong coach Steve Forshaw and he explained I would enjoy my football at Tuggeranong,'' Casey said.
''I just thought I would see how it goes and each week I’m getting sharper and enjoying football again.
''It’s all I ever wanted to do when I was younger and I’ve rekindled that spirit.''
Casey played three games for the Australian Olyroos, the national under-23 team, in 2007 as it looked to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.
Among his teammates on that squad were current Socceroos midfielder Mark Milligan and fellow Canberra product, Western Sydney Wanderers captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
''We won the A-League and the final in 2007 with Sydney FC, so that was a highlight,'' Casey said.
''Playing in the Asian Champions League and representing Australia at under-17s and under-23s were all very special moments.
''With the FFA Cup this year, that’s a massive opportunity for a club like Tuggeranong and its younger players to play against an A-League club that they wouldn’t normally have the chance to.''
Tuggeranong United has traditionally been one of the struggling teams in the Canberra NPL, but recent results suggest it is on the way up.
On the back of last year’s breakthrough Federation Cup victory, which booked Tuggeranong a spot in the FFA Cup, United has won two of its first four games of the NPL season, the most recent a 3-2 upset of reigning champions Canberra Olympic.
In other games, Canberra FC hosts the FFA Centre of Excellence at Deakin Stadium, Canberra City entertains Belconnen United at Gungahlin and Olympic takes on Woden Valley at O’Connor.
Meanwhile, the draw for the round of 16 of the Federation Cup has thrown up two all NPL encounters.
Canberra FC will face Monaro Panthers while Cooma Tigers take on Olympic.
The winner of the Federation Cup will qualify for next year’s FFA Cup.
Canberra National Premier League
Sunday: Cooma Tigers v Tuggeranong United at Nijong Oval. Canberra FC v FFA Centre of Excellence at Deakin Stadium. Canberra Olympic v Woden Valley at O'Connor Enclosed. Canberra City v Belconnen United at Gungahlin Enclosed Oval. All games at 3pm
