Belconnen's Maxx Green has earned himself a trial at La Liga club Real Vallecano, after impressing international soccer scout Morris Pagniello in Canberra last Friday.
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Green will join Sydney young gun Thomas Mumford on a month-long trip to Spain, where they will train with Vallecano's under-19s squad and be given the chance to earn a professional contract.
"I don't want to go for a holiday, I'm going there to potentially make a living out of it which is what anyone hopes," Green said.
"I'm just thinking about myself now and how I'm going to prepare myself, fix bad habits so I can go over without any stress."
Green grew up playing junior soccer with Belnorth, and has been a member of Belconnen United's premier league squad for the past two seasons after stints with the Canberra United Academy and Canberra Croatia.
Mumford, meanwhile, plays for Rockdale in Sydney and only heard about the trial thanks to his mother.
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"My Mum sent it to me through Instagram and I thought why not, I'll give it a shot," the attacking midfielder said.
"I drove myself down at 5am. It's difficult to process.
"I train seven days a week, four days with my club, three alone, go to the gym as well, sometimes twice a day. I definitely work hard, so it's good to have an opportunity like this."
Pagniello, who hailed from Melbourne before founding a global soccer academy and becoming a FIFA accredited agent, is on a whirlwind tour of his home country trying to unearth the next generation of Australian talent.
He has organised trials in multiple cities across Australia, including Canberra and Brisbane, offering aspiring players the opportunity to train with his La Liga club.
"These are opportunities, it's not guaranteeing a contract but it's guaranteeing an important trial," Pagniello said.
"I'm going to do my best to keep them over there. This is the beginning of many coming through."
Pagniello is also the president of lower league club Racing Murcia FC, and said Green and Mumford would be given a chance to train there if not picked up by Vallecano.
He'll head back to Spain later this week for the European transfer window, looking to build on a busy 12 months which has included bringing Colombian international Radamel Falcao to Real Vallecano, and landing Ex Arsenal and Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas as a client.
"I have to break deals so I have to get back there as soon as I can," he said.
James Buckley
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
James is a Queanbeyan boy enjoying his second stint at the Canberra Times, more than eight years on from his first. In between he's traveled the world, and spent time covering sport in Sydney.
