From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football.

In this episode, Jan calls Perth to sit down with Daniel Solsky, a 23-year-old goalkeeper who grew up in Sydney, was never in an A-League Academy, packed up his life at 18 to chase a professional career in Spain, came home without a contract, nearly quit football altogether midway through last year's NPL season, and then got a phone call from Perth Glory that changed everything.

Solsky takes us through the whole journey. From starting at Maccabi Lions at five years old as an outfielder, being turned into a goalkeeper at nine after another kid's injury, and joining Hakoah where he won the NPL 1 under 16s league. He talks about his 10-minute trial at ESFA, the goalkeeper coaches who shaped him (Trinity Allen, Dave Plowright), and modelling his game on David De Gea.

We move through his FFA Cup first grade debut for Hakoah at 17, signing for Manly United under Adam Griffiths (now head coach at Perth Glory), and the move to Cultural Leonesa in Spain at 18. Daniel is candid about the reality of playing in a tiny Spanish town at Leon, coming back to Australia without a contract, and the Wollongong Wolves NPL breakout year that put him on Perth Glory's radar.

He opens up about the moment he almost quit football midway through last year, the Sydney-to-Wollongong commute five times a week, and the Perth Glory trial that led to breaking down in tears with his grandparents when the contract came through.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what the pathway to professional football looks like when you don't go through an A-League Academy.

Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
03:54 Starting at Maccabi Lions at 5
06:35 The injury at 9 that turned him into a goalkeeper
09:22 The 10-minute ESFA trial
11:56 David De Gea: the goalkeeper who shaped his mentality
14:45 Why clean sheets are everything to him
17:17 A family of goalkeepers: dad at Hakoah and grandpa's FFA role
22:00 The parents who drove him everywhere to chase the dream
23:57 Winning the NPL 1 under 16s league with Hakoah
25:26 The COVID year and getting split into the under 18s
28:40 First grade FFA Cup debut for Hakoah at 17
30:32 Signing at Manly United under Adam Griffiths at 18
35:33 What he'd do differently looking back on his youth career
39:17 Life in Spain:
42:57 The lessons Spain taught him about becoming a pro
45:08 Coming back to Sydney and searching for the next step
48:10 Signing for Wollongong Wolves and finding his form
49:45 The breakout NPL year
50:33 The Sydney-to-Wollongong commute five times a week
51:49 The moment he almost quit football
54:04 The Perth Glory trial and the 3-3 draw that almost ruined it
56:13 Breaking down in tears with his grandparents when the contract came
59:37 The circle that kept him going:
1:02:17 The message from Griffo that got left on read
1:04:56 Stoppage Time Questions
1:10:28 His advice for young players chasing the dream

From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football.

In this episode, Jan sits down with Sammy Iredale, a 24-year-old German professional footballer freshly signed for the Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League Women. Sammy takes us through her journey from a tiny village club in Leipzig called SC Pulens, being one of the only girls in the school playground, and getting spotted by the DFB Mobile scout truck at eight years old.

We move through her years at the Leipzig sports elite school under former East German international Detlef Schussler, her time at FF USV Magdeburg in the under 17s Bundesliga, and the youth national team callups that followed. Sammy is candid about her move to Wolfsburg's first team, the mental battle of not getting game time as a young player, and the ACL rupture against Ingolstadt at 19 that changed everything.

She opens up about the rehab that reshaped her approach to strength training, her move to Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark where she played Champions League football, and why she believes every young girl should play with boys as long as she can to develop the physicality that so many female players struggle with when they step into senior football.

She closes with what it means to sign for the Western Sydney Wanderers, her goals for her first A-League Women season, and an honest prediction on the friendly between Germany and the Matildas coming up in October.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone who wants a real look at what it takes to build a professional career in women's football today.

Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look.

Find Eleade on Instagram or at www.eleadefussball.com

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
01:45 Welcome and meet Sammy Iredale
03:19 Starting football with the boys at SC Pulens in Leipzig
05:06 The DFB Mobile scout truck that changed her path
06:45 Why she tells every young girl to play with boys as long as possible
13:48 The pasta rule from Detlef Schussler that stuck for ten years
15:51 Making her weakness her strength as a physical player
17:05 Ball marks on her bedroom wall: how she trained at home
18:51 Two years at FF USV Magdeburg's under 17s Bundesliga
20:29 Getting scouted into the German youth national teams
31:52 The move to Wolfsburg's first team and the reality check
34:21 The mental battle of not getting game time as a young player
41:06 The torn ACL against Ingolstadt at 19
43:32 "Everything happens for a reason": her rehab mindset
49:22 The move to Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark
54:28 Signing with Western Sydney Wanderers in the A-League Women
1:02:23 Stoppage Time Questions

🎧 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches.

Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football.

In this episode, Jan sits down with Abdul and Thomas from UBF, one of the fastest-growing independent football media brands in Australia. Two football-mad kids from Western Sydney who met at a Westfield Parramatta food court two and a half years ago and turned a conversation about Alexis Sanchez versus Eden Hazard into a media brand that now works with A-League clubs, NPL clubs, Football Australia, and covered the FIFA World Cup with the Socceroos.

This is the second episode in the series on building a full-time life in football without ever playing professionally, because the game has far more to offer than just becoming a pro player.

We cover the state of Australian football and where it is heading, why NPL teams are outperforming the A-League in the Hahn Australia Cup, the pay-to-play barrier that keeps talented kids out of the game, and why football is the most participated sport in Australia but still gets underfunded compared to table tennis.

Abdul and Thomas open up about interviewing Gary Cahill, Matheus Tell, and Kevin Prince Boateng, the Australia versus Turkey World Cup moment that united the country, why A-League players need more character like Irankunda and Adrian Segesic, and Thomas's simple mantra for consistency: shut up, suit up, show up.

They close with their best advice for every young player, content creator, and football fan trying to build something in the game: back yourself, be yourself, and put yourself out there.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what it takes to build a life in and around football.

Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player.

Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look.

Find Eleade on Instagram or at www.eleadefussball.com

CHAPTERS

00:00 Welcome and meet UBF: Abs and Thomas
02:20 How UBF started at KFC over an Alexis Sanchez vs Eden Hazard debate
04:50 Why NPL teams are outperforming the A-League in the Australia Cup
07:32 Why Australian football fans could learn from European crowds
09:59 Just put yourself out there: advice for young football fans
12:50 Interviewing Gary Cahill, Matheus Tell, and Kevin Prince Boateng
15:37 Why Australia's most participated sport is underfunded
18:21 The pay-to-play barrier holding Australian football back
30:29 The Irankunda character effect and why A-League players need personality
38:25 The Australia vs Turkey World Cup moment that united the country
43:50 "Shut up, suit up, show up": Thomas's mantra for consistency
45:39 Stoppage Time: A-League predictions for the upcoming season
52:50 The best players they've ever played against
55:27 Their advice for young players: back yourself, be yourself

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Enjoy your football journey!

From First Touch to First Team is the podcast for young football players parents and coaches. Every episode, host Jan Schmidt sits down with professional players, coaches, and people building lives around football, and unpacks the real journeys behind the game. The goal is simple: to give young players and their parents the education, the honest stories, and the perspective they need to navigate the pathway to professional football.

In this episode, Jan calls London to sit down with Kealey Adamson, a right back who grew up on Sydney's North Shore, never played in an A-League Academy, and worked his way from Northern Tigers NPL 2 first grade to winning the Australia Cup with Sydney FC, his first A-League contract with MacArthur Bulls, and now Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship.

Kealey talks about growing up at Linfield FC, the coaches who shaped him (including Adam Griffiths, now head coach at Perth Glory), and getting the Sydney FC email through his TD's connection with Kelly Cross. He is candid about the "delusional confidence" that convinced him he'd play for Sydney FC before there was ever a real chance, and the tibia fracture that ended his first season three games in.

He opens up about winning the Australia Cup while being released simultaneously, the MacArthur Bulls offer that came through his agent while he was in a kebab shop, and how the QPR offer came in through an unexpected email. He also talks about representing Australia at the Olyroos in China, Qatar, and South Korea, and the reality of moving to London alone as a young Australian.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone who has ever wondered what the pathway from grassroots Australian football to the European game really looks like.

Jan and the Eleade Fussball coaches help young Australian players bridge the gap between team training and individual development, so they can reach the highest level possible. Individual and group sessions with a cognitive focus, game analysis, and performance testing, all built around the individual player. Through this podcast, we share the real journeys of players who have reached the top, so young footballers can see just how different every path can look.

Find Eleade on Instagram or at www.eleadefussball.com

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
01:53 Welcome and meet Kealey Adamson
04:15 Growing up on Sydney's North Shore and starting at Linfield FC
06:39 From Linfield to Northern Tigers and playing NPL 2 first grade at 18
09:02 The Colombian carer, Adam Griffiths, and the two-touch drill
11:45 The neighbour who inspired him to do the extras
14:17 Playing two games a weekend and jumping age groups at Tigers
17:02 First grade at Northern Tigers and the Sydney FC email through Kelly Cross
19:52 The delusional confidence that got him into Sydney FC
22:17 Why he wishes he'd said "I want to be a pro" louder as a young player
24:43 First year at Sydney FC: tibia fracture and learning off the pitch
33:32 The MacArthur Bulls offer that came in a kebab shop
36:13 Coaching kids on the North Shore between A-League matches
38:28 What coaching kids taught him about his own game
42:11 How the QPR offer came in through an email
47:31 Playing for the Olyroos in China, Qatar, and South Korea
52:08 The reality of moving to London and playing in the Championship
1:00:19 Stoppage Time Questions
1:04:39 Kealey's advice for young players chasing the dream

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Enjoy your football journey!

The professional playing career is only one path in football. This episode marks the start of a new angle on From First Touch to First Team, where we show young players and parents that the game offers far more opportunity than just becoming a player, and that a full-time life in football is possible in many different forms.

Claudio Fabiano is the perfect example. Host Jan Schmidt sits down with him to trace a career that started at Sydney NPL club Pagewood Botany FC, took him to Hoffenheim in Germany at 16 and Accrington Stanley in England at 19, and pivoted after two serious injuries ended his pro playing hopes. What he built next is a full-time career in football media, most recently presenting the FIFA World Cup for SBS in front of millions of Australian viewers.

Claudio is honest about the hip labrum tear at 19 and the ACL rupture at 20, the two years away from the game that followed, and how a barbershop interview with Alex Brosque turned into a full-time media career. From simulated FIFA broadcasts during COVID, to BeIn Sports, to becoming the face of Optus Sport.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone wondering what a life in football can look like beyond the pro contract.

IN THIS EPISODE

▸ Growing up in an Italian migrant family and joining Pagewood Botany FC
▸ Captain of Sydney Olympic and called into Steve Corica's Sydney FC youth team
▸ The Hoffenheim trial at 16 and the Accrington Stanley trial at 19
▸ The hip labrum tear and ACL rupture that ended his pro dream at 20
▸ From a barbershop interview to becoming the face of Optus Sport
▸ Presenting the FIFA World Cup for SBS
▸ Why the NPL is one of the best semi-pro leagues in the world

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
02:02 Welcome and presenting the World Cup on SBS
05:00 Growing up in an Italian family and joining Pagewood Botany FC
08:03 The juggling story: from 12 to 1,000 in a Christmas break
10:39 Captain of Sydney Olympic and getting called into Sydney FC
13:54 Missing the Joeys and getting a Hoffenheim trial through his uncle
19:41 Inside the Hoffenheim football school at 16
26:23 Why he watched what defenders did off the ball
28:02 Hip surgery, Accrington Stanley trial, and the ACL rupture
40:16 From denied at Optus to becoming the face of Optus Sport
52:44 Joao Pedro, Kevin Prince Boateng, and the human side of pros
54:49 Why the love for football should never die
56:42 The UNSW culture that took them from NPL 4 to NPL 2
1:05:07 Why the NPL is one of the best semi-pro leagues in the world
1:10:28 Stoppage Time Questions
1:12:31 His best advice for young players chasing the dream

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Leave a comment or send us a text on Instagram if you have a question.

And remember: enjoy your football journey.

Lloyd Owusu takes us through his professional football journey while constantly shifting perspective between how it was for him as a player and how it looks now watching his own son go through it. His story becomes a live case study for every young player and parent at any age and career stage.

In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with Lloyd to build one of the most useful conversations we have done on this show. The format is unique. At every stage of Lloyd's career, we pause to look at the same stage through his son Ty's journey, showing what has changed, what has stayed the same, and what today's players and parents should focus on right now.

We begin with Lloyd at 10 years old, joining his first team in Slough through his best mate Gary Byrne, and put that next to Ty starting football at 6. We move to Lloyd trialing at Crystal Palace at 15 and scoring four goals on his Slough Town debut at 18, and reflect on what parents should look for in their kids at those same ages today.

We work through his rise to a first professional contract with Brentford at 21, the agent who nearly cost him the deal, and the mentor Danny Bailey who stepped in to save it, then look at Ty's move to Sparta Rotterdam in Holland at 14 and what it takes for a young Australian player to get to Europe today. Lloyd talks about the Brentford Division Three title-winning season in 1999, the years at Sheffield Wednesday, Reading, Yeovil, and Luton, and what real professional culture looked like inside those change rooms.

He closes with the extra 1% that separates young players who make it from those who don't, the change room culture Australia is missing, and his best advice for every young player chasing the dream.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this conversation walks you through every stage of a football career from both sides at once.

IN THIS EPISODE

▸ Lloyd at 10 in Slough and how Ty started at 6 in Sydney
▸ Crystal Palace trials at 15 and what parents should watch for at that age
▸ Four goals on his Slough Town debut at 18 and the mentality that got him there
▸ The Danny Bailey mentor call that saved his Brentford contract
▸ Turning pro at 21 with Brentford and winning the Division Three title
▸ Sheffield Wednesday, Reading, Yeovil, and Luton
▸ His A-League move to Adelaide United and playing in China
▸ Ty's move to Sparta Rotterdam and why the European pathway matters
▸ The extra 1% that separates young players today
▸ Why Australian football is missing a real change room culture
▸ His best advice for every young player chasing the dream

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
01:35 Welcome and meet Lloyd Owusu
06:50 Crystal Palace trials at 15 and 4 goals on his Slough Town debut
12:39 Scouts coming weekly and turning pro at 21 with Brentford
18:07 Multiple sports, Ty's development, and building an athlete
23:21 The agent who almost cost him his Brentford contract
28:54 The extra 1% that separates young players today
36:35 Ty at Sparta Rotterdam and why he backs the European pathway
44:42 Why coaches need to be honest and open with their players
50:49 The change room culture Australia is missing
56:37 What it really means to be a professional footballer
1:01:54 Stoppage Time Questions
1:04:24 His best advice for young players chasing the dream

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And remember: enjoy your football journey.

Nicholas Olsen takes us through one of the most well-travelled careers in Australian football, from starting at Sutherland Sharks at 13 to playing professionally across Kuwait, the A-League, Vietnam, and the Maldives, and returning home as NPL NSW Player of the Year.

In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with Nicholas to trace a career that took him well beyond the standard Australian football pathway. Nicholas talks about starting his football at Sutherland Sharks in the under-13s, moving to the Western Sydney Wanderers academy in 2012 where he trained under Tony Popovic, and being released in 2015 without an A-League appearance.

We move through the NPL NSW years that followed at APIA Leichhardt, Sydney United 58, and back to Sutherland Sharks, and the decision to sign for Al-Jahra SC in Kuwait rather than wait around for an A-League opportunity that might never come. Nicholas is candid about what daily life looked like as a professional in Kuwait, moving between Al-Jahra and Khaitan SC, and the honest comparison between the Kuwait Premier League and the A-League.

He talks about finally landing that A-League contract with Brisbane Roar in 2021, and the move to Vietnam that followed. Signing a professional contract in a torrential downpour with Saigon FC, the wage dispute that ended it, and moving between SHB Đà Nẵng and Becamex Bình Dương in the V.League 1. He also opens up about his AFC Challenge League year in the Maldives with Maziya S&RC, and the misconception that going overseas somehow doesn't count as making it.

We close with his return to NPL NSW and a career-best 2025 season at Wollongong Wolves that earned him NPL NSW Player of the Year, his return to Sutherland Sharks for 2026, and why he now believes the NPL is closer to the A-League than most people realise.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is essential listening for anyone questioning what making it really means.

IN THIS EPISODE

▸ Starting his football at Sutherland Sharks as an under-13
▸ Joining the Wanderers academy and training under Tony Popovic
▸ Being released without an A-League appearance and rebuilding through NPL NSW
▸ Signing for Al-Jahra SC in Kuwait and moving to Khaitan SC
▸ Playing Kuwait Premier League and AFC Cup football
▸ The A-League contract with Brisbane Roar
▸ Signing for Saigon FC in a torrential downpour in Vietnam
▸ Moving between SHB Đà Nẵng and Becamex Bình Dương in the V.League 1
▸ AFC Challenge League football in the Maldives with Maziya S&RC
▸ Winning NPL NSW Player of the Year with Wollongong Wolves in 2025
▸ Returning to Sutherland Sharks and the coaching path
▸ Why the NPL is closer to the A-League than most people think

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And remember: enjoy your football journey.

Zac Sapsford takes us through his journey from an NPL 2 kid at Hakoah in Sydney to signing his first professional contract with Western Sydney Wanderers, and now scoring goals for Dundee United in Scotland's top division.

In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with Zac to trace one of the most relatable pathways in Australian football. Zac talks about growing up playing grassroots football at Maccabi, spending his youth years at Hakoah without ever being in an A-League academy, and the trial at Huddersfield at 16 where he came face-to-face with Liverpool and Man City academy players and realised how far the gap was.

We move through the years that followed. Zac is candid about his time at Chester FC in England during COVID, being unable to play for a full year, and coming back to Australia so disillusioned that he asked Hakoah for a spot in the under 20s. He talks about the breakthrough that followed, the move to Sydney FC and then his first professional contract at Western Sydney Wanderers, and the derby goal against Sydney FC that helped land him on Dundee United's radar.

He is honest about the reality of moving to Scotland alone, the mental approach that keeps him relaxed under pressure ("I don't even think about the game until I walk out"), why picking up golf changed how he handles bad games, and what it feels like to walk out at Celtic Park and Ibrox for the first time.

He closes with his advice for young players still chasing the dream, and a reminder that a coach not believing in you doesn't have to be the end of your journey.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this conversation is essential listening for anyone in the Australian NPL system.

IN THIS EPISODE

▸ Growing up playing grassroots football at Maccabi in Sydney
▸ Trialing at Huddersfield at 16 and versing Liverpool and Man City academies
▸ A year at Chester where he wasn't allowed to play
▸ Coming back from COVID and breaking into Hakoah first grade
▸ The move to Sydney FC and playing NPL 1 against the best in NSW
▸ Signing his first pro contract with Western Sydney Wanderers
▸ The Dundee United offer he couldn't turn down
▸ Walking out at Celtic Park and Ibrox for the first time
▸ Why he doesn't think about the game until he walks out
▸ Life away from home and picking up golf as a mental reset
▸ His advice for young NPL players still chasing the dream

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
01:37 Welcome and meet Zac Sapsford
03:24 First touches with dad and joining Maccabi in Sydney
05:51 Trialing at Huddersfield and versing Liverpool and Man City academies
10:07 Coming back from Chester and breaking into Hakoah first grade
13:13 From Hakoah to Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers
16:35 Signing his first pro contract with Western Sydney Wanderers
18:28 The Dundee United offer he couldn't turn down
21:09 Walking out at Celtic Park and Ibrox for the first time
23:15 Why he doesn't think about the game until he walks out
25:04 Life away from home and picking up golf
26:46 What "professional football" really means beyond the top leagues
31:36 What comes next for him at Dundee United
35:49 Stoppage Time Questions
40:41 His advice for young players chasing the dream

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@firsttouchtofirstteam

And remember: enjoy your football journey.

Erin Nayler takes us through her journey from a nine-year-old goalkeeper in New Zealand to 85 caps for the Football Ferns, Olympique Lyonnais, Bayern Munich, and ten years playing professionally across five countries.

In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the former New Zealand international to trace one of the most well-travelled goalkeeper careers in the women's game. Erin talks about growing up as the only girl in a boys team, being cut from youth national teams for lacking confidence, and how discovering Hope Solo on YouTube changed her mindset ahead of a U20 World Cup where she was named the starting goalkeeper on the day of the opening game.

We move through the ten years that followed. Erin is candid about her first professional contract at Sky Blue in the US that lasted three weeks before she was sent home, signing for Olympique Lyonnais at 21 alongside Wendie Renard and Sarah Bouhaddi, and the moves that followed to Bordeaux, Reading, Umeå IK in Sweden, and Bayern Munich. She talks openly about losing her mum while playing in France, the reality of missing weddings and birthdays as a New Zealand-based player in Europe, and how her identity became tied to being a goalkeeper.

We also cover her move to Sydney and UNSW FC in the NPL, her honest assessment of Australian women's football, and Your Story, the pilot program she is launching in Sweden in January 2027 to support elite athletes navigating retirement.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is a rare look at the reality of a decade in European women's football and the challenges that come after.

IN THIS EPISODE

▸ Starting in goal at 9 and playing on a boys team in New Zealand
▸ Being cut from youth national teams and how Hope Solo changed her mindset
▸ Getting cut after three weeks at Sky Blue in the US
▸ Signing for Olympique Lyonnais at 21 alongside Wendie Renard and Sarah Bouhaddi
▸ Moving through Bordeaux, Reading, and Umeå IK in Sweden
▸ Losing her mum while playing in France
▸ Two World Cups, the Rio Olympics, and 85 caps for the Football Ferns
▸ Signing for Bayern Munich after almost retiring in Sweden
▸ Facing Alex Morgan, Eugénie Le Sommer, and the US national team
▸ Moving to Sydney and signing for UNSW FC in the NPL
▸ Why the Matildas' success isn't reaching the A-League Women
▸ Your Story: her program supporting athletes after retirement

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
00:43 Welcome and meet Erin Nayler
03:53 Starting in goal at 9 and playing with the boys
06:39 Hope Solo, mindset shift, and going to the U20 World Cup
08:51 Cut after three weeks at Sky Blue in the US
11:18 Signing for Olympique Lyonnais at 21
14:08 Bordeaux, COVID, and moving to Reading
19:06 Coping with challenges and family loss
21:34 The reality of being far from home as a professional
24:13 Playing in the snow in Sweden
30:13 The best football culture: England, Sweden, or Germany
31:12 The best players she faced, from Alex Morgan to Le Sommer
32:19 Retiring at 34 and what comes next
34:11 Moving to Sydney and signing for UNSW FC in the NPL
36:52 How NPL football actually compares to Europe
40:08 The young Australian talent she thinks can play in Europe
41:46 Why the Matildas' success isn't reaching the A-League Women
44:15 Your Story: her project supporting athletes after retirement
50:16 Stoppage Time Questions
52:57 Advice for young footballers

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Daniel Georgievski takes us through his journey from Western Sydney to Dinamo Zagreb's academy, Steaua Bucharest, and Champions League nights against Chelsea, Schalke, and Ajax.

In this episode of From First Touch to First Team, host Jan Schmidt sits down with the former professional footballer to trace one of the most unlikely paths in Australian football. Danny talks about growing up in Blacktown as a rugby league fan, wearing his dad's work socks to play at Marion FC, getting cut from Blacktown Demons at 14, and how a highlights reel his mum burned onto a CD ended up landing him a trial at Dinamo Zagreb in Croatia.

We move through the eight years that followed. Danny is candid about being 18, jet-lagged, and crying outside the Dinamo Zagreb stadium after a horrible first trial, the daily grind of morning and afternoon training that became his football education, and the reality of five years as a professional with no money to his name, chewing gum so his stomach thought he was full. He talks about being captain at 21 in Croatia, breaking his leg and fighting back to play Europa League and Champions League football in the same season.

He is honest about the moment the Champions League anthem hit him playing in front of 60,000 fans, what it felt like to line up against Eden Hazard, and why every Australian player thinking about Europe needs a serious reality check before they go.

We close with his message for young players thinking about quitting, the honest truth about agents, and what he tells parents who dream of their kids playing overseas.

Whether you are a young player chasing the dream, a parent supporting one, or a coach shaping the next generation, this is one of the most honest conversations on this show so far.

IN THIS EPISODE

▸ Growing up in Blacktown, Marconi, and being a rugby league fan first
▸ Being cut at 14 and finding his own way back into the game
▸ The highlights reel his mum burned onto a CD that led to Dinamo Zagreb
▸ Crying outside the Dinamo Zagreb stadium after his first trial at 18
▸ Five years pro with no money to his name and chewing gum to feel full
▸ Captain at 21 in Croatia and signing for Steaua Bucharest in Romania
▸ Champions League nights against Chelsea, Schalke, and Ajax
▸ Signing for Melbourne Victory and winning three titles in one season
▸ His honest truth about agents in football
▸ The reality check every Australian player needs before Europe
▸ His message for young players thinking about quitting

CHAPTERS

00:00 Intro
01:28 Welcome and meet Daniel Georgievski
04:06 Growing up in Blacktown, Marconi, and being a rugby league fan
06:49 Pele on cassette, backyard training, and his parents' approach
12:20 The highlights reel that took him to a Dinamo Zagreb trial
15:04 What Croatia's daily training taught him about football
18:34 His first pro contract and captain at 21 in Croatia
21:45 Signing for Steaua Bucharest
23:46 Champions League nights against Chelsea, Schalke, and Ajax
25:49 Signing for Melbourne Victory and winning three titles
30:52 What he would do differently if he could go back
33:19 His hard truth about agents in football
36:35 The Champions League anthem moment he'll never forget
40:08 Retiring the day his son was born
42:27 Learning to coach Australian kids after playing in Europe
45:12 What John Toshak and his Croatian coaches taught him
49:32 The reality check every Australian player needs before Europe
57:05 "Don't give up" - his message for players thinking about quitting
59:13 Stoppage Time Questions

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And remember:Enjoy the journey!