Nestory Irankunda having agency over his future is a good thing for Australian football | Joey Lynch

If the rising star has the maturity to recognise Adelaide United is the best place for him right now, maybe that’s a silver lining to this Olyroos saga

One of the key pieces of advice the A-Leagues received in early 2020, when they were separating from Football Australia, was that the “best asset” they could possess was the local boy or girl made good. The counsel came from former Premier League boss Richard Scudamore, who was drafted by clubs to advise their new stewardship of the competition, and it’s hard to imagine a more apt example of this than Nestory Irankunda. So it’s no surprise that Australian football has become so invested in the journey of the 18-year-old and the current saga surrounding his status with Australia’s U23 side, the Olyroos.

The teenage sensation is emblematic of what the competition is trying to become in its new, belated, “football focused” era; an incredibly talented young man, who received an opportunity to play for his home town club and promptly excelled. Arriving in Australia as a refugee, he has gone from the Adelaide Croatia Raiders to Adelaide United, and soon, Bayern Munich. All in process before his 18th birthday in February. It’s a step-by-step journey that followers of the game have been able to track almost in its entirety and, as a result, invest in emotionally. Continue reading...

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