Six months of travel transformed into a lifelong connection. From Japan to Samoa, and now the A-League sidelines, football keeps leading me to unexpected places.

In my latest blog, I tell a story of movement, coaching, and the game’s growing heartbeat in Australia.

Travel Memories, a Nation Stunned, and the Kick-Off of a New Season

On October 22, 2024, my family and I boarded a six-hour flight from Samoa to Brisbane, Australia.

Our six-month journey had begun a month earlier in Japan, then carried us through Fiji and Samoa before finally reaching the land ‘Down Under’. It was the first time I’d ever set foot on that vast continent. “Welcome back,” the immigration officer said with a smile as we walked through. We passed as Australians.

Fast forward a year — October 17, 2025 — and I was back in Brisbane. But this time, not as a traveller with a backpack and a camera, but standing on the sideline as co-coach of Macarthur FC, ready for our A-League season opener against Brisbane Roar at the iconic Suncorp Stadium.

I could never have imagined that exactly one year after exploring Australia with my family, I’d be here, part of the league I used to watch from afar. That’s life (and football); unpredictable, poetic, and full of surprises.

We lost that night, 1–0. Despite playing with a man advantage for the last 30 minutes, we left Brisbane empty-handed, heading back to Sydney with mixed emotions. Disappointment, yes – but also pride. A year ago, I was just passing through. Now, I was part of the story.

A Nation Stunned and a Game in Transition

There’s a certain tension in the air — a mix of surprise, disbelief, and sympathy among Australia’s young football coaches. The dismissal of Ange Postecoglu from Nottingham Forest after just 39 days and five Premier League matches has left the country, where ‘soccer’ still fights for its place, completely stunned. Football in pain, that’s how it feels.

Here in Australia, the younger generation of coaches are determined to work hand-in-hand with the more experienced ones to carefully develop the game. They see what’s happening on the ground. More and more girls and boys across the country are kicking a ball; in parks, in clubs, on beaches, and on the streets.

Now it’s up to the Australian football federation to recognise this incredible potential and guide it in the right direction over the next 10 to 20 years — to nurture, challenge, and truly invest in the future of the game.

Asian Champions League 2 and Early Season Battles

In the second round of the Asian Champions League 2, we delivered an impressive defensive and collective performance against Beijing Guoan, earning a well-deserved 3–0 victory, our first three points in the competition. That day, we were hungry, sharp, and showed real efficiency in front of goal.

Round three took us to Hanoi. We flew to Vietnam on Monday afternoon, arriving around midnight after a long nine-and-a-half-hour journey. Tuesday and Wednesday were for training; Thursday, it was ‘game on’ again. The loud trumpets of the home fans echoed through the stadium and brought back memories from my childhood – I used to play that instrument for four years!

After a stronger second-half performance, we managed to equalise from a corner to make it 1–1 at full-time. Three matches, four points – we’re still in the mix.

Just four days later, with a clear and focused mindset, we won our first A-League match of the new season at home in Sydney against a strong Adelaide United side.

Brilliant saves from our Polish goalkeeper and an unwavering belief that we would win made all the difference as we collected our first three points in the league.

Reflections

Travel, football, and life. Somehow, they all intertwine. One year you’re exploring new countries with your family, collecting memories and moments. The next, you’re standing on the sidelines of a professional football match, feeling the same mixture of excitement, uncertainty, and joy.

Australia continues to surprise me – with its people, its football culture, and its growing passion for the game. From stunned headlines to new beginnings, from childhood memories to modern stadiums, it all feels connected.

And that’s what I love most about football: no matter where you are, it always finds a way to tell a story.