Purcell pursues career 'Down Under'

Having agreed a deal that will take him to join Australian side Marconi Stallions pending international clearance, Tadhg Purcell is looking forward to this latest challenge in his career.

The Dubliner had been without a club since a loan spell at Cork City ended but decided to take the chance in plying his trade with the NSW Premier League outfit and is looking forward to showing the Aussie public what he is capable of.

“I have been here a week just talking to people and making contacts and ringing different clubs and I trained with a couple of different clubs,” he said. “It has been really good over here and I am really happy with joining Marconi, they were the champions last year and we are in the league just below the A-League so I want to come over here and build up my reputation and show what I can do and impress people.”

He visited the country last year to work as a personal trainer and also work on his own fitness and believes living Down Under is a fantastic opportunity for him even outside of the football side of things.

Speaking about this, the 27-year-old said: “I was out here before Christmas and had a look about, but then I had to go home and sort things out back there and went to Norway then with the PFAI squad but you can get the same amount of money if not more over here and it is a better lifestyle because there is more jobs available.

“I have to also be thinking about my life at the end of my career too for my personal training too and there is a good opportunity for that here so that’s my plan,” he added.

There was interest in him though from a number of clubs back at home, with a switch to former club Cork City looking close, but in the end nothing materialised.

“There was interest from Derry City and Cork as well as Dundalk while Shels showed an interest too and I was nearly close to joining Cork,” Purcell revealed. “I had a good time in Cork and really enjoyed playing there and I was actually going to go to UCC and get some accreditations there while playing but it was not meant to happen in the end so I packed up my bags and here I am.”

While awaiting clearance on the transfer to go through from the English FA on his season-long contract, he was happy to discuss his hopes for the coming season with The Stallions.

“I have my aims in my head of what I want from the coming season and will work on them. There are 25 games so I know how many goals I want to get so I can be happy with my performance,” said the ex-Northampton Town man.

“Also, if I start getting goals here on a regular basis it will open a few doors for me and I will get to build my reputation over here. It is good scoring in Europe but you have to prove yourself again over here and build that reputation up again. I have spoken to people and I know what it will take to do well here from speaking to people like Steven Gray (former League of Ireland defender who linked up with Melbourne Heart) so I know what to expect.”

Of the club itself, their new recruit has already been very impressed with the set up at the Sydney side and reiterated his desire to get the season, and this new adventure, underway.

He said: “I know that Marconi are one of the oldest and probably most famous clubs in the country and definitely Sydney and have a big backing especially with the Italian community here. I have had a look around the place at the clubhouse and they have a restaurant so it is a real social club and you get that feeling from it.

“They are also very well run and I had heard things before I came about players not getting paid and was a bit worried but it seems good and reliable here and they have a good record of getting players into the A League which bodes well so I am really happy and looking forward to it all getting started.”