Adelaide United have signed exciting youngster Teeboy Kamara to a three-year deal on the back of his strong Hyundai A-League debut where he became the youngest player to take the field in the competition.
Adelaide United have signed exciting youngster Teeboy Kamara to a three-year deal on the back of his strong Hyundai A-League debut where he became the youngest player to take the field in the competition.
Despite signing with the club, due to Football Federation Australia contractual conditions Kamara’s contract will only officially begin on 18 May 2012, the day he turns 16.
“According to FFA regulations a professional contract cannot start until the player is at a school leaving age of the state in which he resides,” Adelaide United Football Director Michael Petrillo explained.
“In South Australia the school leaving age when the student can take up employment or further study is 16. In the meantime he will be a National Youth League contracted player before he makes the transition to a senior contract on May 18 next year.”
Kamara’s commitment to the Reds follows that of other talented young South Australians, goalkeeper Paul Izzo and midfielder Jacob Melling.
All three were part of the Qantas Joeys squad at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico earlier this year and Izzo and Melling-s Adelaide United contracts are set to commence on the first day of 2012.
Already gathering somewhat of a cult following amongst United supporters, Kamara could not hide the excitement of knowing he would be a permanent member of the Reds- squad.
“It feels really good. Seeing Jacob Melling and Paul Izzo in the same shoes, it-s awesome and I can-t wait,” Kamara said.
“The last eight months have been eight months of joy with what has happened with my football, but I-m definitely not going to get ahead of myself.
“So many people have supported me – family, friends. I-m very grateful and I just hope I can be a role model for other young African people to follow their dreams and never stop believing that they can achieve them.”
While the new signing was ecstatic at the news, returning coach John Kosmina believes Kamara’s acquisition is a fantastic story.
“I saw him come on the other night and the way the crowd reacted to him was brilliant,” Kosmina said.
“I asked some people at Croydon, where he played as a junior, about him and they said he was not only a good quality player but also a good quality person.
“For a 15-year-old he-s quite mature, physically he-s a fantastic specimen, and last Friday night and this week at training he-s looked comfortable… he-s a natural.”
Arriving in Adelaide from his homeland of Liberia at age 6, Kamara’s football journey began out in a suburban park where he used to kick the ball around with his brother and other kids in the neighbourhood.
To cap off Kamara’s whirlwind journey, he has been included in the Reds- travelling party for the trip to Sydney to face Sydney FC at the Sydney Football Stadium.
