Young attacker Newcastle Jets attacker Joey Champness is off to the USA for the next month to pursue an opportunity in the music business.
But before Jets fans start fearing the worst, the 21-year-old will be back in the Hunter in August to continue his playing career with Ernie Merrick’s side.
Champness, who is a rapper under the name ‘JOWIC’, spent time in Los Angeles during the off-season working on his music and as a result has been invited back.
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The Australian U23 international is heading to the US to meet with some key record label executives.
“I’m really grateful to the club for giving me the chance to go and pursue this opportunity,” Champness told the Jets’ official website.
“It’s the kind of chance which you don’t get every day in music and I know I’d regret it if I didn’t chase it.
“Chris [Smith, Strength and Conditioning coach] has given me a training plan so I’ll be keeping fit and be sure I’m ready to come back into the squad once I’m back in Australia.”
Singh setting sights high at Bayern
Having just completed his dream move to Bayern Munich, former Wellington Phoenix playmaker Sarpreet Singh says he won’t stop until he’s playing in the German giants’ first-team.
Singh completed his three-year deal with Bayern on Monday and will play for the club’s second team in Germany’s third-tier 3.Liga competition next season.
But the long-term deal proves Bayern officials see the gifted 20-year-old as a potential first-team player in years to come.
“I was in Australia when my agent phoned me and I was extremely happy when I heard the news that Bayern were interested in me. It showed me that my development has gone beyond the A-League and it gives me the strength and motivation to go further,” Singh said in stuff.co.nz.
“In my mind I had an idea and I let the club know that I wanted to explore Europe because I think it’s time for me to take the next step, so that’s what I’ve done now and I couldn’t be happier with the decision that I’ve made and where I am now.
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“They see me as a potential for the first team and they basically want me to develop for the next season, then who knows what will happen from there. Depending on how well you do anything is possible.
“My second team, we train right next to the first team at the same time and if there’s injuries or things like that you can get called in quite easy. Now it’s down to me to prove myself.”
Fowler fine with British flavour
New Brisbane Roar boss Robbie Fowler has made no apologies for his deliberate tactic of adding the majority of new faces to his squad from the UK.
Fowler has undertaken a major rebuild of Roar’s squad, with 16 players from 2018/19 leaving, replaced by 10 new recruits so far.
And most have come from English lower-league football or elsewhere in the UK, including the likes of Aaron Amadi-Holloway (Shrewsbury), Tom Aldred (Bury), Macaulay Gillesphey (Carlisle United) and Jay O’Shea (Bury).
Nothing like a Day 2 Yo-Yo Test 🥵 #RoarAsOne pic.twitter.com/bM3YavmVFZ
— Brisbane Roar FC (@brisbaneroar) July 2, 2019
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Throw in the likes of Aussie duo Bradden Inman (Rochdale) and Aiden O’Neill (Burnley) and you can see the type of player Fowler has gone for as he attempts to make the Roar a force again.
‘We’ve got the players because they’re the right players. They’re all excellent players…you want players to galvanise to each other pretty quick and I just felt that was the best route to go down,” Fowler told reporters on Tuesday.
“If you’re signing players from all different countries, it becomes a little bit longer to get them all integrated into the way you want them to play. The system you want to play and the build-up.
“There’s obviously a method, and it’s not just because I’m English or I want British players, they’re the right players as well.”
Janko calls it a day
Former Sydney FC striker and Austrian international Marc Janko has announced his immediate retirement from football.
The 36-year-old spent one season with the Sky Blues in 2014/15, scoring 16 goals in just 24 appearances as Graham Arnold’s side made it to the Grand Final.
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Janko set a then-Hyundai A-League record in 2015, becoming the first player to score in seven consecutive matches when he scored a hat-trick in Sydney FC’s 5-4 win over Brisbane Roar at Allianz Stadium.
Since leaving the Sky Blues, Janko has played for Swiss giants Basel, Czech outfit Sparta Prague and most recently, Lugano in Switzerland.
Der Tag ist gekommen und ich sage DANKE für die letzten 16 Jahre. Es war eine unglaublich schöne, aufregende Reise. EUCH allen DANKE für die Unterstützung, die Anteilnahme und die vielen Nachrichten. Machts es gut!!! #karriereENDE #dankbar #neuerabschnitt pic.twitter.com/PcVmlALcOe
— Marc Janko (@JankoMarc) July 1, 2019
