A month into his new life at Brisbane Roar, young right-back Jack Hingert believes he is settling in well to his new surroundings but admits the move hasn’t been without major changes in his footballing life.
The 20-year-old put pen to paper on a two-year contract with the Hyundai A-League Champions in early July and since then has had to adjust to a new style of football employed by Head Coach Ange Postecoglou, but Hingert had no complaints.
“I-ve been settling in really well,” he said.
“The boys have been really welcoming, the gaffer has been great with us as well and we-ve had some pretty good results in the games we-ve had so I-m pretty happy with where we are at.
“Obviously it-s a bit different to what I-m used to but especially in my position, I like getting forward and that-s exactly what Ange wants in players as well but I-m getting used to it and really enjoying it as well.”
The English-born defender, who spent time with the Crystal Palace youth academy before moving to Australia, plied his trade for North Queensland Fury for the past two seasons and played for Victorian Premier League side Dandenong Thunder following the club-s demise early this year.
After the Townsville-based club finished the 2010/11 Hyundai A-League in the wooden spoon position, Hingert-s switch to Brisbane means he-s now playing alongside a group of Championship-winning footballers and the former Fury defender knows he-ll have to battle if he wants a regular place in the Roar-s starting eleven.
“No one can be 100 per cent confident that they-ll be starting, especially me coming from the Fury at the bottom of the ladder to Brisbane who were at the opposite end!” he said.
“It-s always going to be hard, we-ve always got to battle for spots but I think if I train well and do well in these pre-season games, there-s always a chance to get a starting spot.”
Ahead of Saturday night-s fixture against the Queensland State League Northern All Stars, Hingert reiterated the important role football plays in regional Queensland, even more so now with the Fury no longer playing in the Hyundai A-League.
“We-ve got to try and get the game around as much as we can,” he said.
“Coming from the Fury, I know there are a lot of kids up in North Queensland and that area that want to play, especially when they-re younger so it-s important that we keep promoting the game.”
Brisbane Roar take on the QSL Northern All Stars on Saturday 27 August as part of a doubleheader with the QSL Grand Final.
Brisbane Roar and the QSL Northern All Stars kick off at 4.15pm with the QSL Grand Final following at 7pm. Both matches are at Perry Park, Abbotsford Road, Albion and entry is free of charge.
