Adelaide United sensation Teeboy Kamara said words could not describe the feeling he felt upon signing a three-year deal with the club.
Adelaide United sensation Teeboy Kamara said words could not describe the feeling he felt upon signing a three-year deal with the club.
Kamara, who made history last Friday in Adelaide’s 3-0 loss to Gold Coast United when he became the youngest ever Hyundai A-League debutant at 15 years of age, signed the deal on Wednesday although it won’t officially commence until May 2012 given the youngster’s age.
According to FFA regulations, the talented attacker must wait until the day he turns 16 – the school leaving age for gainful employment – before he can be officially recognised as a senior player.
In the meantime Kamara will see out his National Youth League contract while continuing to play for the senior side.
Kamara, who was still pinching himself following his first-team inclusion and debut last week, was left speechless when Adelaide United offered the senior deal.
“Words can’t describe how happy I am at the moment,” he said.
“To play my first game last week was amazing and now I’m back in the team … Even if I don’t play I’m just happy to be in the team.”
“I have to thank Kossie (John Kosmina) and Adelaide United for supporting me so much – you don’t seen too many 15-year-olds in a first-team.”
Kamara’s record-breaking debut last week was an added chapter to an already amazing story.
After arriving in Australia from his native Liberia at age six, he joined SA local club Croydon Kings – the club Kosmina was meant to coach at before being re-signed by Adelaide – where he spent many years as a junior before having a short stint with Salisbury United.
Having made such rapid progression the Liberian youth joined the SASI program under Tony Vidmar in 2010 where his impressive performances earned him a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.
Kamara excelled at the AIS before becoming the youngest member of Australia’s U-17 2011 Mexico World Cup squad last June.
However his inspiring and uplifting journey took a turn for a worse when his mother tragically passed away following a serious illness which saw the former AIS student return to Adelaide to be by her side.
Despite signing for the Reds National Youth League side upon his return to Adelaide, Kamara said he struggled with the death of his mother, especially considering his father still lives in Liberia as coach of the national football team.
“It had been pretty hard after the World Cup to come back because I hadn’t seen my mum since March and then she passed away,” Kamara recalled.
“I came back the day she went into hospital and everything just went pear shape, and I couldn’t be happy.”
“But Adelaide United has taking good care of me … and seen a lot in me as player so why not stay as long as possible – it’s the best club.”
“I’m happy and all the boys talk to me well and encourage me.”
Kamara remains level-headed and modest regarding his goals suggesting he would be more than happy to see out his future in Adelaide once his contract runs out.
“My first goal is just to work hard and never give up but I’m not going to get that big head,” he said.
“I’ve got a long way to go in football and my aim is just to be in the (senior) team as long as possible.”
“I’d love to still be in Adelaide at the age of 18. I could be here as long as possible but if a good offer from overseas comes I would have to take it.”
“An overseas offer would be good to try and help out my family but at the moment Adelaide is the place to be and I would not go anywhere else in Australia.”
