A big week for Socceroos defender Joel King has got even bigger, the Sydney FC youngster securing a move to Danish club Odense BK just days after making his national team debut.
With regular left-back Aziz Behich trapped in Turkey by a snowstorm, King was handed his Australia debut in Thursday’s 4-0 World Cup qualifying win over Vietnam in Melbourne.
on Saturday, Isuzu UTE A-League side Sydney confirmed the 21-year-old would join Odense for a six-figure transfer fee after the Superliga outfit triggered a clause in King’s contract with the offer.
He’ll link up with his new team following Tuesday’s (02:00 Wed AEDT) qualifier against Oman in Muscat.
“It’s a life changing opportunity for me and I am extremely excited by the challenge,” King said.
King departs Sydney having won two A-League Men championships and a premiership, and was named the competition’s young player of the year last season.
He shared his Socceroos debut with fellow Sydney youth-team product Marco Tilio.
The Melbourne City young gun, who won last year’s grand final with Patrick Kisnorbo’s team was also part of the Olyroos campaign in Tokyo alongside King, scoring in the 2-0 win against Argentina.
“We know each other quite well and it’s quite an exciting feeling for us to both debut on the same night,” Tilio said.
“We’ve spoken about it and the feeling and the buzz around the whole event and the game was phenomenal.
“I couldn’t even explain how good a feeling it was, super-exciting.”
Having won an A-League Men’s title, played at an Olympics and now debuted for the national team, 20-year-old Tilio’s next challenge is to make himself a regular in Graham Arnold’s Socceroos plans.
“I just want to be involved in-and-around these types of camps and the experiences of a World Cup qualifier,” Tilio said.
“I want this to continue.
“For me that’s the biggest goal, just to continue doing well and hopefully continue to be in these types of camps and teams.”
