Nestori Iracunda transfer to Bayern Munich, Michael Owen’s advice on the next big thing in Australian football, latest Socceroos news

England great Michael Owen believes overcoming the mental side of the game could be the difference between 18-year-old Australian Nestori Irakunda, who has enjoyed a long career in Europe, not quite living up to his incredible potential.

As a former teen star, Owen is well qualified to speak on this topic.

In 1997, 17-year-old Owen scored on his Premier League debut for Liverpool. Just four years later, the former striker took home the Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player.

Hop on board Kayo and watch every game of every round of the NRL + AFL seasons live and without ad breaks during play. New to Cayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.

“Australian football’s next big thing” is a label that has traditionally carried a lot of weight in the post-Golden Generation era.

With that comes pressure, expectations and usually a move to a big-name European team – slightly ahead of schedule – thanks to the awareness of the Australian market created by five consecutive World Cup appearances.

The risk for the purchasing club is minimal.

Australian players get by on relatively little money and the potential reward if that player proves himself is millions in transfer fees.

The downside for the player is that they are placed in an environment where the likelihood of a multi-year rental cycle is high.

Garang Kuol, for example, has struggled to make an impact at Newcastle United in the Premier League following his move from Central Coast Mariners in 2023.

Daniel Arzani, after 24 appearances for Melbourne City, landed at Manchester City and was immediately loaned to Scottish giants Celtic. An anterior cruciate ligament injury on debut in October 2018 brutally halted his progress – and after a series of loan spells he returned to the A-League after recovering.

Only now is he beginning to rebuild his career.

Both left as teenagers and now Iracunda is following the same path. His move from Adelaide United to German side Bayern Munich at just 18 years old brought attention to his every move as a footballer.

Owen, who scored 40 goals in 89 caps for England, offered some advice to players like Irakunda in an interview with Fox Sports News to promote his upcoming speaking tour of Australia, An Evening with Michael Owen.

“If I was talking to someone like that, I probably wouldn’t mention football in terms of what they can and can’t do,” Owen told Fox Sports News.

“There are a lot of super talented people, but being talented is obviously very important; It is impossible to reach the top without being talented. But if there are a million talented people in the world, then all this is happening between your ears.”

Irankunda is reported to have settled down quite well in Germany.

He finished his first pre-season at Bayern with two goals and three assists, and had an outside chance of quickly integrating into the first team under Vincent Kompany.

The South Australian has since had to bide his time in the club’s second team while he pursues his Bundesliga debut, but good form there has kept him in the plans of former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold and the man who now fills the role, Tony Popovic. .

However, difficulties await.

In Popovich’s first match in charge against China in Adelaide earlier this month, Irakunda started the match but was replaced at half-time by Riley McGree in what the coach described at the time as a “tactical decision”.

Just days later he missed out in a 1-1 draw against Japan away in Tokyo.

Popovic’s system, in which forwards play more inverted roles, does not seem to play to Iracunda’s strengths, but the young player is good enough to adapt over time.

At club level, he primarily played in his more favored position, right.

“There are a million things you could tell them, a million experiences you could share with them,” Owen said.

“They live their lives and we need to understand where they come from and how they handle pressure.

“Yes, you can always give them little tips on how to improve, but it will all depend on their mindset.

“What do they think when they go into the game: what will happen if they make a mistake in the first minute? There are still 89 minutes left. Do you curl up into a ball or do you have coping strategies?

“A lot comes with experience. I learned a few things over time, but I also had a huge amount of know-how, ability and mental strength to fall back on if I made a mistake in the game.”

There are also off-field obstacles to overcome.

This generation of footballers is more active on social media than perhaps any other in the history of the game.

This gives them access to feedback, both positive and negative, quickly and in large quantities.

During the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Arnold urged his players to stay off social media, warning it was disrupting their mental preparation for the games.

When asked if he feels sorry for the current generation of players when it comes to the sheer volume of comments they receive online, Owen had an interesting answer.

“I don’t feel sorry for them,” he said.

“We had our own pressure. Our press was vicious, the pressure was enormous; then probably the same amount, if not even more.

“I feel sorry for young people on social media in general because everyone is under pressure to look good. It always gets sucked down your throat. So, I feel sorry for this generation of people because I think everyone feels that pressure, but no, I don’t feel sorry for footballers with social media.

“They may or may not be in it. They have a choice. They can create their own image.

“We had no choice. Our image was created for us by the press. If they wanted to put a turnip on our heads on the front pages of all our media, they could do it, and they did.”

The 44-year-old, who is currently pursuing his profession as a pundit, will be touring Australia next month for a series of appearances.

An Evening with Michael Owen will take place in Perth, the Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne; recalling a career that took him from Merseyside to Madrid and Manchester, with stops in Newcastle and Stoke.

The first show will take place at Ascot Racecourse in Perth on November 20.