In 2012, Nick Montgomery swapped Sheffield for New South Wales to embark on a new journey Down Under with Central Coast Mariners.
The former Sheffield United midfielder, a product of the Yorkshire club’s youth system, spent twelve seasons in the Blades’ first team where he experienced the joy of promotion to the Premier League and suffered the agony of two relegations in five seasons as United toppled into League One.
Despite reaching the play-offs at the first attempt, Montgomery and co. were unable to make an immediate return to the Championship as they lost in a dramatic penalty shoot-out to Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town.
That would prove to be Montgomery’s final campaign at Bramall Lane as he joined the Blades’ sister club in the Australian A-League in August 2012.
The 35-year-old is a key player for the Mariners, who are coached by former Middlesbrough and Leeds United player Paul Okon.
“Football in Australia is great and I have thoroughly enjoyed my five seasons in the A-League up to now,” began Montgomery. “I won the Grand Final in my first season here and also played in the Asian Champions League against the best teams in China, Korea and Japan which was a great experience.
“The game here is more tactical, but this is due to the heat as we play in summer. Sometimes the temperature is near 40 degrees but on average it's normal to play a lot of games with the temperature between 25 and 35 degrees.
“Due to this, it's impossible to play at the intensity that is played in England as it is so energy sapping. I have learnt a lot tactically since I have been here and the sports science is as advanced as anywhere in the world.
“I think I’m fortunate that I have always been very fit and always been good playing in the heat as I spent pre-seasons in Malta and Spain with Sheffield United and I was always one of the players who coped well. Some players take a while to adapt and I have seen it many times with the big foreign names who come over here.”
Since peaking at 21st in the FIFA World Rankings in 2009, the Australian national side suffered a slump – dropping to 100th in 2014 – before climbing back up to 50th earlier this year.
The 90s were what could be described at the ‘glory days’ for the Socceroos, who boasted the likes of Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Mark Bresciano, John Aloisi and Mark Schwarzer in their ranks.
Nowadays, Tim Cahill and Robbie Kruse are the main household names within the squad, but is that down to the development of players or a lack of investment at youth level?
“I agree that the Australian players playing in the Premier League has dwindled and I put this down to clubs not signing them young enough to give them time to physically adapt to English football,” admitted Montgomery.
“The likes of Kewell and the other names you mentioned went over as kids and spent time in the youth teams and reserves and matured physically and had time to get used to the rigours of the English game.
“There have been a few that have gone over in the last few years but going over mid-20s you are expected to play first team and physically they are just not ready and can't cope with the three games a week, the cold weather and pressure that is put upon you in England.”
Average attendances over the last five seasons have been relatively unchanged in the Australian top flight, although crowds have gradually dwindled over the past three campaigns.
- 2012/13: 12,343
- 2013/14: 13,041
- 2014/15: 12,513
- 2015/16: 12,309
- 2016/17: 12,295
With cricket and AFL (Australian rules football) the dominant sports, the onus is on supporters to attend these events and watch the high profile stars.
Football is perhaps hindered by the A-League’s salary caps, with the teams limited to three ‘marquee’ players earning a maximum of $2.6m per year. One of these three players is also a ‘Full Season Guest Marquee’, who will be with a club on a short term contract.
Alessandro Del Piero is one of several distinguished names to have plied their trade in the A-League, along with Robbie Fowler, William Gallas and David Villa, while former FIFA World Player of the Year Romario had a stint with Adelaide United in 2006.
“There is no doubt the football here needs investment but there is so much sport here that there is a wide choice and variety for fans to watch and attend,” continued Montgomery. “The A-League is a salary cap league but hopefully in future this will be lifted so clubs can spend what they want.
“Also the traditional sports are AFL and cricket so there is a lot of competition and when opening up a newspaper here you have to search about five to ten pages in to find any football news. It’s totally opposite to anywhere else in the world.
“Since I first arrived the standard has gone up each season, as well as the finances and spending of some of the big clubs. It's now the most participated sport in Australia and for a country with many sports and traditional games like AFL, rugby and cricket it's a massive achievement.”
Investment plays a major part in any sport, particularly in football, and takeovers aren’t uncommon in any country. The English Premier League has seen Chelsea and Manchester City reap the financial rewards in recent years with their respective buyers, while there has been controversy in Germany with Red Bull’s purchase of RB Leipzig.
LIFE DOWN UNDER
Former Sheffield United midfielder Nick Montgomery talks about Australian football
Article posted: 10 May 2017
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Montgomery in action
for Sheffield United
Montgomery in action for
Central Coast Mariners
Montgomery in action
for Sheffield United
Romario
Adelaide United
Alessandro Del Piero
Sydney FC
Tim Cahill
Melbourne City
City Football Group, led by Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), China Medical Capital and CITIC Capital, added Melbourne City to their burgeoning portfolio in January 2014. The club, formerly known as Melbourne Heart, joined Manchester City and New York City FC in the network, which has since been added to with the purchase of Japanese side Yokahoma F. Marinos and Club Atletico Torque of Uruguay.
Melbourne have been able to attract a number of top quality individuals to help the club become one of the main powerhouses of Australian football. Socceroos legend Cahill spearheads the attack along with Uruguayan Bruno Fornaroli, who hit 20 goals in all competitions in 2016/17.
Michael Valkanis’ side finished fourth in the A-League last season, but won the FFA Cup in November with a 1-0 victory over eventual league champions Sydney FC.
“City Football Group’s buying of Melbourne City has had a big impact on the finances of their club,” said Montgomery. “The club was struggling before they purchased it, as Melbourne Victory were the big team.
“Now, this season, Melbourne City assembled the most expensive team in a league history with a salary over $10million and marquee players like Tim Cahill and other big names signing there. They also built a top of the range training facility and have a huge amount of staff compared to most clubs out here.
“They won the FFA Cup but didn't have a very successful season in the league. But no doubt moving forward they will keep spending and buy success as they did in England so no doubt the other big clubs will be worried.”
At twelve years old, the A-League is still just a baby and Australian top flight football is still relatively young, with the 2016/17 season only the 40th since its conception.
Like most major European leagues, the top three teams qualify for the AFC Champions League – more commonly known as the Asian Champions League, a competition that has been dominated by teams from South Korea.
Only one Australian team has ever won the tournament, as Western Sydney Wanderers beat Saudi giants Al-Hilal 1-0 over two legs in 2014. Winning the competition is worth $3m to whoever lifts the trophy and automatic qualification to the FIFA Club World Cup, which has never been won by an AFC competitor.
But what does Montgomery believe the future holds for football in Australia?
“I see the sport as the most popular in Australia and the salary cap to be lifted,” continued the 35-year-old. “This will help bring in foreign investment and more big name players.
“There is also talk of more teams coming into the competition with big semi-professional teams like South Melbourne, Wollongong Wolves, Brisbane City and other ambitious semi-professional teams doing everything they can to fit the criteria for the A-League.
“With more teams it will make for a better league and hopefully down the line there will be a promotion and relegation system as then the players will get used to playing pressure games and it will have the excitement that most leagues in the world have and also means clubs will spend more to avoid this.”