Becoming the latest Newcastle United signing in late September, Garang Kuol travelled to Tyneside to complete the move, with club and player having had to wait until he turned 18 only days earlier.
After spending time in the region getting to know his new club, city and fans a little better, his trip (is ‘up over’ the opposite of ‘down under’…?) to Newcastle Upon Tyne was over, at least for the time being.
Still though time for Garang Kuol to be in the away end at Craven Cottage with thousands of travelling Newcastle United supporters, to see his new teammates / clubmates beat Fulham 4-1.
The new Newcastle United signing maybe a bit of a lucky charm, as after just one win in the opening seven Premier League matches of the season, Eddie Howe’s side then went on run (starting with Fulham) of 22 points from a possible 24. Which sees Newcastle United spending this entire Qatar World Cup break in third place in the Premier League table.
Aussie teen Garang Kuol was in the away end mixing it up with the travelling fans of his new club, as Newcastle beat Fulham in the Premier League overnight!
Good way to endear yourself to the people, king! 👑
📸 – NUFC https://t.co/oXsWeMJbts
Speaking of the World Cup, Garang Kuol picked up his second and third caps for Australia, whilst out in Qatar.
Indeed, he also made history, aged just 18 and 79 days, Kuol making his first World Cup knockout game appearance against Argentina, the youngest player to feature in a World Cup knockout match since a certain Pele, back in 1958.
Garang Kuol and his World Cup squad mates arrived back in Australia at the weekend and were mobbed by both media and fans, the Newcastle United striker asked about his experience out in Qatar:
“Going one on one with Lionel Messi for a bit…
“It was unreal…a dream.
“It was pretty close (Kuol’s late shot), it was a pretty tough one to not go in and a good save (from Martinez).
“I was turning around and just tried to shoot but on the replay I could see the keeper rushed out.
“I think it is just a learning curve.
“I was telling myself that I would come on and score a goal, and Arnie (Aussie Head Coach Graham Arnold) was telling me to come on and do the same thing.
“We both have the same expectations.
“When I wasn’t able to score I was very disappointed but you sort of move on.
“People think that the players in Europe, they can fly or something, but we are all humans, we are all on two feet.
“I think the sport in Australia keeps growing, it keeps producing better and better players as time goes by.
“In the future, you will see a team that is at the same level as Argentina and Brazil.”
Garang Kuol will officially become a Newcastle United player once he can be registered after the January transfer window opens in less than four weeks time.
Hopefully before then, more valuable experience of first team football with Central Coast Mariners, where Newcastle United agreed he could stay on and play for the rest of 2022, after completing his signing at the end of September.
The young striker still has to start his first league match (has started one cup game previously) but despite only thirteen career sub appearances and 328 minutes of A-League football played, has six goals so far and three assists.
Before we reach new year, Central Coast Mariners have five A-League matches to play and the first of those is this coming weekend at home to Newcastle Jets.
Here’s hoping the teenager can use the confidence gained from this World Cup to continue his progress.
It had been widely reported that once he officially becomes a Newcastle player in January, Garang Kuol will then straight away go on loan to a club on mainland Europe to get further first team football experience.
Asked at the weekend by Australian media about what exactly will happen once we get to January and he officially become a Newcastle United signing / player, the 18 year old striker gave a short answer:
“Not too sure yet…but it’s exciting.”
Well, on Tuesday morning we have had a bit of an update on this latest Newcastle United signing from The Athletic.
They say that as expected, Eddie Howe has no intention of involving Garang Kuol with the Newcastle United first team matches in the second half of this season.
Instead, the intention is to still send the teenager out on loan to a club on mainland Europe, with a twofold reasoning. One is to get valuable first team football, whilst the other is to help ensure the young striker can satisfy work permit requirements when eventually looking to play his football with Newcastle.
Naturally involvement with the Australia first team squad won’t have done any harm in that respect, but Kuol is also likely to need to continue to build up his club profile in terms of playing first team matches at the highest possible level.
The Athletic say their information is that Newcastle United have already had clubs approaching with a view to taking Garang uol on loan, with Portugal and Germany emerging as likely destinations.
Garang Kuol has clearly completely bought into his signing for Newcastle United, even wearing a Newcastle United away top when arriving back in Australia with the national squad.
Newcastle fans will love this.
Garang Kuol returning to Australia after the World Cup… wearing a @NUFC jersey.
#nufc https://t.co/kTw8YY21Y8
The Athletic report that Dan Ashworth was ‘instrumental’ in signing Kuol and that the NUFC Sporting Director has followed his development closely, with he (Ashworth) and the club encouraged by the teenage striker’s progress.
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