Kieran’s big move shows

By the age of two, Kieran Geldenhuys’ ability with a ball at his feet was described as ‘unnatural’ by a home-visit nurse. Fourteen years on and a similar evaluation has just been made by scouts of English club Notts County. The 16-year-old British-South African student of Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) in Arabian Ranches, who will be taking his GCSEs this year, has become only the second UAE resident to sign professional apprenticeship forms at an English club. That’s following in the footsteps of fellow Dubai youngster Fabian Speiss, who made his first-team debut in goal for County — who play in League One, the country’s third division — last month. Kieran, a tall centre-back who models himself on Chelsea’s David Luiz, officially signed a two-year-deal at Meadow Lane in April under the gaze of his parents, Carol and Tony. He will leave Dubai, where he has lived since the age of three, to start a new life in Nottingham from July 1, when a gruelling pre-season training programme, coupled with higher education, awaits him. Kieran’s and Fabian’s achievements are accentuated by the fact neither have been able to hone their talents with a local UAE Pro League club. The league here only turned professional four years ago and rules allowing expatriate youths to register with clubs only came into place at the beginning of 2011.And with clubs only now getting their academy systems in order, attentions have been turned to catching talent young, leaving players like Kieran and Fabian surplus to requirements. “There’s quite a high standard of football in Dubai,” Keiran told Gulf News. “It’s just a shame I wasn’t able to play with these players and benefit from that. I hope this changes soon for the benefit of others coming through. “It hasn’t necessarily set me back as I’ve been fortunate to work with great coaches and they’ve guided me well.” Kieran’s big move has come about with the help of Mick Leonard, who coached him at the Jebel Ali Centre of Excellence. Leonard subsequently left the UAE to become Notts County’s head of youth development and referred both Kieran and Fabian. Fabian, 18, a target of both Manchester City and Manchester United, lived in Dubai for three years before completing a two-year County apprenticeship. He will soon sign professional terms, having made his first senior appearance in a 4-1 win over Colchester on May 5. Kieran said: “I went to County for pre-season last year, so I kind of know what to expect. The weather is different and it’s much harder to play — there’s lots of running in rain or snow, which I obviously don’t get here. So I’ll have to adapt. “Fabian is who I’m trying to aspire to. I’m trying to reach his standard. He came through Dubai and has proven it can be done. He’s getting spotted by big clubs already and that would be my dream too.” Fabian, meanwhile, expects to be able to help Kieran settle in at Notts County. “It’s hard, very disciplined and quite strict. It’s a difficult environment to get used to and you have to adapt fast to being away from your family. Kieran is a good friend and I’ll be able to help him with the transition and give him an idea what to expect,” he said. Carol, Kieran’s mother, said: “The reaction to Kieran’s signing has been truly amazing. He walks around the mall now and younger kids come up to him and thank him for proving it can be done by an expatriate player in the UAE. He’s opened doors now and said it can happen. “It’s been the hardest decision of my life as a mother to let him go abroad. I’ve had mixed emotions — on the one hand we know it’s the chance of a lifetime, but on the other he is only 16.” Leonard, who along with Fabian will be a familiar face to Kieran, said: “I first spotted him aged 12 and I always knew he had potential. He’s tall, naturally competitive and aggressive from his South African rugby roots, strong in the tackle and good with his head. “He has all the attributes of a modern centre-half, but is primarily a central defender and has been previously likened in the press to Germany’s leggy sweeper Matthias Sammer. “We normally deal with boys who don’t come from the best of backgrounds, but Kieran is academically very bright and has great parental support, so he should do very well.” Leonard is also concerned by the lack of expatriates in UAE clubs’ youth systems and believes they have no option but to look further afield for a chance of making it as a professional footballer. “I can see why it wouldn’t be beneficial for local clubs to hand chances to young expatriate players. The expat market is very transient, so is it really worth investing time and resource in someone who will leave?” he said. “Local clubs need to produce long-term assets or national team players and expatriates are ineligible. Expats are better off chancing their arm back home or in Europe.”