Ilan trial with Major League Soccer clubs

My name is Lucien and I'm fundraising for my son Ilan.

When Ilan was 5 years old, he would try to run onto the football (soccer) pitch with his older sister during her games. We would have to hold him back and he’d be in tears until we played football with him while his sister played. He loved the game and still loves the game with the same passion. From the moment Ilan saw a football he wanted to be, and still wants to be, a professional football player.

Ilan was born and raised in Dodges Ferry, a small seaside town in Southern Tasmania, the smallest State in the vast nation of Australia. Tasmania is a long way away from professional academies, there are no specialist sports high schools, and he grew up with parents who lived from pay-check to pay-check. On top of this Ilan was born on December 15, in sporting terms this is incredibly significant because Ilan was often 6 months to a year younger than other players in his age group. The path to professional sport is an arduous and expensive and it helps to have money, contacts and access to quality coaches and facilities. To be honest, the cards have not been in Ilan’s favour.

But Ilan is blessed with passion and determination, and despite having separated parents, both of us are devoted and supportive.

In 2020, Ilan was 14, he had a kayak accident and tore his hamstring. Ilan underwent constant physio for 9 months and missed an entire season of football. Rather than give up, he became even more determined and decided that he would use this period to hatch an escape plan. He wanted to play in Europe, he was desperate to leave and desperate to play. He sent footage to agents and contacted European and A-league clubs on mainland Australia. In 2021 Ilan had successfully rehabilitated and was ready to play. He trialled with Perth Glory – he was told that if he lived in Perth he would have been accepted but they weren’t set up to host under aged players and neither I or Marisa were able to move over.

Undeterred Ilan trialled with NPL clubs in Melbourne and was offered a full scholarship with Oakleigh Cannons, he was generously billeted by his uncle and aunt in Melbourne. He was then accepted into the prestigious Rowville Sports Academy. June 2021 is when the first big lockdown in Melbourne happened, so, the season was shut down before Ilan got to kick a ball. At the end of the year Ilan went back to Melbourne and finished off the season. In 2022 Ilan moved to Brisbane, living with a host family, to be part of the Brisbane Roars extended squad and to join Marsden State High School’s Elite Sports Program. While training with the Roar Ilan, then 16 years old, played for Logan’s, an NPL club, U23 side. At the end of the season Ilan decided it was time to make the move overseas but needed, in the meantime, to move home and time to save to make the move.

Since returning to Tasmania Ilan has cemented a starting position in KIngborough’s NPL side. He is 17 and playing week in and week out against men. He has sent forage of his games to MLS teams in Canada and the USA and they are impressed. Ilan has been offered trials with multiple MLS clubs including Vancouver, Dallas, Minnesota, Montreal, Boston, Philadelphia and Charlotte.

This bright little kid from a small coastal town in the tiny State of Tasmania has the chance to play in one of the world’s biggest football leagues. A league that has players of the stature of Lionel Messi as well as exciting young talent like Thiago Almada and Talles Magno.

But, and there is a big but, we just don’t have the funds to support this opportunity. I work in the arts and have a disability and Marisa is a teacher aide. And it is a real opportunity to play with legitimate MLS clubs and if selected to join an academy, be given accommodation and receive education and financial support.

Ilan has worked hard, made sacrifices and has never given up. Currently he is working hard coaching school clinics through Football Australia as well as holidays clinics with Kingborough. We have supported him to live interstate and Marisa has clocked up thousands of hours and kilometres taking him to training and games. But now, we need your help, your help to help create a fantastic story…

‘Tasmanian soccer player from Dodges Ferry takes on Messi and wins ’

Lucien

Ilan with Socceroo legend Harry Kewell