With a total of just 144 professional contracts on offer across the nine domestic A-League clubs for Australian outfield players, there is a tendency for talented young individuals to miss the national league cut and drop back into the state leagues to bolster their experience.
One such player is former Melbourne Victory Youth Kieran Dover, who last month left the three-time A-League champions by joining the Bentleigh Greens, and has blossomed in his new surroundings.
The 19-year-old played an integral role in the Greens’ 4-0 triumph over rivals South Melbourne to ensure qualification to the national Round of 32 stage. The youngster was the only teenager in the club’s starting XI and oozed class and technique during an energetic performance in which he out-shone former Dandenong Thunder teammate and fellow teen Matthew Millar.
“It’s definitely the best team performance I’ve been a part of since I joined the club. I thought we outplayed them in every aspect of the game tonight and all areas across the park,” Dover said post-game.
The former Dandenong Thunder midfielder has featured six times for the Greens following his move to Kingston Heath Soccer Complex in mid-May, and admits that the playing staff have been very accommodating to him.
“It’s been an easy transition coming here from Victory and all the boys have treated me well, and I can’t complain at all about my first month with the club,” he said.
The Greens’ passage into the final four of the Cup guarantees them a return to the national Round of 32 stage, with Dover exited to get his name back in the limelight.
“It’s a great thing to be a part of, as you get seen in front of a wider audience and good performances can open new doors so people can see you,” Dover said.
After a breakout 2014 campaign with the Dandenong Thunder, Dover was recruited by Victory Youth coach Darren Davies for the 2014/15 NYL season and had an instant impact at the club, making his senior debut just shy of his 18th birthday in November 2014.
The creative midfielder made his A-League debut as a late substitute in Victory’s scorless away draw against Sydney FC, however that was to be the only time the teenager featured in the A-League.
In the meantime, he played a vital role in Victory’s 2015 NPL1 Promotion winning campaign, and in total featured 32 times in the league, scoring 11 goals.
However, with first-team opportunities limited, Dover along with teammates Christian Cavallo, Joey Katebian and Damien Miskulin decided to call time on their stint at Victory.
“I didn’t see an opportunity opening up for me at a senior level and so decided to look elsewhere,” he said.
“My time at Victory was unforgettable. Making my A-League debut when I was 17 was my proudest career moment to date, and I cannot complain about my time at the club as it treated me well.
“It’s a great club and hopefully one day if I keep going and pushing on I can be back there, so we’ll see what happens.”
Born in Stockton-on-Tees in the north-east of England, Dover grew up supporting local side Middlesbrough, while also being part of the Sunderland Academy. However, he moved to Australia aged 12 when his father accepted a job with construction company Grocon, where he took part in the construction of AAMI Park.
Dover himself immediately took up the round ball game, featuring for the Berwick City juniors while also playing in the state set-up. He had no such problems adapting to life and continuing his football development in his newly adopted country.
“It was a straightforward transition for me as I was young and came straight over and played in the state teams with good players,” he said.
“I was training full-time in England from the age of eight with Sunderland and came here and continued my development.”
In addition to this, Dover attended the Rowville Sports Academy, where he was mentored by Stuart Munro, who handed the then-16-year-old his senior debut with the Dandenong Thunder in 2013.
Three years on, and while many things have changed, Dover’s burning desire to forge a professional career he first set out to do when he joined the Sunderland youth-set up in 2005 remains, with Bentleigh being the current beneficiaries of the youngster’s talent and potential.
Image: Con Deves