Garang Kuol set for unmissable A-League Men farewell ahead of Premier League move

Joshua Thomas

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Garang Kuol set for unmissable A-League Men farewell ahead of Premier League move image

Five minutes - that's how long it took Garang Kuol to score on his A-League Men (ALM) debut for Central Coast Mariners in April.

Five months later, the 18-year-old has signed a contract to join Premier League club Newcastle United next year and now looks a real chance to play for the Socceroos at the 2022 World Cup in November.

On and off the pitch, Kuol hasn't wasted anytime making waves and doesn't look like quietening down anytime soon. 

After scoring four goals in his first seven ALM appearances, the teenager very quickly escaped the shadow of his older brother Alou, who was signed by Bundesliga club VfB Stuttgart in 2021 after also starring for the Mariners. 

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Despite not starting a game for the Mariners in the 2021/22 campaign, Kuol was picked to play for the A-Leagues All Stars in May and once again managed to make an almighty impression off the bench. 

The then 17-year-old nearly scored a wonder goal in the 3-2 loss to Barcelona as he dribbled past a number of La Liga stars only to put his shot narrowly wide. 

Kuol's cameo caught the eye of Barca coach Xavi at the time and from there the rumours of a European move only escalated. 

Reports suggested Barcelona and Newcastle were both battling to sign the young Aussie but it was the Magpies that got the deal done in late September. 

The confirmation came just days after Kuol had made his Socceroos debut in a 2-0 win against New Zealand. 

Once again used as a substitute, the teenager caught the eye with one of his first touches as he created the chance that resulted in a penalty for Australia. 

The spot-kick was won and converted by Kuol's Mariners teammate Jason Cummings, who has seen first hand just how good the youngster is. 

Cummings believes Kuol is a player that needs little guidance and is in a good position to be more than a one-season wonder, 

"He’s a good lad off the pitch and he’s got so much ability on it. He’s got a bright future ahead of him," Cummings told The Sporting News when asked about Kuol.

"It’s unbelievable, he’s not started a game yet but you can see how good he is. When he came on against Barcelona in the All-Stars [game] everyone saw how good he was against that top level. He just needs to keep his feet on the ground. 

"You’ve got to work hard and really want it. He’s just turned 18 so he’s getting at a point where if needs to make that top level he needs to make sacrifices and work harder than everyone else. 

"He’s gotten a lot of hype but he’s taken it in his stride. He’s a confident young man and nothing seems to faze him. I’ve seen before with players when they get hyped up they crumble a wee bit.

"Sometimes you don’t need to give advice to players like him, just let him do what he does, leave him and he’ll be good."  

While Kuol is bound for Newcastle in January, he will still be gracing the A-League Men for another few months as he looks to book his place on the plane to Qatar with the Socceroos. 

Full of confidence and with a World Cup ticket on the line, Kuol looks destined to leave Australia with a bang. 

When he finally does start a competitive game, fans should expect to see the back of the net ripple more than once - he's simply that good. 

Australia's version of Erling Haaland, at his best Kuol is almost impossible to stop in the final third with his pace and confidence on the ball a lethal combination. 

Like Haaland, Kuol also has a knack of popping up at the right place at the right time - the story of his career to date. 

If these early signs are any indication, the attacker could well be one of Australia's best talents in decades and you'd be making a mistake not to watch his final chapter with the Mariners when the new A-League Men season kicks off.

His first opponent this season? Quite fittingly, Newcastle Jets. 

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Joshua Thomas

Joshua Thomas Photo

Josh has been covering sport for nearly a decade now having fallen in love with football at a young age. A UTS graduate, Josh has previously worked for GOAL and now covers football closely for The Sporting News.