Soccer Talk

Sep 23 posted on soccer talk

...Tyler Hemming was offered a place in Grimsby's soccer academy until he turns 19. That's not quite a full pro contract but would be a great opportunity for the guy if he wants to focus on trying to be a pro player rather than leaving the option of an NCAA scholarship open. It is a bit like being drafted by an OHL team. No guarantee of an NHL or minor league pro career at the end of it but it shortens the odds considerably. Tyler Hemming is very lucky to get this opportunity by being in the right place at the right time basically as Grimsby's development coach Ian Knight started a link with the London Soccer Academy to devlop London players for that club and a lot of influential people are probably keen to have at least one London area player over in England right now:-

http://www.eteamz.com/londonsocceracademy/

Jason Devos is an example of a London area player who lucked out by being in the right place at the right time and grasped the opportunity and worked hard until he became an established full-time pro in the UK. He had played a few games in WOSL premier as a 15 year old for London Croatia and then got selcted for the 1990 CSL roster for London Lasers as a 16 year old when the Lasers were run by a Croatian GM and coach and wound up getting lots of playing time in a nationally televised league when the franchise ran into financial problems and more experienced and expensive players including 3 Croatian imports left.

The other London based player who was on trial, Gentjan Dervishi, is back from Hannover but has been asked to return in November apparently. Something to do with a foot injury although he still played against the Wizards on Friday evening.