EP 13

Kealey Adamson

What It took to go from NPL 2 to the English Championship

66 min

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In this episode, Jan calls London to sit down with Kealey Adamson, a right back who grew up on Sydney's North Shore, never played in an A-League Academy, and worked his way from Northern Tigers NPL 2 first grade to winning the Australia Cup with Sydney FC, his first A-League contract with MacArthur Bulls, and now Queens Park Rangers in the English Championship.

Kealey talks about growing up at Linfield FC, the coaches who shaped him (including Adam Griffiths, now head coach at Perth Glory), and getting the Sydney FC email through his TD's connection with Kelly Cross. He is candid about the "delusional confidence" that convinced him he'd play for Sydney FC before there was ever a real chance, and the tibia fracture that ended his first season three games in.

He opens up about winning the Australia Cup while being released simultaneously, the MacArthur Bulls offer that came through his agent while he was in a kebab shop, and how the QPR offer came in through an unexpected email. He also talks about representing Australia at the Olyroos in China, Qatar, and South Korea, and the reality of moving to London alone as a young Australian.