Young Jets striker Kristian Brymora has bought a one-way ticket to Europe to pursue his football dream.
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The teenager was still a youth player when he made his first-team debut at 17 in August last year, coming off the bench in an FFA Cup tie against Melbourne Victory at Magic Park.
Brymora, now 18, signed a senior contract under former coach Scott Miller in September, toured with the team to China and featured in two A-League friendlies, scoring a goal in a 4-0 rout of Melbourne City.
But he played only seven minutes under Mark Jones in the A-League, in a 2-1 away win against Perth, and slipped behind towering former Brisbane youth player Harry Sawyer in the pecking order.
The Jets told Brymora he could continue training and push for a new contract under new coach Ernie Merrick, but instead the powerful target man is backing himself to secure a deal in England or Poland.
He has organised two trials at Premier League clubs and hopes to secure an under-20 or under-23 contract.
“I’m going to be heading to England and give myself a good shot,” he told the Newcastle Herald.
“The goal’s for me to stay over there for as long as I can. For now it’s just a one-way ticket.
“I’m going to fly over there in the next couple of weeks and started having a trial over there and just keep going from one place to the next until I find something.”
Brymora said he would trial for an under-23s or under-20s deal in England.
“Whatever they think suits me best. I just want to match myself with some of those boys, keep on learning, keep on developing.
“I’m grateful for what I’ve had at this club and Newcastle, but being my age I have a great opportunity – also with a Polish passport – to explore overseas.”
Brymora scored both goals in the Jets youth team’s shock 2-1 win over Northern NSW NPL leaders Lambton two weeks ago but did not play in Saturday’s 3-2 victory over Adamstown.
“I felt like that was the best game I’ve played in quite a long time. I should have had a lot more than I did, but it was good to get two goals.
“I felt agile, I felt strong. I felt like I could compete quite easily and get my way around and throw myself about, which is where I wanted to be, and end on a confident note.”
Brymora’s exit coincides with the arrival of Merrick, who told the media last week that he wanted his attacking players committed to getting into scoring positions.
That has been one of Brymora’s strengths in a prolific youth career at the club, where he has scored 18 goals in 24 NPL matches over the past two seasons.
He also scored three times in the eight-game National Youth League season over the summer.
“Sometimes things just happen like this,” he said.
“My mind was made up. I thought it was time to get out of Newcastle, just another adventure and experience and see where it ends up.”
