He played with young Argentinian stars, now he’s training Australia’s
Noble Park in Melbourne’s south-east isn’t where you’d expect to find strong links to an Argentinian soccer powerhouse.
But local boy Gavin De Niese said goodbye to his family as a 13-year-old in 2009 and left for South America to chase a soccer dream.
De Niese, now back in Melbourne aged 26, played at Buenos Aires giants River Plate with Argentinian internationals Gonzalo Montiel, Exequiel Palacios and Guido Rodriguez – all of whom could feature when Lionel Messi’s Argentina face the Socceroos early on Sunday morning (AEDT).
Gavin De Niese (centre) with his enthusiastic students. Credit:Penny Stephens
De Niese, a skilful midfielder who also has Irish roots, has now joined Avondale in the semi-professional NPL Victoria and runs a soccer academy for kids from his Noble Park home.
He fondly remembers his formative years in Argentina, where he learnt Spanish and trained in the shadow of River Plate’s Estadio Monumental stadium after being spotted by the club’s academy.
Gavin De Niese speaks with his academy players.Credit:Penny Stephens
“You walk down the streets in Argentina and you sit at a bus stop and the grandma’s going to start talking tactics with you about the game,” De Niese said. “Everyone there is just so into it, and it’s 24/7 football.”
De Niese says he has received dozens of messages after the Socceroos’ historic win against Denmark sent Australia to the World Cup’s knockout stages – for just the second time ever – to face Argentina.
“I woke up literally with like 30 messages from so many Argentinian friends saying they’ve already won the game. So I just said, ‘OK, let’s see what happens’. Never doubt an Aussie,” he said.
The Melburnian midfielder said his greatest soccer moment was scoring the winner for River Plate against the club’s fierce rival Boca Juniors in a junior tournament in Mexico alongside Montiel – a speedy right-back who now plays for top-flight Spanish club Sevilla.
Gavin Di Niese (bottom left) with Gonzalo Montiel (right) on the River Plate team bus.
“All the boys were like … ‘he’s a good player, but you don’t mess with him because he’s from the slums’,” De Niese said.
Palacios, a dynamic midfielder, was also Di Niese’s teammate and the Australian says he often battled for minutes with the younger Argentinian in the River Plate reserves team.
“We were in competition, but he was next level,” Di Niese said. “I’m happy to be that rival with him at the time.”
Gavin Di Niese celebrates his winning goal for River Plate against Boca Juniors with Gonzalo Montiel (left, obscured) and Lucas Martinez Quarta.
De Niese was also captained by defensive midfielder Rodriguez – who started with Montiel and Palacios for La Albiceleste against Mexico in Qatar last Sunday.
The Australian said Rodriguez was a professional and determined leader, who battled to find his feet at the professional level after struggling to break into River Plate’s first XI.
“It’s crazy to think that throughout all his juniors, he was never really the star. And now he’s so successful,” De Niese said.
Gavin Di Niese (back) with Guido Rodriguez (far right). Lucas Martinez Quarta, who played 11 games for Argentina but didn’t make Qatar squad is centre.
De Niese eventually left River Plate to find playing time elsewhere as the club had limited spots for internationals. After searching for a chance in Europe, he trialled with A-League club Melbourne City.
De Niese tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the trial match before he could sign an A-League contract. He has since played with NPL sides South Melbourne and Dandenong City and spent time in Portugal. His junior club was the Springvale White Eagles.
“That’s the life of a footballer, isn’t it? The cruel life behind the scenes which probably no one finds out about is what happens,” he said.
“I don’t have any regrets … and I still love playing football today. And that’s why I teach.”
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold called for an in-depth review of Australia’s soccer pathways this week and said he fears for the future if Australia’s young soccer talent aren’t given greater opportunities and junior teams continue to struggle with limited resources.
After taking an unconventional soccer pathway and starting his own junior academy, Di Niese agreed and said South American countries like Argentina place talented youngsters in dedicated training programs from a younger age.
Although friends have invited him to watch the Socceroos’ knockout match at Federation Square in a raucous crowd, Di Niese says he will watch the match at home alone to avoid hearing other fans hurling abuse at players.
While he was initially pessimistic about Australia’s chance, he is now tipping the game will go to penalties, but couldn’t pick a winner.
“You never know in football, and that’s why it’s the beautiful game.”
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