Josh pins hopes on new start
JOSH Pin has gone out a winner for the FNQ Heat and hopes he never returns, in the nicest possible way.
The 20-year-old said farewell to “the lads” on Saturday before he heads to Europe to chase his football dreams, starting with a trial at Oxford City FC in England.
Pin has been one of the longest-serving players at the Heat and said that while it was tough to leave, he had been training his whole life for a shot at a professional career.
“Everyone says, ‘oh yeah, you’re going over there to travel’ but the ultimate goal I’ve been working ever since I was young is to try to make it to make it pro and I guess I’m at that age now where in Australia, it’s really difficult to get somewhere,” he said,
“So I want to try over there. If it doesn’t work out, I can always come back but I’d hope not to, with all due respect.
“But this will always be my home and I thank the Heat so much for everything.”
Pin will miss the success on the field but said the off-field camaraderie would be the thing he missed most.
“They’re great lads. We’ve been together for three or four years, we’ve had a tough road I guess and to the things we’ve done, I think is brilliant,” he said.
“It shows the rest of Australia I guess, you don’t need money and everything to succeed really.”
Pin said he hoped the Heat got lucky in the Round of 32 draw on Thursday to bring an A-League team to Cairns in August and otherwise kept at it for another finals run.
ONE of FNQ Heat’s most loyal servants has been given the ultimate send off in what could be his final ever game for the club.
Despite going down to 10 men in the second half against Brisbane Roar Youth, players rallied for departing midfield star Joshua Pin and Crios O’Hare converted a late penalty to give his side a 1-0 win at Endeavour Park on Saturday.
Pin is off to England to chase his football dreams but has his fingers crossed the Heat can draw an A-League team in the next round of the FFA Cup and has full faith “the lads” have what it takes to go all the way in the NPL in 2017.