NPL HITS TOP GEAR

COAST’S HOPES

A SEASON spent honing his craft with Premier League heavyweights Burleigh has given Gold Coast United’s Griffin Bambach the belief he belongs with the state’s elite.

A Byron Bay product, goalkeeper Bambach made an immediate impact in the Bulldogs’ run to last season’s finals, earning a spot on the bench in the Premier League Team of the Year.

The 19-year-old’s efforts did not go unnoticed by new United coach Kristian Rees, who wasted no time bringing the 193cm shotstopper into his NPL squad.

Now poised for an NPL debut when the Surfsiders visit Moreton Bay United at 6.30pm tonight, Bambach said he was ready to continue his meteoric rise.

“I definitely feel like I’m good enough for (the NPL) and I feel like I can be one of the best keepers if I do everything I know I can,” said Bambach, a representative striker before switching to goalkeeping aged 12.

“There was a lot of experienced players last year at Burleigh so that really helped me, and same with the coach (Colin Phelan) as well. He obviously helped me heaps throughout the season to make sure I was up to the challenge.

“There was a bit of a lack of experience (last year in terms of) playing week in, week out at a good level and I think that showed one or two times but overall I performed the best I could. I probably deserved my spot on the bench in the Team of the Year in the end.

“Last year was a step up from Football Far North Coast (with Byron Bay FC) and this year is obviously a step up from Gold Coast Premier League. So each year I’m trying to step up one level at a time.

“The goal was always to end up playing professionally.”

One of a number of young Premier League players brought to the club by Rees, Bambach said it was “pretty exciting” to be part of the club’s new era.

“We’ve got a really young squad now at United, everyone is under 23 except for a few. Pre-season’s been really good.

“It took me a bit to get into the groove of it but I’m feeling really good now and ready to hit the ground running. We’ve looked good in pre-season but it’s obviously different when the NPL season starts.

“I think we’ll do well but … we’ll have to work for it, definitely.”