New ’Roo heads home
Former refugee returns to roots with Victory to take on United
FOOTBALL: Former South Sudanese refugee Thomas Deng was first nurtured by South Australia’s Italian community but was almost lost to the elite soccer system for good after leaving Adelaide for Melbourne in 2011.
Perhaps it was the survive or perish instinct of Deng’s early years in Nairobi, Kenya which led to the defender becoming a newly capped Socceroo and a Melbourne Victory mainstay.
Now he cannot wait to face Adelaide United in a blockbuster at Marvel Stadium tonight.
Deng says learning to defend against the intricate skills and power of two goalscorers at the recent 2018 FIFA World Cup, Japanese marvel Keisuke Honda and Sweden’s Ola Toivonen, is the best education.
“It’s crazy, every day you learn off them. I listen to them and I try to improve,” Deng said.
“Keisuke or Ola would say ‘do this or do that’, a little bit of words, not much.
“You’ve got to be on your toes, they’re sharp. If you can play against them I’m guessing you can play against anyone.”
However, his road to becoming a professional has been far from easy, just like his good mate, fellow South Sudanese refugee Awer Mabil.
The pair demonstrated to displaced people that dreams can come true.
Making their Socceroos debuts against Kuwait in a 4-0 win in October provoked powerful emotions from some of the game’s great including former France, Juventus and Manchester United star Patrice Evra.
Deng couldn’t remember his deceased father but watched his mum raise three older brothers and a sister in the slums of Nairobi before landing in Paradise, a suburb 10km from Adelaide’s CBD in 2003.
Deng said he owes much of his Australian foundations to a club steeped in Italian roots in SA.
“My first club was Adelaide Blue Eagles and my first school was Campbelltown Primary where many Italian boys went,” Deng said.
“Through Italian friends I got to play at the Blue Eagles.
“They were good memories, I played at Hindmarsh Stadium in the Cup final in the under-12s and we beat Adelaide City.
“That was a big highlight. Danny Barone was my coach and Vojo Gluscevic (current Blue Eagles boss) was a coach too.”
Deng had talent to burn. Socceroos and Adelaide City legend and former SASI coach Tony Vidmar recognised it.
He had an eye on Deng in SA, asking him to contact the Victorian Institute of Sport where he was all but guaranteed a spot after his family decided to move east.
Deng, however, lost the number before Melbourne Victory scouts came calling.
“I lost all contact, I had to start all over. I was playing in the state league three in Melbourne with Polonia, then I went to Green Gully and played in the reserves, my senior coach got promoted to the first team,” Deng said.
“Basically he took me up to the senior team with him.”