JAY’S RICHER FOR THE EXPERIENCE
JAY Rich-Baghuelou almost walked away from football to lounge around on a beach back home in Australia – but now the Accrington Stanley defender is glad he gave the game one more shot.
The Sydney-born, 6ft 5in centre-back has slotted in seamlessly at Stanley since his move from Crystal Palace last month.
But his journey to the Wham Stadium has not been a straightforward one ever since he flew to the UK to follow his dream of becoming a pro footballer at the age of 17.
Having only played at state level Down Under, he moved in with his aunt in Croydon but was only playing five-a-side when he received an invitation to train with National League South outfit Dulwich Hamlet’s academy.
He then endured his first blow when he required knee surgery, which kept him sidelined for five months.
“I couldn’t get any clubs to take me seriously in Australia, so my dad suggested that I try and pursue a career in England,” Rich-Baghuelou recalled. “I went from growing up on a beach on the Gold Coast to being surrounded by big concrete blocks and it raining all the time!
“It was a big culture shock and then I got the injury, so it was all difficult for me.”
Following his recovery, though, significant progress was made after he was switched from centre-forward to centre-back when Dulwich promoted him into their first team.
“I wasn’t the best striker and moving me to centre-back was a game-changer for me,” he admitted.
Another setback was to follow, though, when after training with Charlton for five months, he was told there was no future for him at the Valley.
“It was the first time I had been in a full-time environment training every day and I was so grateful but, when I didn’t get a deal, I thought I don’t think this is going to happen,” he said. “I went back to Australia that summer and I didn’t want to come back, so I missed my flight on purpose.
“I was going to train to be a plumber or something and live on the beach. I was so demoralised, but my dad wasn’t happy with me and I decided to give it one more shot.
“I then left
Dulwich to join Welling and Palace asked me to train with their under-23s. When they offered me something, I couldn’t believe it because I’d been so close to not coming back and, although I couldn’t break through into the first team, it was an amazing experience that gave me the platform to go on to be where I am now.” Rich-Baghuelou, now 22, believes he has benefitted from both the technical expertise of Palace’s coaching and the physical baptism he received at sixth-tier level. That’s not to say, he didn’t pick up a few bruises along the way with the Premier League outfit, too.
Battles
“I had battles with Christian Benteke a lot in training and it got a bit aggressive,” he smiled. “Sometimes he would give it to me and sometimes I’d give it to him.”
While mid-table Accrington might be regarded as minnows in a division that boasts seven ex-Premier League outfits, Rich-Baghuelou is also confident the club can continue to punch above their weight.
“There were 20,000 fans when we played at Ipswich and, waiting to go out in the tunnel, it felt like a movie to me,” he explained. “It was what I had always wanted and I want to play in front of bigger crowds too.
“But I feel honoured to put on an Accrington shirt. I know that we can compete with any club in this league and I never see us as underdogs.”
Having made his Australia under-23 debut at last year’s Olympics, Rich-Baghuelou also has aspirations to progress further with the Socceroos.
“Playing for my country was the cherry on top of everything and a way of repaying my family for all that they have sacrificed for me,” he added.