Newcastle United youngster Garang Kuol is enduring a second torrid loan spell away from Tyneside, but has now received some good news.
After his disappointing spell at Hearts last season, the 19-year-old was sent to the Netherlands to play for Volendam in the Eredivisie during the 2023/24 campaign.
It looked like a sensible move, but it has turned into a disaster through no fault of his own. The Aussie forward has not started a game for the Dutch club since November, with major changes behind the scenes at Volendam leading to a change of system.
The new manager there plays in a way that does not suit Garang Kuol, which has resulted in him barely playing at all. It is not what he needs at this stage of his career, and Newcastle United are monitoring his situation.
But while he is not getting a game for Volendam right now, he is about to get the chance to represent his country.
Fresh chance for Newcastle youngster Garang Kuol to play
That is because Kuol has been included in the Australia Under-23 squad for the upcoming West Asian Football Federation Under-23 Championship this month. He will play alongside his brother Alou, who has also been selected.
They are set to compete in the tournament in Saudi Arabia, as they continue their preparations for the Under-23 Asian Cup in Qatar in April. That is a significant competition, as it will determine who goes to the Olympic Games in Paris later this year.
It is a great chance for Kuol to play again, and the Australia Under-23 manager Tony Vidmar recognises the situation that the Newcastle teenager currently finds himself in.
“Garang has been in a little bit of a difficult predicament at Volendam,” he told The West Australian.
“They’ve changed board, coach – and the new coach has changed his system which doesn’t suit Garang.
“This is an opportunity for them (Garang and Alou) to show what they can do.
“We just want them to play their football and both boys understand our culture and our expectations as a team.”
With club football suddenly hard to come by, a chance at international level will be a welcome distraction for Kuol. He has already represented Australia at a World Cup, and now he could soon get the chance to play for his country at the Olympics – providing they qualify in the coming months.
As his coach says, this is a great opportunity at a time when another loan spell is going wrong. Kuol has found himself in a difficult situation that he has been unable to avoid.
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