"There is perhaps no greater reminder that Australia is a faraway island nation with limited global influence than the fact so many Australians pore over a niche form of online football content known as Aussies Abroad'. While the likes of Ned Zelic and Paul Okon were hardly the first Australian players to move to Europe, their arrivals at Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge in the early 1990s coincided with a surge of interest in how Aussie footballers were performing overseas. By the time Mark Viduka and Harry Kewell lit up the Premier League with Leeds United almost a decade later, Australian fans were well versed in keeping tabs on Aussies abroad."
"I feel like there needs to be a bit more exposure to Major League Soccer in Australia, Socceroos and Nashville SC midfielder Patrick Yazbek said. I still feel like a lot of Aussies have this misconception that the only alternative to watching the A-League is watching European football. It's a perception Yazbek is keen to change, not least because many games kick off at an ideal time for viewers in Australia. In a country where the average Uefa Champions League game kicks off at 4.30am, most Saturday night MLS games start at the far more palatable hour of 9.30am on a Sunday morning. What more do you want than to sit down with a coffee and watch a game? Yazbek said."
Australian fans have long tracked the overseas careers of players through niche 'Aussies Abroad' coverage, sparked by moves to Europe in the 1990s and the Premier League impact of players like Viduka and Kewell. Major League Soccer attracts increasing Australian talent and offers more convenient kickoff times for Australian viewers compared with early European fixtures. Patrick Yazbek urges greater exposure for MLS in Australia and seeks to challenge the perception that European leagues are the only alternative to the A-League. Several Socceroos now play in MLS, using North American moves to bolster national-team prospects.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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