the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Nike began advertising an intriguing concept called “The Chance”. As the name suggested it was an opportunity for unsigned players whose careers were yet to make a dent on professional football to “get noticed, get scouted and get signed”.

In short, Nike would pay for eight young unsigned footballers from around the world to take up a one-year professional contract at the English Premier League-backed Nike Academy. There the chosen players would experience world class facilities, train with elite coaches, have access to nutritionists, psychologists and fitness conditioners, as well as play matches against elite academies and EPL reserve teams.

Naturally, interest was piqued. So last year 75,000 unsigned lads with nothing but a dream began trialing in over 40 countries. The first stages were to impress the Nike scouts and coaches enough to make it through local, regional, then national selection. At that point, it got serious with the 75,000 whittled down to the best 100 players worldwide, including Australia and New Zealand.

It was then onto the final stage – a three-day trial in London with the 100 national winners in a global shootout to find the lucky eight.

Based just outside London at the rustic Sopwell House – once the Georgian country home of Lord Mountbatten – it would be a dream existence all thanks to Nike. They’d train at a professional base, with loads of football royalty dropping by to lend support.

There was no time to get nervous. Two full days of training under expert coaching tuition at Barnet FC’s training centre would cull the initial 100 down to 32. And on the third day those 32 would battle it out in a game situation to be named in the final eight.

With the coveted contracts on the line in London, could our four local boys make an impression? Would any even make the final 32? Or even, dare we dream, make the final eight? This is how the week unfolded…

Day One

Direct from our scorching Australian summer, FourFourTwo flies into the chilly English capital and through the morning traffic, arriving at a boutique hotel near Shepherd’s Bush tube station. Within an hour, we’ve met up with our four local ‘Chance’ lads who had checked-in 24 hours earlier.

Immediately we fix an interview and photo-shoot with Rogic. The likeable Canberra playmaker says it feels “surreal” being in London. We’ve seemingly brought a break in the chill with London turning on blue skies for our first morning. Is this a good omen? The four boys head into the West End to take their minds off the big day and shake off the jet-lag.

Rub-downs for the players are arranged later in the day with hotel masseur Nemanja – a brute of a man who looks like he could a play a similar role as his namesake at Old Trafford. Matic and Doyle take their chances with the big fella. Jokes about a dude giving a massage lighten the mood but on a serious note, injuries threaten to derail our boys’ week.

The worst knock belongs to Matic. His left knee is clearly a concern with the big man confiding he’s barely 50 per cent fit just two days out from day one of the trial. Blumgart, too, has a niggling hip problem, though it’s less of a concern, while Rogic isn’t so keen on being pummeled by Nemanja as the ACT-based Futsal star has a back injury.

So, after day one there’s plenty to ponder as our guys take it easy in their rooms and try to sleep. It’s all about recovery at this point.

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