Kerem Of The Crop

In November last year, FourFourTwo heard that a Young Socceroo had been arrested in relation to gang offences. Our reaction was steadfast: “Let it be anyone but Kerem  Bulut”. We had good reason too. Bulut had just won the Golden Boot at the AFC U-19 Championship – firing Australia to the final in the process.

Australia is suffering from a striker shortage and nothing excites like a free-scoring front-man. The 19-year-old Bulut  had the swagger and confidence of someone born to score. With a Mohawk Mr. T would be proud of, we seem to have found our goal-scoring Messiah (who did not need to be knocked out before flying).

The AIS graduate had impressed at Sydney’s NYL side, notching 13 goals in 27 appearances. Czech side FK Mladá Boleslav moved in before Bulut even broke into Sydney’s A-League side and took the promising youngster on trial in April last year, where a three-year deal was soon tabled, and signed.

For several years now the teenage Bulut has impressed at every youth level of representation for Australia. Back in 2008, he scored four goals (plus a penalty shoot-out conversion in the final) as Australia won the AFF U-16 Youth Championship in Jakarta, Indonesia. His Golden Boot-winning performances at the most recent U-19 Championship, plus his growing pedigree playing in Europe, suggested Bulut was nearing a Socceroos debut.

Then, in November, Bulut was arrested and charged with a range of gang-related offences. He was forced to hand over his passport and a burgeoning European career was controversially halted. In April, his passport was returned, with the outstanding charges likely to be greatly reduced, and Bulut could return to the Czech Republic to continue his career with FK Mladá Boleslav.

A few weeks after arriving back, Bulut agreed to speak exclusively with FourFourTwo about his time away from the game, settling into Europe and making the Socceroos.

How does it feel to be back in the Czech Republic? How is training and playing going?
It’s not too bad, a little cold today. I’m about 50km out of Prague but I try get there on my days off. Prague is an amazing city. Since I’ve been back I have been training twice a day for the last two weeks. I’ve scored three goals in three reserve games since returning too.

Before finding yourself in the Czech Republic you played in Sydney FC’s NYL team. What grounding did that offer? How effective is the NYL in developing young Aussie talent?
The NYL is great, it offers that next step once you have moved on from your state Premier League club. You look forward to making the NYL league and from there can look towards the A-League and then onto Europe.

How influential was Sydney FC coach Vitezslav Lavicka in engineering your move to the Czech Republic?
I don’t know the full story, but I would image FK Mladá Boleslav spoke to him and asked about me as a player and he gave good feedback which probably helped me out. I appreciate that from him.

What motivated that move – a lack of first team opportunities at Sydney or the chance to play in Europe?
As a little kid growing up, all I wanted to do was play football in Europe. So the best bet for me was to at least try my luck in Europe. If that did not work out I could return to Australia. Luckily for me, everything has worked out well for me here.

Should you have seen some A-League action while at Sydney? You’ve been billed as “the one that got away”?
I’m not the one that got away. If you want to perform for Australia at the highest level then it is better to learn your trade in Europe. It is a more professional set-up here.

You really came onto everyone’s radar when you scored seven goals at the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship. What went so right?
I worked hard in the lead-up to the tournament with my club and I was playing first-grade every week, which helped a lot. All of the boys in that squad trained hard when we went into camp. Everyone stepped up their game, we played well and that helped me score goals.

The final ended in disappointment, but your performances, and those of the team, encouraged everyone. Was it still a satisfying tournament in that sense?
The tournament was definitely a success for the team and me too. The main aim of going to the tournament was qualifying for the World Cup and we done that. We got unlucky in the final and that happens in football.

It’s not been an easy last 12 months for you off the pitch. Talk us through that?
It was tough, it was not easy. It was a massive stress on me and my family. I tried to not let it get to me and keep a strong mind. I tried to work through it and everything has paid off. It made me stronger as a person.

There has been a lot of talk of “negative influences” around you. How important is a fresh start in the Czech Republic?
It is about getting away first of all. Everyone makes mistakes, you just have to move on. I’m now over here, training and trying to play well.

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On the whole though, most of the football community seemed to get behind you and just wanted one Australia’s brightest prospects to fulfill their potential.
Yeah, there was heaps of support. Especially from the FFA, but also my club and all the fans in Australia. There are always a few haters, but that is life, you have to deal with that. People might make negative comments, but if you want to be a football player, you have to get used to that. I was pleased with the overall support throughout and seeing that no one had given up on me helped me out a lot. John Boultbee at the FFA was a massive help too.

What about your Czech club – how have they treated and supported you during this time?
They know stuff like this happens, it was a wrong place, wrong time situation. They were great and asked me to train hard when I came back. That’s all I have done since I got back here – focus on football. I don’t think about that [the problems at home]. I am here to play well.

Looking forward, we have the U-20 World Cup in Colombia in July, how much consideration have you given to your involvement at that tournament?
I can make a big impact with the team, so long as I’m fit. I’ve been getting fitter by the day since returning here. The club have done a great job of helping me do that.

And what can the Young Socceroos hope to achieve in Colombia? How good is the crop of players who will represent Australia?
We can go far. It is football, anything can happen, but we have good coaches, a good team and good players. If everything falls into place, anything can happen.

Australia desperately needs an out-and-out striker like yourself to emerge. How long before you think you’ll be ready for Socceroos duties?
If you are playing first-grade football in Europe, there is no reason why you would not get a call-up for the Socceroos. I need to keep working hard, then I have a good chance.

How long can you see yourself staying in the Czech Republic? Do you have one eye on a bigger European club?
I’m not really thinking about that – I like to take things step-by-step, I’m not getting ahead of myself. I just want to get fit and make sure I’m playing well.

A lot of people have made up their minds about you, but what are you really like away from the field?
I’m normal, like everybody else. I like spending time with my friends and family, I’m a normal teenager. I’m not a bad person and anyone who met me would know that. People have made their judgements, but that does not affect me.

You certainly seem to have tattoos as a hobby too though!
I got my first one at 16 and they say once you get one you can’t stop – that’s true! I’ve got a few now and I’ll probably get a few more.

Finally, who was your footballing hero growing up?
It would have to be the Brazilian Ronaldo, but at the moment I like Luiz Suarez – he is the best striker in the world for me. He works hard, chases every ball, sets players up and scores goals – a complete striker for me. I’m not a Liverpool fan, I’m a Galatasaray fan, but I like how Suarez plays.

WHAT IS HE REALLY LIKE?
The misunderstood Kerem Bulut...

John Boultbee, FFA Head of National Teams & Football Development

What’s Kerem like as a person?
A lot depends on the company he is in. With the team, he is good and he is certainly a character, a livewire. When he knuckles down to football his focus is good and he is a very positive person to be around.

How did he handle the pressure of the legal problems?
It was obviously difficult for him. We had real trouble contacting and communicating with him as he was trying to find his way through the difficulties. His club in the Czech Republic and, this is not something I say often, his agent have been amazingly supportive. Kerem recognised he needed something positive to occupy his time and football has provided that opportunity.

What next for Kerem? What does the future hold?
I’m not in a position to talk about the details, but he has still got some serious changes to deal with. He now needs to keep his nose clean because we are entitled, under our code of conduct, to take behavioral issues into account. He needs to knuckle down to football without other issues intervening.

Steve O’Connor, Former Sydney FC NYL coach

What was it like managing Kerem in the Sydney NYL side?
You had to manage him, he wasn’t one you didn’t have to worry about. Him and [Chris] Payne did not get on at the best of times – both wanted to be goalscorers. When you get to know Kerem, he is a funny guy. He is interesting to talk to and he is not the loose cannon people think he is.

What sort of player is he?
Talented. He would cut off his arm for a goal! A proper number nine, gets on the end of balls, works hard on the pitch and in training. He is demanding of his teammates, but that is a good thing as long as it does not get out of hand. He is also great at getting to both the near and far post and that is why he scores so regularly.

Just how good will be become? What is the key to him reaching that potential?
Kerem has the potential to be an international standard player. He is certainly hungry enough. He just needs to get his focus sorted, sometimes he lets things that happen on the pitch get to him. If he does not get a ball, he needs to make sure that does not take over his focus.

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