The latest A-League talent radar focuses on NPL in Queensland. The Sunshine State has three future A-League talents you need to know now.
Last week’s NPL talent radar focused on Victoria with four names to watch.
This week, we head north and spotlight three top talents, starting with a sublime NPL striker who has become a viral sensation and could be mistaken for a surfer.
Jez Lofthouse
Club: Olympic FC
Age: 19
Position: Forward
You can’t miss Jez. He’s the NPL Messi!
A few stunning goals for Olympic in the last year have lit up social media.
Long blond hair and smashing goals, the lightly built attacker has garnered a hefty reputation in Queensland’s NPL.
Many believe Lofthouse is the best attacking talent outside the A-League.
The question is: does this talented kid want it? If he does, he could easily step up and make a big name for himself.
He’s already had interest from two A-League clubs for youth team contracts but remains to play senior football with Olympic where he’s learning each week.
He’s in a professional environment playing regularly under head coach Ben Cahn and learning off former Socceroo Shane Stefanutto and former A-League midfielder Alex Smith.
Lofthouse could make that next step and become a cult hero. Let’s hope for the A-League’s sake that happens.
Mitchell Hore
Club: Lions FC
Age: 23
Position: Midfielder
An outstanding talent, with technique and vision, Hore often looks a class above in the NPL.
With Lions winning the league last year, Hore was integral in that and he chimed in with five goals.
He makes positive forward runs and can find space in the pockets.
Physically not the biggest but more than makes up for it with his intelligence and resilience coupled with a top-class workrate.
FFA Cup fans will remember him from when Lions FC faced Adelaide United in Brisbane last year as the Reds edged the Queenslanders 1-0. Hore didn’t look out of place.
He also played in last year’s NPL Finals Series Grand Final against Campbelltown City in SA.
Here has returned to the starting XI at Lions in recent weeks and the side has looked much stronger better for his return.
Steve Whyte
Club: Olympic FC
Age: 22
Position: Midfielder
Who could forget his burst into the box and low shot for a goal in last year’s NPL Grand Final against Lions FC?
The fans went crazy behind the goal. And the excitement about Whyte has reached similar levels in the last year or so.
If the second division ‘Championship’ gets up in the next couple of years, players like Whyte will be ideal.
But till then, A-League clubs need to see this left-footed midfielder who has exceptional technique.
His passing - short and long - is highly regarded and gets forward to join the attack.
An all-round intelligent footballer who is tactically savvy and from all accounts is very professional on and off the pitch.
Whyte’s background is quite interesting having spent some time with Mariners before following John Hutchinson to Seattle Sounders.
He didn’t crack it for a pro contract in their USL side - the Sounders’ second side playing below the MLS.
But we believe he's ready to step up in Australia.
Image courtesy of @Olympic_FC Twitter
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