Australia is producing some real quality in their youth system at the moment - the A League is doing them wonders as a nation. Reinforces why a second team here is so important.
Plus a National 2nd Division (NSD) for Australia itself. Not all 17 yr olds like Irankunda will be good enough for the ALM straight away.
My 26 yr old Peruvian nephew plays senior mens footy for Kawana FC on the Sunshine Coast, QLD. About 2 levels below the QLD NPL. Their starting 11, typically has five 18 year olds. All of whom went through a local high school, that has their own football inhouse academy. One of the 18 year olds has just returned from a few months at Fleetwood Town in the UK, and has trial offers in the UAE & at Macarthur Bulls. Two of the other 18 yr olds at season end are off to US Colleges.
The Sunshine Coast has made the final 26 team selection process for new NSD. They are not confident but there is plenty of young local talent around keen on a crack at a higher level.