Another year, another splash of cash to grassroots football, courtesy of Hyundai.

He spends his days in the care of one of the world’s best football academies, regularly pitting his wares against Europe’s brightest youngsters. David Villa knows his name, but until recently football federation Australia didn’t. Paddy Higgs meets Theo Markelis; perhaps Australia’s best-kept footballing secret.

It seemed like the perfect move. At the very least Jade North thought it was a better prospect than being an A-League marquee player. But now, as Davidde Corran discovered, the part-time Socceroo is just happy to have moved on from his Korean nightmare.