An Australian citizen Gary lived throughout the country and traveled the continent extensively, driving from Darwin to Perth, Canberra to Perth & Sydney to Townsville, as well as residing, attending school and playing soccer in Sydney, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Canberra, Sunshine Coast & Darwin. His parents moved to Australia in 1964 living in Bondi Beach, Sydney, where his father Victor played for Corinthians after leaving Leeds United. Gary's older brother Simon was born in Coogee Beach, Sydney and Gary's mother lives in Perth.
Gary was 'discovered' as a player in 1986 on the Gold Coast playing soccer on the beach with his father and younger brother by the Australian National Champion St George Budapest coaching staff, the 'eyes' of the legendary St George Budapest and Australian national team coach Frank Arok. Such was the interest of the club to sign Gary and his brothers, that he immediately moved to Sydney with his father and brothers where the dressing rooms at St George Stadium in Rocklea, were converted into living quarters while the club arranged new accommodations.
"Australia has more mileage of beach than any country in the world, but very little beach soccer. A visit to Australia’s most popular beach resort, Surfers Paradise, won’t reveal dozens of soccer goalposts that would be found on the Copacabana. Upon returning to Australia in 1986 as a 16 year old, I was playing on the beach on the Gold Coast (Surfers Paradise) with my father and brother. I played 5-6 hours a day. Along came 3 older men with legs that looked like they had seen some rigorous exercise in days gone by and they asked us for a game. Afterwards, they came to our apartment offering me terms to come down to Sydney to play for the Australian Champions St. George Budapest. I didn’t realize initially that two of them were coaches of St. George Budapest and another was a former Hungarian émigré who had played in the Australian leagues after leaving Hungary in 1956. We were offered the first team coach Frank Arok’s home to live in while he was away in Vojvodinia, Yugoslavia on vacation, and were told to come down immediately to start pre-season training, only to find that the keys to the house weren’t available for some unknown reason. Instead of the house, they converted the St. George Budapest dressing room (beds included with paintings on the wall) into accommodations for us. I use this anecdote to show that talent can be spotted anywhere; even on an Ozzie beach"
Gary opted not to remain in Sydney and returned to Queensland where he played for the Gold Coast Men's Select team vs. Brisbane City at only 16 years of age after playing locally for Twin Towns Soccer Club Senior team. He later played for Brisbane Lions Reserves before moving to Europe and USA where he was recruited to several USA colleges on scholarships. After declining to play on a full soccer scholarship FDU in New Jersey and Boca Raton in Florida Gary decided to return to London until he move to Dubai assist legendary technical coach Wiel Coerver as a demonstrator of his material at leading UAE club Al Wasl.
Gary was signed by Queensland (Australia) club Mt Gravatt In 1988/89 and quickly became one of the brightest young soccer talents in Australia. After playing only one club game he gained the immediate attention of Queensland State Team coach Bruce Stowell and was selected to represent Queensland becoming the youngest player on the squad, starting all 3 games on Queensland's tour of Fiji. He was also selected to play visiting teams Arsenal, Nottingham Forest and Manchester City in the Super 6's Tournament. For the duration of his time in Queensland Gary received the best player ratings of all players in the State league according to 'Go Soccer' the QSF official magazine, and was ranked fittest player on the State team.
Gary brought Wiel Coerver’s material to Australia in 1989 where he brokered the sale of ‘Coerver 1-2-3’ video series between Philips Lighting Company and Australian 'Mr Soccer’ Les Murray at SBSTV which profoundly impacted Australian soccer development. At the request of Director of Coaching of New South Wales Soccer Federation David Lee (coach of Harry Kewell). Gary and his brother Simon conducted a coaching presentation with permission from Wiel Coerver to State and club coaches and administrative staff at the New South Wales Soccer Federation (NSWSF) headquarters at Parklea. Following which Coerver Coaching formalized their agreement with Football New South Wales. (note: Gary was never part of Coerver Coaching business. He was personal assistant to Wiel Coerver in Dubai).
"I introduced you to the coaches at Parklea (NSWSF) in 1988. Jim Selby called and said take a look at these guys. Les Murray also did a show on SBS. I had the old tapes but first time anyone came to talk and demonstrate was you and your brother Simon" (David Lee).
Gary featured in Australian Croatian coach Dusan Purac Soccer Skills video (it was the 80's!) which included training footage of legends Savicevic, Bobin and Pancev at Dinamo Zagreb before they moved to AC Milan.
Gary has been a source of information and connectivity for Australian soccer maintaining extensive connections with the playing and coaching communities as well as on the commercial side of the game as well as financial and business networks. He has been a 'go-to' contact for Australian players, coaches, organizations for over 30 years, as well as a trusted source for US college coaches who trust his eye and opinion when scouting players.
Gary is owner and co-founder of Dynamic Soccer (Northern California) & Eclipse Academy (Southern California) where he trains players to prepare players for US college soccer and is the co-founder and owner of Soccerbook Consulting and global football network Soccerbook.com as well as founder and director of charity organization The Soccerfund. He sits on several sports-tech boards & advises VC and Angel investors on sports properties and technology investments and has an extensive network with Silicon Valley technology leaders. Gary frequently puts to use his University of Liverpool Football Industries MBA (FIMBA) network. Gary's (FIMBA) network of key decision makers in football governing bodies, technology, media, entertainment, sponsors and events at all commercial and administrative levels provides Gary with an extensive network in addition to his already extensive network.
Gary represented Australian Australian 'Matildas' National Team and FIFA Coach Mentor Tom Sermanni's in contract negotiations with NWSL team and Nigerian national team. Gary has also organized numerous international tours to professional clubs as well as USA colleges such as designing managing and leading the 2007 NCAA USA National College Champions North Carolina Women's Soccer Tour against Australia and New Zealand Women's National Teams and Queensland Institute of Sport. See link to tour
Gary was recognized by 'Advance', the Australian global business network spanning 40 countries with 1 million Australians abroad, as being one of the ‘Advance 50’ current and emerging leaders honored at the Silicon Valley Summit in May 2012 for their contributions to the commercialization of Australian innovation dedicated to assisting Australian innovators, entrepreneurs and start-ups to commercialize and globalize.
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