Former South Sudan refugee Gideon Arok has attracted interest from the national team squad
Former Adelaide United NPL team holding midfielder Gideon Arok has impressed South Sudan national side talent scouts as A-League clubs continue to show interest.
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Scouts from South Sudan’s national team have cast a keen eye on the weekend’s African Nations Cup tournament at Angle Park, with SA teenager Gideon Arok among the players in their sights.
Arok, 18, said South Sudanese officials had contacted him asking for a CV after appearing on their list of Australians with blood links to the new republic.
The talented northern suburbs-based year 12 high school student was representing South Sudan in the unofficial African Nations Cup in SA.
It comes as A-League clubs Western United and Melbourne City show an interest in securing the services of the former Adelaide United NPL/youth team defensive midfielder.
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“They’ve come (scouts) here to watch this tournament because many (SA-based) South Sudanese players that have played here (in SA’s African Nations Cup) have become professional,’’ Arok said.
“Thomas Deng (Melbourne Victory, Socceroos), Awer Mabil (Mittyland, Socceroos), Ruon Tongyik (Central Coast) and Valentino Yuel (Western United) are now professionals, they played in the tournament.”
The South Sudanese international side — formed after the country gained independence from Sudan in 2011 — is laden with Australian/South Sudanese talent.
Currently the South Sudanese national team squad has seven Australian/South Sudanese players listed in its squad to face the Seychelles in 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification preliminary round on October 7 and 15.
Former SA-based Olympic, Salisbury and White City defender Peter Deng is one of the seven, after making his South Sudanese national team debut in 2017.
Deng now plays for Victoria’s Heidelberg and is the brother of Socceroo Thomas Deng.
“They (South Sudan) asked to see videos of me the other week,’’ Arok said.
“It would be a dream to play for South Sudan and also representing Australia if I get the chance.”
Arok and his family arrived in SA in 2006 when he was four.
He attended Ingle Farm and Klemzig primary school, moved to Sydney for a year, returned and went to John Hartley School and moved to Hope Christian College in year 6.
He is currently in year 12 at the same school.
Arok’s first federation club was MetroStars’ academy. He played for the now defunct Enfield City where he joined his brother Arok Akoi Arok, who has since helped kickstart Nile United, one of the fastest growing clubs in SA.
A family move to the northern suburbs saw Arok join Playford Patriots under coach Matt Gaston.
“He (Gaston) taught me so much when I was a junior,’’ Gideon said.
He won selection with Football Federation SA’s NTC team before he was nominated for the player of the tournament at the under 15 national titles.
Adelaide United’s former academy then picked him up where he toured Spain and featured at the world acclaimed MIC Cup for youth football players.
“My love for football came when I was kicking a ball all day long with friends, cousins, all my brothers and anyone that wanted to play the game in the parks around Klemzig,’’ Gideon said.
“It prepared me really well, I was playing against much bigger boys that was 16 and 17 and I was about 12 you learn quickly.”