From Struggle to Success
Garang Kuol is doing everything he can to get back on track after a rocky ride at Newcastle United. Once hailed as one of Australia’s most exciting football talents, things haven’t exactly gone to plan for the 20-year-old since his big move to the Premier League in 2022. Now, Socceroos coach Tony Popovic is hinting that if Kuol wants a real shot at making the national team again, it might be time to move on from Newcastle. From Struggle to Success.
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Kuol’s time in Europe hasn’t been smooth. He’s had a string of disappointing loan stints and injuries that kept him sidelined for crucial parts of the season. To make things worse, he hasn’t played a single first-team game for Newcastle. A loan move that could’ve helped get him more minutes last summer was scrapped because of a long-term injury that kept him out for three months. From Struggle to Success.
But it hasn’t been all bad. Despite those setbacks, Kuol has shown resilience and hunger to bounce back. He made a solid impression playing for Newcastle’s youth side, bagging five goals and four assists in just 11 games in the Premier League 2 competition. That’s not bad at all, especially for someone coming off an injury. From Struggle to Success.
Popovic, speaking to reporters via The Sydney Morning Herald, said he’s been keeping tabs on Kuol’s performances. He praised the youngster’s ability to find the net and noted a visible boost in confidence. “He’s starting to look sharp again,” Popovic said. “When you see him around the box, you can tell he’s focused and not afraid to take players on – something we haven’t seen from him in a while.”
However, the message was clear – Kuol needs consistent game time at senior level to really push for a national team spot, especially with important World Cup qualifiers coming up in June. Popovic hinted that Kuol might only find that outside of Newcastle, at a club where he can play regularly and grow under real match pressure. He stressed how important regular football is not just for form, but also for mental and physical match sharpness.
With Kuol’s Newcastle contract running out next season, all eyes will be on his next move – one that could either spark his career back to life or keep him stuck on the sidelines.
