Asian youngster to have a trial with Magpies

It has been quite apparent that Newcastle have been looking for top young talent around the world to eventually make the grade rather than shelling out millions for established superstars. The latest to fit the bill is Adam Swandi who is a product of National Football Academy in his native Singapore.

The news is that he will be training with Newcastle’s youth academy for the next fortnight or so. The player caught the attention of the club when he captained Singapore U15 side in the 2011 edition of Lion City Cup. The trial is a reward for Swandi after he was named the most valuable player in Singapore and now becomes the second Singaporean to have a trial with Magpies after Ammirul Emmran, who had a trial in 2011 on the back of the same achievement.

As of now, Swandi will also be training with two unnamed European clubs and Ajax Amsterdam. The trials with three other clubs show that he has potential and can make the grade.

Looking strictly from business point of view, the South–East Asian market is the one where Newcastle United can make some serious inroads. A lot of Manchester United and Liverpool fan base and merchandising revenue emanates from the area. The continent of Asia has provided a lot of talent to German Bundesliga too, with names like Shinji Kagawa and Atsuto Uchida springing to mind.

This strategy, if played correctly, could really be a win-win situation for the club and make the club a global phenomena. Hope this and many other similar deals come off for the club.