Street Socceroo Training
All photography by Simone Egger

interviews by Simon Sellars

‘Three Socceroos: Dave, Shane & Yousef’: originally published in Subterrain magazine #1, December 2005.

In 2005, for the first time, Australia fielded a team in the Homeless World Cup, led by Big Issue editor Martin Hughes. The Cup, founded as a way to create opportunities for homeless people worldwide, is open to teams put together by street papers or other welfare organisations. Matches take place in a purpose-built ‘street arena’ on a 20m x 14m wide court and consist of two seven-minute halves.

The competition has achieved remarkable results in just three years: of the 204 competitors at the 2004 Homeless World Cup, 78 now work in regular jobs, 16 have signed with football clubs or work as coaches, and 95 have reported an improvement in their housing situation. I interviewed three of the Street Socceroos on the eve of their departure to Edinburgh, Scotland for the 2005 Cup.

DAVE: I’m 26. St Mary’s House of Welcome, across the road, puts on a breakfast and that’s where I found out about the soccer. I play in the St Mary’s footy team and I’ve kept for their cricket team, and they said to go across for a game of soccer one day because they know I’ll play any sport. I’ve never played real outdoor soccer before, except in jail as a goalkeeper, but that was obviously indoor.

When I was 15 I made the state squad for hockey but my parents wouldn’t pay for me to go. It’s been a regret ever since so the Homeless World Cup has been like a blessing. It’s just come out of the blue and has totally compensated for missing out on the hockey. I reckon we can win the Cup; all our guys are excellent soccer players.

I actually left home when I was 15 because I didn’t get along with my father. I got into trouble and did two-and-a-half years’ jail, but I think the turning point for me was when my ex left me, because I realised she was all I had. I also lost my little brother, who I hadn’t seen since I was a kid, so when I got out of jail I found out my brother had moved to Melbourne. I came here to get my little brother back and now I’m doing this and it’s changed my life.

I live for sport. I played hockey every day, including three games at weekends, for years. That was my life. Sport’s good for people like me. It brings out the animal, takes you back to your primal roots.

It’s like a warrior test; it validates you being alive.

SHANE: I’m 20 and I live in transitional housing. It’s organised by Sunshine Youth Housing and it was them that recommended I sign up for the Homeless World Cup because I’m a very fit kind of guy and they thought it would get me more focused, which it has. I never played soccer before – I was always a rugby league boy – but I reckon soccer will take over from footy and league in Australia. I mean, even America’s getting into it.

The World Cup will be grouse, man. I’ve never been overseas, never been legit. I reckon we’ll get somewhere – we won’t be the best team but we’ll be up there. Melbourne’s the biggest multicultural city and we’ve got lots of skill in the team; we’ve all been working real hard.

We played the Richmond Police in our first practice match and we only lost by one point. We weren’t disappointed about losing to the cops, but, because they organised a sausage sizzle after and they were really good to us, so I’m very happy about that!

I don’t mind talking about my background. Yeah, let’s talk about it. Why not? First of all, I’ve got a little three-year-old boy that I love dearly. I was living up in Queensland and I separated from my ex-girlfriend, but then I couldn’t live in the same town as her because it’s so small and you hear everything anyone says about you. So I moved down to Brisbane and I was staying in this men’s refuge for about three weeks but my wallet, my phone, everything got stolen so I had nothing.

I called up my Mum and came down to Melbourne to live with her and my older sister, who I can’t tolerate very well. So I got kicked out by my sister. My mum couldn’t do anything – she’s getting old and vulnerable and my Dad’s not around any more. So then I found the youth refuge down in Sunshine and they got me hooked up with Sunshine Youth Housing who put me into transitional housing and I’ve been there ever since.

I just finished a job with a pizza place and I’ve got to admit they were very good to me. And now I’m hooked up with the soccer and I feel great! I don’t smoke marijuana anymore; I had a 10-year addiction but the Big Issue guys helped me get off it. They don’t lecture me or anything – they just helped me out, encouraged me.

Man, there should be more programs like this for people like me. Johnny Howard should be up there encouraging us all. Even the Bracks government say they wanna get all the street people off the streets before the Commonwealth Games. Well, I’m sorry but I’ll protest that.

They have to help us, help us get our accommodation, then they wouldn’t have to clear us off.

YOUSEF: I’m 30 years of age and I came to Australia in 1998. I married Australian woman; we stay together. And then I went back home for three years. After this I couldn’t handle it anymore so I come back last August. But I find it’s hard to come back to my wife so I thought, ‘Alright to start on my own’. I stay in hostel for two or three weeks, and the situation was very hard so I went to emergency houses and Ozanam House look after me for three months. And then by Ozanam House I found a boarding room and I’ve been in the situation for four years. But at least I keep myself healthy and I don’t lose control, you know, it’s the most important, and start from there.

Ozanam House does great things. They just support you and cuddle you and hug you until you find your own way. It hasn’t been a great success for me since but at least they gave me good start. I found out about the soccer when I was living at Ozanam House. There was note on the notice board, so I came down to training and I haven’t missed one appointment. I’ve played soccer all my life – I used to play professional league in Israel.

The benefit of playing in this project is it’s in my spirit, in my blood. It’s in my confidence, which is getting better and better, you know? I feel much better. Sometimes I feel down for the whole week and then on Wednesday, for training, already my spirit up and I carry on to the next week.