Miron’s gut instinct now a fairytale for Gol-Gol

David Lewis 

WHEN it comes to scripting deals for players, nobody does it quite like Miron Bleiberg.

While most coaches rely on scouts and agents for information, the Gold Coast United’s master of melodrama goes for gut instinct and outrageous circumstance.

Cue the capture of Eritrean-born, Sudan-raised Gol-Gol Mebrahtu, the teenager who this week signed a three-year contract with United.

The 18-year-old first came into the orbit of Bleiberg while he waited one morning back in November to hop a ride on Clive Palmer’s helicopter from Brisbane to the Gold Coast.

Twiddling his thumbs at Davies Park in the Brisbane suburb of West End, Bleiberg spotted a gangly kid juggling the ball and twisting and turning between cones.

He recognised him from a previous scouting mission and liked what he saw. Mebrahtu noticed Bleiberg and wandered over, whereupon he was handed a business card and told to call the coach in March.

Mebrahtu didn’t forget — and began trialling with United in April.

Tonight the African refugee who arrived in Australia eight years ago will play his second match for United following his debut against the Fury last Tuesday, most likely off the bench this time against New Caledonia.

"I saw something in him and his improvement since coming to us has been immense," explained Bleiberg.

"It just shows there can be rewards out there for kids who get up at 6am to train by themselves."

Mebrahtu, whose contract is with the Youth Team, is certain to feature in the A-League and, according to Bleiberg, is the quickest and has the highest vertical jump at the club.

Mebrahtu’s Christian family fled religious persecution in predominantly Muslim Sudan.

Simply ‘Golli’ to his teammates, he is finding it hard to remove the smile from his face.

"This is an incredible chance for me," he said. "I was lucky to get a start during the week and I’ll keep working hard to try and get in again.

"I have been lucky but, maybe you make your own luck. A lot of young players my age would die for an opportunity like this."