Transition Football is proud of overseas players, Jason Raad and Rogan Reid

Transition Football is proud of Rogan Reid (18) who recently went to England to play in trials for National League teams.

These are teams that play in a league that is not fully professional, also called non-league.  “Rogan was captain of our historic Engen U18 qualification team last year and has been with us since the beginning,” explained coach Claudio Lorenzani.

“He has been under my wing since 2015 with a previous club. We will see now if the training our players have done during lockdown will pay off for Rogan.”  The head coach of the Bryanston-based outfit, said Reid went to trials for the National League in January, again in March, and had to wait until just recently to go again after travel restrictions were imposed to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

“Everyone looks at the big clubs like Manchester United and Chelsea but they do not know what it takes for a player to get there,” he added, saying Reid was following in the steps of Jason Raad (22), another product of Transition Football. ”

Jason is the star. He is a special player who was not quite given a fair shot I believe after playing for some professional teams locally. We gave him a second lease of life and believed in him and has seen him progress season after season in London.”

Raad went to England at the age of 19 and has been playing at semi-professional and professional clubs since.  He is now at Aveley Football Club in Essex and helped the team reach the quarterfinal of the Football Association Trophy, also called the Football Association Challenge Trophy, last season.

In that match, Raad played in front of 20 000 spectators.

Details: Claudio Lorenzani claudio@transitionfootball.co.za; 084 836 1091.

Also read: Virtual soccer matches