Football Superstar
Encyclopedia
Football Superstar is an Australia
n reality television series that airs on FOX8
. It is hosted by Lee Furlong and Kris Smith. The show aims to find a new football (soccer)
star from male contestants aged 16 to 21. In its three seasons, the winners have been Adam Hett
, Luke Pilkington
and Liam McCormick.
with former Australian Women's player Amy Taylor
co-hosting. The winner was Adam Hett
from Perth
who beat out Evan Christodoulou in the final. Hett scored a contract under Australia
n association football club, Sydney FC
. He will start playing immediately for Sydney FC in the 2008-2009 season of the new 8 team A-League National Youth League
. The team will be coached by Steve O'Connor. Hett also won a one year sports scholarship with Macquarie University
.
The series was co-funded by Kellogg's Nutri-Grain and FOXTEL at the instigation of Mindshare Australia's Adam Ross.
. Lee Furlong co-hosted with Brian McFadden
.
Trial days were held in all mainland state capitals beginning in 22 March in Perth and ending in Melbourne on 19 April. Intending trialists have to submit an audition form and a short video before being invited to attend the one-day trials.
Ten players were selected on merit from each of the trials and invited to attend an intensive training camp in Melbourne over a weekend in late April. Fifteen players from the weekend camp were then selected for an all expenses paid month long training camp under the supervision of Melbourne Victory staff as well as play competitive matches against local teams whilst living as a group in a house in Melbourne.
As with the 2008 series the hopeful participants will be culled from the groups at each level using both objective and subjective criteria.
The show will return in June with Furlong co hosting with Kris Smith, a former rugby player, model and partner of Dannii Minogue
. Roar manager Ange Postecoglou
will be head coach.
The winner of the Brisbane Roar contract was Liam McCormick.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n reality television series that airs on FOX8
FOX8
Fox8 is an Australian cable and satellite channel available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus Television's subscription platforms...
. It is hosted by Lee Furlong and Kris Smith. The show aims to find a new football (soccer)
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
star from male contestants aged 16 to 21. In its three seasons, the winners have been Adam Hett
Adam Hett
Adam Hett is an Australian football player, known for winning the first series of the reality TV series Football Superstar. He was due to play for Sydney FC but did not get the chance due to injury.- Club career :...
, Luke Pilkington
Luke Pilkington
Luke Pilkington is an Australian football player, most well known for his winning efforts on the Foxtel Reality Television Show, Football Superstar. He played as a Left Back or Left midfield for the Australian A-League club Melbourne Victory F.C..-Club career:Pilkington was previously the captain...
and Liam McCormick.
Season One (2008)
The first series aired between 19 June 2008 and 7 August 2008, and had an initial first-season run of 8 episodes. The series was hosted by Brian McFaddenBrian McFadden
Brian Nicholas McFadden , is an Irish singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the Irish boyband Westlife...
with former Australian Women's player Amy Taylor
Amy Taylor
Amy Elizabeth Taylor is a retired football player and media personality in Australia.-Football career:...
co-hosting. The winner was Adam Hett
Adam Hett
Adam Hett is an Australian football player, known for winning the first series of the reality TV series Football Superstar. He was due to play for Sydney FC but did not get the chance due to injury.- Club career :...
from Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
who beat out Evan Christodoulou in the final. Hett scored a contract under Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n association football club, Sydney FC
Sydney FC
Sydney FC is a professional football club based in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia and competes in the country's premier football competition, the A-League...
. He will start playing immediately for Sydney FC in the 2008-2009 season of the new 8 team A-League National Youth League
A-League National Youth League
The A-League National Youth League is an Australian national football league run in parallel to the A-League. The aim of a league is to provide a pathway for young players and state league players to play regular high-level football, and allow reserve players from senior A-League teams to remain...
. The team will be coached by Steve O'Connor. Hett also won a one year sports scholarship with Macquarie University
Macquarie University
Macquarie University is an Australian public teaching and research university located in Sydney, with its main campus situated in Macquarie Park. Founded in 1964 by the New South Wales Government, it was the third university to be established in the metropolitan area of Sydney...
.
The series was co-funded by Kellogg's Nutri-Grain and FOXTEL at the instigation of Mindshare Australia's Adam Ross.
Eliminated
- Aleksander Milisavljevic, 17, Sydney, New South Wales
- Oscar Sanchez, 17, Adelaide, South Australia
- Christopher Roulston, 17, Brisbane, Queensland
- Rhys Giovenali, 17, Sydney, New South Wales
- Rocci Gabey, 17, Sydney, New South Wales
- Carlo Coelho, 17, Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- William Dixon, 18, Melbourne, Victoria
- Alexander Sopina, 18, Sydney, New South Wales
- Calum O'ConnellCalum O'ConnellCalum O'Connell is an Australian football player who last played for .-Club career:O'Connell was a contestant on the First Season of the 2008 FOX8 television series, Football Superstar...
, 19, Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- Zachary Tung, 19, Brisbane, Queensland
- David Price, 19, Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- Corey Slevin, 19, Brisbane, Queensland
Finalists
- Reno Damianou, 19, Melbourne, Victoria
- Evan Christodoulou, 17, Melbourne, Victoria
Season Two (2009)
In March 2009 a second series was announced. The winner of the contract to Melbourne Victory was Luke Pilkington. The producers are offering, as a major prize open to any permanent resident of Australia aged between 16 and 20 years of age, a contract with the Melbourne Victory organisation for season 5 of the A-LeagueA-League
The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...
. Lee Furlong co-hosted with Brian McFadden
Brian McFadden
Brian Nicholas McFadden , is an Irish singer-songwriter who rose to fame in the late 1990s as a member of the Irish boyband Westlife...
.
Trial days were held in all mainland state capitals beginning in 22 March in Perth and ending in Melbourne on 19 April. Intending trialists have to submit an audition form and a short video before being invited to attend the one-day trials.
Ten players were selected on merit from each of the trials and invited to attend an intensive training camp in Melbourne over a weekend in late April. Fifteen players from the weekend camp were then selected for an all expenses paid month long training camp under the supervision of Melbourne Victory staff as well as play competitive matches against local teams whilst living as a group in a house in Melbourne.
As with the 2008 series the hopeful participants will be culled from the groups at each level using both objective and subjective criteria.
Eliminated
- Kynon Melling, 18, Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- Michael Marchi, 20, Adelaide, South Australia
- Thomas Renzi, 19, Mount Gambier, South AustraliaMount Gambier, South AustraliaMount Gambier is the largest regional city in South Australia located approximately 450 kilometres south of the capital Adelaide and just 17 kilometres from the Victorian border....
- Daniel MitwaliDaniel MitwaliDaniel Mitwali is an Australian football player of Syrian descent. He is a midfielder who is currently playing for Kfarsoum in the Jordan League.-Reality Television:...
, 17, Sydney, New South Wales
- John Lazaridis, 20, Melbourne, Victoria
- Aaron Daly, 16, Sydney, New South Wales
- Gilly BuckleyGuillaume BuckleyGuillaume 'Gilly' Buckley is an Australian football player. He is a defender who is currently playing for North Queensland Fury, on loan from Capricorn Cougars.-Reality Television:...
, 20, Sydney, New South Wales
- Trent Wood, 19, Perth, Western AustraliaPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- Matthew Heath, 19, Brisbane, Queensland
- Sebastian Petralito, 20, Brisbane, Queensland
- Steven Topalovic, 18, Melbourne, Victoria
- David McMurray, 19, Sydney, New South Wales
Finalist
- Chris Kozonias, 20, Brisbane, Queensland
- Jack Petrie, 20, Brisbane, Queensland
Season Three (2010)
Foxtel confirmed a third season of the show during the Melbourne Victory vs Sydney FC game on 7 March 2010. The Major Prize is a contract with Brisbane Roar. Auditions started in late March.The show will return in June with Furlong co hosting with Kris Smith, a former rugby player, model and partner of Dannii Minogue
Dannii Minogue
Danielle Jane "Dannii" Minogue is an Australian singer-songwriter, actress, television personality, radio personality, fashion designer and model...
. Roar manager Ange Postecoglou
Ange Postecoglou
Angelos "Ange" Postecoglou is a former Australian football player and manager of Brisbane Roar.-Club career:Postecoglou played 193 games from 1984 to 1993 for South Melbourne in the National Soccer League, where he was involved in their 1984 and 1990–91 titles, the latter as captain, before moving...
will be head coach.
The winner of the Brisbane Roar contract was Liam McCormick.
Eliminated
(Ages stated are at commencement of airing)- Jeremy Walker, 16, Taroona, TasmaniaTaroona, TasmaniaTaroona is a major residential suburb approximately 15 minutes drive from the centre of Hobart, Tasmania on the scenic route between Hobart and Kingston...
(Episode 3)
- Nicholas Krousoratis, 16, Templestowe, VictoriaTemplestowe, Victoria"Templestowe" redirects here. For the Victorian Legislative Council Province, please see Templestowe Province.Templestowe is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 17 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Manningham...
(Episode 3)
- Phillipe Bernabo-Madrid, 18, Mawson, Australian Capital TerritoryMawson, Australian Capital TerritoryMawson is a suburb in the Canberra, Australia district of Woden Valley.The suburb was gazetted in 1966 and named after the Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson. The theme for street names is Antarctic exploration....
(Episode 4)
- Jesse Fuller, 19, Bunbury, Western AustraliaBunbury, Western AustraliaThe port city of Bunbury is the third largest city in Western Australia after the State Capital Perth and Mandurah. It is situated south of Perth's central business district...
(Episode 4)
- Ahmed Yakoub, 19, Modbury, South AustraliaModbury, South AustraliaModbury is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Tea Tree Gully. Modbury is located at the end of the Adelaide O-Bahn and is home to the Tea Tree Plaza shopping complex and a Hospital.It was named Modbury by R...
(Episode 4)
- Alessandro Stazio, 18, Sandringham, VictoriaSandringham, VictoriaSandringham is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Bayside. At the 2006 Census, Sandringham had a population of 8693.-History:...
(Episode 5)
- Jesse McDonnell, 17, Lennox Head, New South WalesLennox Head, New South WalesLennox Head is a seaside village on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia, situated on the stretch of coast between Byron Bay and Ballina in Ballina Shire....
(Episode 5)
- Jared Austin, 19, Albany Creek, QueenslandAlbany Creek, QueenslandAlbany Creek is a suburb located approximately 17 kilometres north-west of Brisbane, Australia; about a half hour drive to the central business district.- History :...
(Episode 6)
- Ian Kamau, 18, Magill, South AustraliaMagill, South AustraliaMagill is a suburb of Adelaide in the City of Burnside and the City of Campbelltown.-History:Magill is a suburb located approximately 7 km from the Adelaide CBD in the eastern suburbs. Magill was first established as the Makgill Estate, owned by two Scots, Robert Cock and William Ferguson,...
(Episode 6)
- Elias Tsintzas, 19, Northcote, VictoriaNorthcote, VictoriaNorthcote is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 7 km north-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Darebin...
(Episode 6)
- Julian Zullo, 19, West End, QueenslandWest End, QueenslandWest End is an inner-city suburb of southern Brisbane.-History:West End was named by early English settlers who found the area reminiscent of the West End of London....
(Episode 7)
- Troy Ruthven, 19, Menai, New South WalesMenai, New South WalesMenai is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Menai is located 29 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district in the local government area of the Sutherland Shire.-History:...
(Episode 7)
Finalists
- Devon Gibson, 18, Casuarina, Western AustraliaCasuarina, Western AustraliaCasuarina is a suburb of Perth, located within the Town of Kwinana.Casuarina is one of the Kwinana suburbs named after a ship. The "Casuarina", under the command of Louis De Freycinet, was a 30 ton cutter used in the French exploration of the WA coast in 1802-03...
- Aaron Turner, 18, Elizabeth Grove, South AustraliaElizabeth Grove, South AustraliaElizabeth Grove is a suburb in the northern extent of Adelaide, South Australia. It was established in 1955....