Manchester City academy player Marley Leuluai with younger brother Rocco and cousin Thomas Leuluai. Photo / Supplied
When pre-season training gets underway at the Manchester City academy next week, the cream of young footballing talent in England will be on display.
With their recent success — and seemingly endless financial resources — the English Premier League champions attract the best and brightest, with some very recognisable surnames.
There's Jaden Heskey — son of former Liverpool and England striker Emile — and the twin boys of ex-Manchester United and Scotland star Darren Fletcher.
Freddie Anderson, whose father Viv played for England 30 times and lifted two European Cups, will also be out on the immaculate turf, while the progeny of Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Phil Neville have previously been in light blue.
Among them all is a Kiwi-Samoan kid, with a family name that league fans will immediately recognise.
Marley Leuluai is a tall, athletic centre back who has made remarkable progress. Leuluai, who turns 16 in November, could gain a scholarship deal by the end of this year, which would include a three-year professional contract at the richest club in the world.
There are no guarantees in football — especially in England — but Leuluai has a wonderful grounding, about to commence his ninth year in the Manchester City academy system, with the under-16 team. That's no mean feat, as each year players can be cut from the programme.
"You have to be a certain type of kid, because of the high turnover," Father Kylie Leuluai tells the Herald. "You have to be made for it. All the challenges that come; these are tough kids, durable, resilient."
Things operate at a level that's hard to comprehend. As part of the club's program, Marley has attended an exclusive private secondary school, with annual fees close to £20,000 ($38,000).
He has played tournaments across Europe and been provided with all his kit since he was nine.
"It's unbelievable what they experience," says Leuluai. "Boots, clothing, trips away, where they stay in hotels on their own. So to keep grounded, stay focussed and humble is quite hard."
The search for new talent is big business. Manchester City recently paid more than $650,000 for a youngster from Leeds, with a similar fee to bring north a 15-year-old from Arsenal.
Despite a serious knee injury, which hindered his progress for more than a year, Marley finished the season strongly. The next major milestone comes in November, when the club select their scholarship intake, which includes a fixed three year pro deal.
"Sometimes you forget what he has achieved and what system he is involved with," says Leuluai. "He has been there since he was so young, so you can take it for granted."
Marley has formidable sporting heritage. Kylie won six Super League Grand finals and two Challenge Cups with Leeds, after spells at Manly and three other NRL clubs. Among Kylie's cousins are Wigan stalwart Thomas Leuluai and former Widnes forward Macgraff Leuluai while Kiwis and Hull legend James Leuluai is his uncle.
Kylie arrived in England in 2006, to link up with the Rhinos, a few weeks after Marley was born. Marley's first sporting interest was tennis, before he was dragged along to a football tournament with some mates. He was initially at Blackburn Rovers, before scouts from Manchester City picked him up as an eight year old.
Almost every professional club in England has an academy, but none can match the scale of City's £230 million operation, spread over 32ha.
There are 16 football pitches and a 7000-capacity stadium. There are training fields with three depths of grass, three gyms, six hydro-therapy pools, a 56-seat theatre and 80 bedrooms on site, including a four-star hotel.
"Nothing compares to the set up City have" noted former Manchester United defender Anderson last year.
Marley endured his first significant setback in the 2020-2021 season, with a fractured kneecap. It took a long time to return to full fitness, but he finished the last campaign well, including a standout performance in a cup match against Manchester United.
It's a demanding schedule. During their recent four-week off season, his squad were required to maintain base fitness with a weekly 32km running programme, with that load moving closer to 50km during pre-season.
Marley is awake at 6.15am for stretching and core work, before the 60-minute bus ride to school. On Tuesday and Friday players leave school at 12.30pm for afternoon training sessions, with additional practice on Monday and Wednesday evenings and Saturday morning. There are also gym and analysis sessions.
"When he is at home, he just catches up at sleep," says Leuluai.
Marley is also preparing for his GCSE's, with examinations next year.
With two Kiwi parents, Marley has a hybrid accent but it's much more Coronation Street than Shortland Street. He has lived all his life in northern England but identifies strongly with his New Zealand roots.
"Definitely," says Marley, when asked if he is a proud Kiwi. "When I look around here, no one looks like me. No one has the same background as me and I am proud of it."
"I'm different and I'm fine with that. Everyone is different but no one is from New Zealand, no one is from Samoa and I'm proud of that."
His father's league connections have maintained a Kiwi feel to the household, with regular antipodean visitors.
"I've lived in England all my life but you know, especially with the people that my Mum and Dad see and their accent I still feel like a Kiwi even though I have never lived there," says Marley.
The knee injury — and associated setbacks — was an ordeal, as he struggled to get his confidence and technique back.
"I probably expected too much of myself" says Marley. But there was no shortage of wise counsel, including Fletcher who played more than 200 games for Manchester United and won 80 Scotland caps.
"I was getting a lift back from training with them [Fletcher's twin boys are teammates] and he said 'Keep your head up, keep going, you'll get your touch back'. And I did."
A breakthrough game came at Wigan last January "on a wet, windy night, on a massive pitch" and he has progressed from there.
"I've got a lot stronger mentally," says Marley.
Despite being in the system for a long time he still has pinch-yourself moments, like when German and City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan turned up to take a session last season.
"We didn't know he was going to be coaching us until we saw him standing on our pitch," said Leuluai. "It was crazy seeing him there, watching and saying 'well done' to you."
Marley hasn't neglected his schoolwork — "If you ask my Mum, she would say I don't do enough homework enough but I'm doing alright" — but his life revolves around football. He has almost no time to catch up with friends outside the sport.
"They ask me to go out but they know that I play for City, know how busy it is and they understand."
He's fine with the commitment required. "I have played all my life and I just enjoy it so much," said Marley.
City will announce their scholarship candidates in November, the next major step, after a decade of graft.
"[People] are always asking me, do you think you are going to get it," said Marley. "I don't think about it like that. I know within myself that I am good enough but I need to prove it… if I prove it every session I know I will get one."
In the unlikely event that he doesn't, it won't be the end of the road. When the club released half a dozen 16-year-olds last season, they were immediately snapped up, with five going to rival Premier League teams.
Marley nominates Ruben Dias and Virgil van Dyk as his favourite football players, while Tyson Fury's struggles through adversity has resonated.
But his greatest inspiration has been his father, who bounced around various Sydney clubs before becoming Leeds' most successful foreign player.
"When he was 19, 20 he played for no money, but would do anything to play," says Marley. "Then to see what he did at Leeds; that showed to me that it is down to yourself, not down to other people.
"He helped me the most, he has told me everything he knows, it is all down to me now."
There is a long way to go but he has foundations that other aspiring Kiwi footballers can only dream about, given what he has already been exposed to.
"Obviously you want to play in the Premier League and get to where you know you can play, the highest you can play," says Marley of his ambitions. "But injuries have taught me so much. I just look forward to the next game, the next session… I don't look too far ahead anymore."
His father, who also represented New Zealand Māori and Samoa, has been a privileged spectator.
"We love the journey," says Leuluai. "He is chasing his dreams, like all my children [Kingston, 12; Rocco, 10]. Whatever they do, as long as they make sacrifices and put the time and effort into whatever they are trying to chase.
"You got to want it, to be in the arena he is now. You got to have that elite mentality and need to be able to pass each challenge that they throw at you."
Auckland City FC gave up five goals in the second half to Benfica.