Soccer: Hay hits the English Premier League

By Terry Maddaford

Impressing the bosses at Leeds United was the easy part.

Earning a first team place is the real challenge for All Whites defender Danny Hay who will sign a three-year contract when he arrives in England next week.

Hay's transfer from Australian national league club Perth Glory to the English Premier League side was confirmed last night but Hay, who leaves Perth on Tuesday, is under no illusions.

"There are no guarantees. It is up to me," said 24-year-old Hay who will sign up on his arrival in the northern English city.

"They have three top-class defenders including their captain Lucas Radebe. I will start off in the reserves and take it from there. The first two reserve team games after I get there are against Liverpool and Manchester United so it is not going to be easy."

Hay trialed for three weeks with Leeds during their four-match tour of Sweden - a trip involving 20 "first team" players.

"I played one full game and had some time in others. I learnt a hell of a lot. Playing alongside players like David Batty can only help your game," said Hay before a training session in Perth last night.

"I was a bit overawed at the start but felt more comfortable as the tour went on."

While Hay dismissed suggestions the transfer was worth $A1million to Perth Glory, he confirmed it was worth about $NZ1million.

And while he cannot expect to earn the big money straight off, he is not complaining. "I will get nothing like the sterling 20,000 some are getting, I will be earning a good wage. If I do okay, it will get better."

Of suggestions the transfer was stymied because of problems in obtaining a work permit, Hay said there were no such problems.

"I had one more year of my contract here," said Hay, "and we had to work through that."

Of his exclusion from the All Whites squad for the recent Confederations Cup in Mexico, Hay said he did not accept coach Ken Dugdale's decision to leave him out of the squad.

"I could have gone to [and trialed with] Leeds and still played for the All Whites," Hay said. "Of course I am still available to play for New Zealand."

Hay follows other New Zealanders who have played in English league sides including Ron Armstrong, Ricki Herbert, Ceri Evans, Lee Norfolk, Chris Zoricich and Wynton Rufer but he is the first to be offered a contract by a premier league club.