Hearts and Australia midfielder Kye Rowles has opened up about the culture shift for Garang Kuol in Scotland. Like the Newcastle United youngster, he also made the switch to colder pastures last year.
Rowles and Kuol were team-mates at Central Coast Mariners before linking up on the international and Scottish Premiership stage. Swapping the scorching hot beaches and clear skies of New South Wales for an arctic Edinburgh climate must have proven difficult for the pair but, for their troubles, they are experiencing a more thorough footballing education.
Newcastle reportedly pipped Barcelona for Kuol’s signature in January but, so far, he has failed to perform on loan at Hearts. The 18-year-old is yet to start a game - or score a goal - for the Jambos in seven appearances.
READ MORE: Keylor Navas penalty twist revealed as he fails to get in yet another Newcastle player's head
While adapting to life in Britain has been challenging, Kuol rediscovered his golden touch down under. Scoring his first international goal in the dying embers could provide the confidence boost he needs to kick on at club level.
Speaking ahead of the Socceroos' second fixture with Ecuador, Rowles certainly believes it can. Kuol’s team-mate also claimed Scottish Premiership players “just go through you” compared to those in Australia.
"Scoring goals for your national team is going to help a long way,” he said. “Once he breaks his duck over in Scotland, he'll show his true colours and just hit his straps and start flying. He's so young and he's learning every day.
"The Scottish league is very physical and it's a different style of play than what it is back here. They don't care who you are over there - they're just going to go through you. They don't hold back challenges.
"He's just keeping his head down and he's working hard and hopefully he starts getting more and more minutes because he can show what he can do. He only got 12 minutes on Friday and he had that kind of impact. So hopefully he just keeps kicking on."
Rowles also insisted it will not be easy for Kuol to force his way into the team, reflecting on his own experience breaking into the setup at Brisbane Roar. He added: "It's something that all the younger kids crave, especially being forwards. They want to get that first goal as soon as possible.
“In minutes added up, it came pretty quickly for him. The boys were excited for him and he's just one of a few younger players that are coming through. So hopefully we get a few more goals out of all of them in the near future - we're going to need them. You don't get to walk into teams, unfortunately.
"It's probably what you want but sometimes it just doesn't go that way. It took me 18 months from when I signed my first contract to kind of break into the starting 11 in a first team. We tell him to just keep doing his thing.”
READ NEXT
- Man City put exciting Newcastle addition on gardening leave but send telling farewell message
- Newcastle have secret money can't buy and fuming Spurs boss Antonio Conte already knows it
- UEFA will rethink rules 'quickly' as Newcastle owner Amanda Staveley searches for 'right fit'
- Alexander Isak's selfless reaction away from cameras hints Newcastle have something very special
- What ref told Jason Tindall as Nottingham Forest boss Cooper asked about Newcastle 'whingebags'
