Ex-Dortmund star Lambert says Australia remains an ‘untapped market’
EXCLUSIVE: Former Borussia Dortmund midfielder Paul Lambert says Australia remains an untapped market for some of European football’s biggest clubs.
On the back of Bayern Munich-bound Nestory Irankunda’s first senior hat-trick for Adelaide United, Lambert says he’s not surprised the Bundesliga giant was willing to take a punt on the teenager.
“I think it’s untapped,” Lambert said of the Australian football landscape. “It’s a huge market for clubs to come into.”
Lambert is in Australia as a guest of NPL Queensland side Wynnum Wolves, where he took part in the club’s Klassiker Mini Fan Day run in association with the Bundesliga.
“If you get one kid out of here to go to the Bundesliga, or Dortmund, then it’s an incredible achievement,” Lambert said.
“But it’s the coaching that will dictate (that) – allied to the talent that the kids have – but they have to be nurtured the right way to get them over there.”
The Wolves invited the former Scottish international to take part in a series of coaching clinics as part of the deal that saw them sign on as an official youth development partner with the German giants.
“Our partnership with Borussia Dortmund is an integral part of our club’s on-going development,” Wynnum president Rabieh Krayem said.
“Obviously Der Klassiker is the biggest match in the Bundesliga and for Wynnum Wolves to be able to capitalise on that and have someone of Paul’s calibre here, it just further strengthens our relationship with Borussia Dortmund.”
Lambert was lauded for marking Juventus star Zinedine Zidane out of the game when Dortmund stunned the Italian champions to claim the 1997 UEFA Champions League crown in Munich.
The black-and-yellows famously lifted the trophy in Bayern’s backyard, but Lambert says Edin Terzic’s men can expect a frostier reception when they head back to Munich for what could be a season-defining encounter.
“I think it’s a derby where you can never predict how it’s going to go,” Lambert said.
“It’s going to be a really tough game… but if Dortmund do win it, I think it’s going to be too tough to win for Bayern (to win the title).
While former Dortmund stars Ned Zelic and Mitch Langerak are the only two Australians to have ever played in Der Klassiker, Wolves president Krayem expects to see more Aussies feature one day.
“We’d love to see someone from Wynnum Wolves head over to Borussia Dortmund,” Krayem said.
“I think we’ll have a young female footballer head over to Signal Iduna Park very soon.”
