In 2008, Pierce Waring moved from Japan to Australia.
Now after going through the Melbourne Victory youth system, he’s ready to make the most of his opportunity with the senior side.
“I played with an academy called FTS for a little bit,” Waring explained of his road after he started playing football in Australia.
“Then I played with Nunawading, and from there I went to Victory youth where I was with the Under 20’s when John Aloisi was coach.
“When John left I moved to the senior youth team and then I got a call up to the Under 17 national squad.”
Waring and current Victory teammate Josh Hope took part in the Under 17 World Cup in Chile in 2015, where Waring impressed, finding the back of the net against Germany.
The striker continued to score with regularity in the NYL and NPL before being called up to train with the senior team this pre-season.
Playing as a number nine, Waring has the luxury of being able to work with one of the greatest players in the history of the A-League.
“Bes plays the same position and it’s great to be able to learn off him,” Waring said.
“He’s one of, if not the most successful striker in the A-League so it’s great to be able to train with him and learn from him day in and day out.”
The learning process doesn’t stop there for the youngster, who is surrounded by experienced players everywhere he looks.
“Once you look up and down our squad it’s filled with quality players.
“There’s Jimmy (James Troisi) and Millsy (Mark Milligan) who are Socceroos, Kosta (Barbarouses) with the All Whites.
“There’s a lot of quality in the front third and it’s been good to be able to train and learn from them.”
Still only 19 years old, the step up in intensity while training with the senior team has made for a successful pre-season.
“It’s been really good,” Waring said.
“Physically for me it took a couple of months to get used to the intensity and just to get up to the fitness levels.
“All the boys are really working hard and we’re getting really fit thanks to a lot of hard work.”
