‘Absolute standout’: Is Bos the next Aussie bound for the Premier League?

Having only just arrived at the club of his dreams, Jordan Bos is in no hurry to leave.

Feyenoord Rotterdam are the team he grew up supporting, the one his father’s family has followed for generations. He was draped in their red and white jersey as a toddler in Melbourne and grew up watching their matches and highlights with his old man, a Dutch backpacker who met his future wife in Australia and never left.

After just three months at Feyenoord, Bos is their best player.

It’s a lofty claim, but the trophy Bos received this week backs it up: he was named the Eredivisie’s player of the month for September, becoming the first Australian to earn that honour. After 10 games for the club, he has scored two goals – both crackers – and laid on two assists. His powerful, gut-busting runs down the left have also won him a legion of fans in the Netherlands.

“It’s pretty unreal,” he said. “It’s a huge deal for my family. Playing for them is an honour.”

The rest of us can’t help but wonder what’s next.

It’s been a while since the Socceroos have had an outfield player seeing regular minutes in the Premier League. The growing consensus is Bos will be the next one.

Coached by Robin van Persie, Feyenoord are top of the Eredivisie, unbeaten after eight games; that makes Bos the best player in the best team in arguably the best league outside of Europe’s “big five”, one that is renowned for sending premium talent – players and managers – directly to England’s top flight. And that means he almost certainly has Premier League eyes watching him very closely every week.

Socceroos great Brett Emerton was a fullback like Bos – albeit a right-footed one – and charted a similar course, going from the National Soccer League to Feyenoord, and then at age 24, after three consistent seasons in the Netherlands, to Blackburn Rovers, where he became a Premier League mainstay for eight seasons.

Bos, who turns 23 this month, could get there sooner.

According to former Socceroo Craig Foster, he is the “absolute standout” talent in the Australian team at present, and has the capabilities to play in the Premier League, not in the future, but right now.

“I think he’s so far above everyone else,” Foster said on Stan Sport’s Added Time.

“I actually drove all the way down to Canberra to watch [Australia] against New Zealand recently and in that first game, he was head and shoulders [above everyone else] ... an absolute standout.

“We know he’s got talent, but now he’s delivering it [at] a big club in that league, and there’s no doubt all the scouts will be looking at him.

“You know what? I look at [Milos] Kerkez for Liverpool, for example – who I haven’t been that impressed with so far this season, to be honest with you – and I look at Jordy and I go, OK, well, what’s the difference? This kid is quick, brilliant … good defender as well.

“Who are our greatest left backs? We’ve had a lot, but this guy is in a position right now where he could become our best.”

The only thing likely to stop Bos reaching the highest level is his hamstring, which he injured twice last season at KVC Westerlo in Belgium, and has probably stunted his career progress to a degree. But he is confident those woes are behind him.

Every move he’s made has been carefully mapped out. Unlike some other young Aussies, Bos did not leave the A-League until he felt he had conquered it – and then, though bigger clubs were watching, he made his first transfer to a club where he would actually get on the field.

“The plan was always to get to Europe and to play … so Westerlo, which is not the biggest club, but also in a very good competition, it gave me the best chance to play,” he said.

“And then, obviously, from the Belgian league, you can go pretty much anywhere. In my case, it was Feyenoord … and from here, also a lot of possibilities. That’s the trajectory.”

Though he’s loving the experience at Feyenoord, he is happy for it to be known where he wants to go next: either to the Premier League or the German Bundesliga, which is where his younger brother, Kasey, 21, has also landed.

Another left-sided defender, Kasey left Melbourne Victory in the off-season to sign for Mainz 05, though he is yet to see any first-team minutes. Kasey was called up for the Socceroos in June but wasn’t used by coach Tony Popovic. However, if he follows Jordan’s example, the Bos family could have the Australian left flank tied down for the next decade.

“That’s every young Australian’s dream, to get to Europe as soon as possible,” Bos said. “It’s good that he’s over here. He’s a very talented player. The sky’s his limit as well.”

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