World Footy News

The slow recognition in Australia of Australian Football overseas sometimes occurs through media stories in unexpected places.

The Age Saturday Careers supplement has run two recent pieces on expats in Finland (previously mentioned on WFN here) and in Denmark.

The Finland story featured a photo in football guernseys while the Denmark profile of Ian Hill on 26 January 2008 only briefly mentioned the DAFL but did say that Ian Hill is president of the league and gave its website.

Ian Hill remarks that ‘Weekends are much the same as home – footy, working around the house, visiting family and friends.’

Perhaps the only problem with such stories is that it is harder to get across the message that most players are locals; after all the primary focus is on work and life rather than football.

Expat stories can be sent to the Age at the email address of the journalist who writes up the stories paul.edwards at westnet.com.au