FORMER professional footballer Joe Carroll has travelled all the way back from Australia to Bury to improve his prospects as a soccer coach.

Radcliffe-born Joey played for Oldham Athletic, Halifax Town, Sacramento in America, Barrow, Morecambe and clubs in Hong Kong, Sweden, Finland and Australia, where he has lived for the last 21 years.

Now he aims to add a couple of FA coaching badges to his credentials, including a UEFA B coaching badge, before returning to Melbourne in October.

A former Bury Grammar School pupil, Joe signed professional forms with local side Oldham Athletic to kick start his professional career.

His accummulation of knowledge on his soccer journey around the world enables him to give an informative insight into the growing popularity of Australian footballers in this country.

"I would say Australia's best league is on a par with the English UniBond League," said Joe, "but Australia is a breeding ground for footballers."

Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Danny Tiatto and a whole army of others up and down the country bear testimony to that, but Joey brought a smile to my face when he declared: "The last time I saw Mark Viduka was about ten years ago, sweeping out my mate's garage.

"My mate is the President of Melbourne Croatia and Mark used to help him out by doing a few odd jobs at the garage when he wasn't playing. Mark won't remember me, but I remember him," said Joe.

Joe himself has had a vast array of jobs over the years since qutting playing football.

"Australia is a place where you can have a go at anything. They encourage people to do that," he said. "If you try one thing and it doesn't work out you move on to another," he said.

"I've been a salesman and I had a car lot at one time, but they stopped me doing that because I was too honest.

"Currently, I have a medical courier business which someone is running for me while I am over here."

As we said, Joe's prime reason for his visit back to England is to get those FA coaching badges, but, like the naturalised Aussie he is, always with an eye on the main chance, he declared: "I am open to offers!"