Galway United’s new signing is reversing the journey of many local twenty-somethings, swapping western Australia for Galway.
Yet, the warmth with which he speaks about his new home makes this feel like another Australian homecoming. With parents hailing from Dublin and Tipperary, the Emerald Isle held a personal allure.
Daniel Stynes is engaging, positive and unguarded: “It feels great to be in Galway. To start training with the lads and immerse myself in the culture of the club and the city, it’s a special time.
“It’s funny because I was actually here with my auntie in summer 2023, it’s funny how football works like that.”
Quizzed on the serendipity of his switch, Stynes did not reveal all the secrets of his new management team and how they tracked him down.
“I remember just waking up and my agent messaged me and said the Galway coach wanted to speak to you. I had a few Zoom calls with John [Caulfield]. I was very impressed with his ambition and his drive. It really suited what I was looking for.
“I’d been playing in the A-League for seven years. As great as the A-League is, I just felt I was at a time in my career where I needed a change. I wanted something new, something different. It really married up with the fact that I’ve got an Irish passport.”
“[The League of Ireland] is a booming league. I did a lot of research on it when I was back in Australia. Everyone I spoke to said how big the league was getting. I think it was a no-brainer for me to come here."
The former Perth Glory and Newcastle Jets has a strong pedigree to go with his passport. He was able to lean on one of the best to wear maroon in recent decades as he sought the advice of Jay O’Shea before making his move.
“Jay is a top, top player. He’s been probably one of the best midfielders, if not the best in the A-League for the last five or six years. He’s done really well. I looked up Galway United and saw that Jay played for them.
“I’ve collected a lot of shirts in my time in the A-League and I’ve got his. I knew he was Irish, so we always had that bit of connection when we played against each other. We’d always have a chat after the game because he is just a top fellow.
“He said to me that Galway is a top, top city and it’s a great club. Jay is a top player and a top person.”
O’Shea is not the only illustrious company that Stynes has kept. His time at Perth and Newcastle overlapped with that of many household names from this hemisphere.
“I got to play with both [Andy Keogh and Carl Jenkinson], Daniel Sturridge at [Perth] Glory. That’s the big thing about the A-League, you get a lot of these massive names. I played against [Allesandro] Diamanti.
“Even now they’ve got Juan Mata and Douglas Costa there. You get to play with and against these guys. It’s a great experience and great for a young player coming through to see what level it takes to get to Europe. Another one was Diego Castro who was the best player I’ve played with by a country mile.”
Only a fortnight in situ, Stynes is already espousing the values of hard work and the collective that his coaches would be proud of. He understands he is in for a challenge but is undaunted.
“It’s a very good standard from what I know. I know players that have played in this league, and it is a very tough competition. Training is hard every day. It is a completely different game from Australia in terms of style. Obviously, the pitches are completely different so that is going to take some adjustment.
“It’s a great experience for me. I always wanted to try something different and push myself in my career and I feel like this is a great step for doing that.
“The Galway lads have all been excellent, on the pitch and off the pitch. I’ve nothing but great words about my time so far.
“I just want to help the club be successful. That’s the biggest thing. If I can help with goals, assists, all that stuff is the goal in itself to help the team be successful. I know how well they did last year and now it’s about pushing one better and getting into the European spots.”
With New Zealand international Moses Dyer also signing by way of Canada, United’s attacking thrust has added some serious pedigree. Many foreign recruits have interwoven themselves with the fabric of the club, their names held in the highest of esteem alongside local heroes.
The same opportunity for such status now beckons for these exciting talents.
