Former Benfica midfielder Kaz Patafta hopes to be given a second chance at international football when Southeast Asian minnows Laos embark on their World Cup qualifying campaign in June in a tough group that includes 2002 semifinalists, South Korea.
Last week, Patafta completed his transfer to Lao Premier League side, Lanexang United FC, from Khon Kaen United in the Thailand third tier, in the hope of earning his first senior cap.
But it might easily have been so different for the 26-year-old whose mother hails from the capital city, Vientiane.
Nine years ago, the Canberra-born teenage prodigy was a whisker away from earning a full Australian cap when Guus Hiddink brought him into an enlarged squad before the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
He did come on as a sub in an unofficial match against amateur side VV Kloetinge as the likes of Tim Cahill and John Aloisi powered the Socceroos to an 8-1 victory.
At the time on the books of Benfica and having captained Australia at the 2005 U17 World Championship in Peru, Patafta appeared to be on the verge of greatness.
Instead, the man whose former coach Ange Postecoglou – mastermind of Australia’s 2015 Asian Cup success – once described as the most technically gifted player he’s ever worked with – became the poster child for prodigious footballing talent falling sadly short of its potential.
Patafta did appear three times for Benfica’s first team and made almost 50 appearances in the A-League for Melbourne Victory and Newcastle Jets. But, by the age of 22, Patafta had retired from professional football and was pursuing a law degree on the Gold Coast.
“My time in the A-League was disappointing,” he told ESPN FC. “Benfica were extremely hesitant for me to return to Australia on-loan and their advice proved to be correct as I was never given a genuine opportunity to play in the A-League.”
A disillusioned Patafta spent more than two years out of the game, completing his clerkship with a Sydney law firm after securing a law degree in 2014 and helping establish a Canberra football academy.
Then, after playing a few games for a local semi-professional side, his hunger for a full comeback grew.
When the opportunity for a modest contract with a newly formed lower tier club in Thailand came in January, he didn’t hesitate.
“It is very rewarding to play professionally in Asia even if it has been a long road to get to where I am now,” he said.
“My experience in Thailand was very positive because I was able to complete a full pre-season and began their campaign, playing in the majority of matches.
“But I made a strategic mid-season move to Laos to increase my chances of being involved with the national team for the World Cup qualifiers. I still have a strong desire to improve as a footballer and believe I am in a great environment to do so.”
With a Fifa ranking of 178, Laos are coached by Englishman David Booth and appeared in last year’s AFF Suzuki Cup.
They will face Myanmar and Lebanon at home to start their second round World Cup qualifiers on June 11 and 16.
Patafta has been given no guarantees, but has a good chance of selection once his status as a Lao national is complete.
“My mother moved to Australia in 1975 and I definitely feel connected to Laos,” said Patafta, who has a Croatian father.
“Although I cannot yet speak the language, I have grown up around my mother’s family and feel very comfortable living in Vientiane as I have an understanding for the culture.”
Laos have shown that they are capable of springing a surprise. They drew 2-2 with Indonesia in the 2012 Suzuki Cup and defeated Cambodia 8-6 on aggregate to make the second round of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup.
Patafta is keen to impress national coach Booth when the second leg of the Lao Premier League season begins next month.
“The World Cup qualifiers will be an extremely strong test of character and ambition for Laos and I am very optimistic of my chances to be involved in the campaign. I look forward to surprising many people,” he said.
Patafta was once predicted to be leading the way in the new Australian generation, with the likes of Robbie Kruse, Matt Spiranovic and Nathan Burns graduating from his U17 team to lift January’s Asian Cup. Instead, he gets a second chance at glory in the city his family left 40 years ago.
Jason Dasey is Senior Editor of ESPN FC (formerly ESPN Soccernet), Borneo’s most popular football website which has a Southeast Asia edition. Twitter: @ESPNFC