Michael Lloyd-Green hitting the heights at Manly United

After growing up in Alice Springs and Bathurst he has had to work harder than most to realise his dreams as a footballer and his work ethic is quickly noticed by coaches and team-mates alike.
The likeable Manly United winger moved to Sydney as soon as he finished his HSC in 2003 and after settling on the northern beaches was in dreamland before the footballing gods began frowning on him.
?When I first moved from the country I thought I was in heaven, I had signed with Northern Spirit and was living across the road from Narrabeen beach,? he recalled.
?I had gone from training by myself at a local park for hours on end to playing alongside some of the best players in the state.
?Unfortunately the NSL finished and I was back at square one.
?I could have packed it in and gone home but I was determined to make a fist of it. Grant Lee got in contact with me from the Central Coast so I went up there.
?It was good fun, I felt I played some decent football in the Under 20?s, had a few runs off the bench in First Grade and was developing.
?Then all of a sudden the club got relegated from the Premier League and once again I was out in the cold.”
Before allowing self-doubt to creep in, Lloyd-Green backed himself and decided he would call the northern beaches home for a second time.
?I had a bit to do with Phil Moss when I was playing in the Youth team at Spirit and after we chatted he invited me to trial with the Under 20?s with Manly United FC,? he said.
?In my first year with Manly I won Player of the Year and Coaches Player and have been with the club ever since.?
After being drafted into the first grade squad in 2006, the 22-year-old became a crowd favourite due mainly to his blistering speed and ability to beat players.
This winter has seen him endure two injury setbacks with a medial ligament tear and an ankle complaint which has seen him have a disrupted role in Manly?s campaign.
?It has been incredibly frustrating, I have never had any serious injuries before, it has been a humbling experience but I feel it has made me grow as a person.
?It makes you appreciate what you have.?
When quizzed on United?s inconsistent year he pointed to a lack of momentum at crucial times.
?We started really well and had the jump on everyone but then injuries hit us hard and we slipped back to the field,? he said.
?Our last game against Sydney United was great though, we all worked for each other and even though we only won by a solitary goal we looked dangerous.
?Everyone knows what we can do when we are switched on, it?s just a matter of working hard and playing like we know we can.?
While Lloyd-Green?s devotion to his craft is obvious, he also has plans away from football.
?At the moment I am studying journalism and working a bit in retail,? he said.
?Making a career out of football is obviously my goal but you need a back-up plan.
?I went and trialed with Southampton and Reading when I was 16 and that showed me what areas of my game I had to work on.
?It hasn?t been easy; all I can do is keep working hard and enjoy my football.?