Brisbane to Bulgaria is not a well-trodden route, but it’s a path that Ilya Shalamanov-Trenkov has used to good effect as he aims to become a Socceroo.
Shalamanov-Trenkov was one of the more obscure players who were part of an Under-23 European talent identification camp for the Olyroos in March 2022. The Brisbane-born shot-stopper moved to Bulgaria aged three and has not returned Down Under since.
Having come through the academy of the prestigious CSKA Sofia, the 19-year-old sent footage of himself playing to Football Australia to make them aware of his abilities and desire to represent the country of his birth.
“Everybody in Bulgaria knows me as the Australian guy and it’s a dream to represent my country,” Shalamanov-Trenkov tells Kick360.
That dream came true when he was selected to be part of the Olyroos camp in Holland and having got a taste of what is on offer for him, he can’t wait to be involved again.
“I was honoured to play for the Olyroos. I particularly enjoyed playing against Holland (under-19s), because I felt part of a really good team that played together as a unit, complimenting each other’s strengths.
“Playing with my international teammates gave me a good idea as to what my current ability is and how I compare to them, and that’s helped evaluate what I need to do to improve and get as good as I can be.”
Unlike the cases of Cristian Volpato and Alessandro Circati, Shalamanov-Trenkov has set his heart on representing Australia, despite his eligibility for Bulgaria.
“I noticed a big difference whilst on the Olyroos camp, I now had a passion to prove how good I am.”
He’s spent the year on loan in the second division with Litex Lovech, where he faced fellow Aussie Milislav Popovic, in order to gain experience. It’s been a difficult season, hampered by injuries, but he’s still been able to gain valuable game time.
“My season could have been better, I’ve had a few injuries, including a broken thumb after coming back from the Olyroos camp, and I was out for two months after an injury sustained in November.
“My best moment was when we faced the league leaders Spartak Varna in terrible, snowy conditions and came away with a 2-1 win. I’ve also saved a lot of penalties this season, including two in a single match.
“In that situation I am very confident, I don’t get too stressed when I have to face one, and my teammates also have confidence in my ability to make a save. My technique is not something special, I just use my intuition to pick a side to jump to.”
Now though, Shalamanov-Trenkov wants to find his next challenge, to help elevate his career.
“I’m still on a professional contract with CSKA Sofia, and they’re my boyhood club that I have grown up with. However, like almost all players I want to play in even better leagues. If a club in Australia offered me a contract, then I would definitely go for that.
“In January, my agent (Chris Gantonas, Calibre Management) forwarded an offer to play for an A-League club who were urgently looking for a goalkeeper after an injury crisis. He tells me that in Australia they give young players a chance, that’s how Mark Bosnich, Mark Schwarzer and Mathew Ryan started.”
Though the move didn’t eventuate this time around, Shalamanov-Trenkov’s desire to be part of Australian football has always been strong. He looks up to Socceroos captain Ryan as inspiration, and is in contact with former CSKA Sofia teammate Tomi Juric, who has told him more about both the football culture and lifestyle in Australia. The ability to make connections and willingness to learn has so far served him well, and he is on the brink of becoming a more familiar name in his country of birth.
