There’s a French connection at Macarthur this season and the man leading it is keen to ensure he can unlock the talent of his young teammates and fire the Bulls up the table.
Valere Germain, 33, was Macarthur's big off-season recruit after a glittering career across the French top flight with Marseille, Montpellier and Monaco.
Coach Mile Sterjovski enjoyed a successful spell with Lille as a player, and he used his knowledge of the French game to supplement Germain’s arrival with that of widely travelled coach Christophe Gamel.
Germain had a frustrating afternoon in Macarthur’s opening-round draw with Brisbane but says he has seen enough to believe a host of talented young Bulls have plenty of potential to fulfil.
“We have a lot of players with good quality,” Germain told AAP ahead of Sunday’s trip to face the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford.
“Jed Drew and Raphael Borges Rodrigues are two good young ones who have enormous potential.
“The Australian league isn’t very visible in Europe but these young players can have the chance to make the move to Europe, if they want to.
“They’ve got the quality. This year I hope they can perform with us and maybe that can open doors for them in the future.”
The Bulls head into Sunday’s visit to the Mariners less than 48 hours after returning from their AFC Cup campaign in Cambodia where they lost to Phnom Penh Crown 3-0.
Germain has experience of juggling domestic and continental competition and argued the dual demands could help the Bulls start their A-League Men season off strongly.
“I didn’t know anyone when I arrived, or the level of the Australian league, so it was difficult to judge the level we were at," he said.
“But I am convinced with the quality I’ve seen that we can have a good season in the league and in Asia.
“The matches in Asia can help us. The way we have played is a big help in building cohesion as a team.”
