Jake Hollman’s first experience of playing overseas was supposed to be the next step in his footballing journey. Instead, what followed in England was a 12-month ordeal involving broken promises, a season-ending hamstring injury and an eventual parting of ways with Walsall that left the Australian midfielder determined to start again back home.
Now back at Sydney FC after having his contract in England mutually terminated, Hollman opens up on his difficult year overseas and explains why returning to the Sky Blues represented the fresh start he needed.
After five consistent seasons in the Isuzu UTE A-League, Hollman had earned his chance overseas.
The destination was EFL League Two side Walsall FC, who play in the fourth tier of the English football pyramid.
But within weeks of arriving in England, it became clear things were not going according to plan.
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PICTURE CREDIT: Walsall Express and Star
“I left Macarthur on a free with the idea of going overseas and challenging myself the best I can over there,” Hollman says as he recounts the story of his time overseas which began with a potential move to an unnamed club falling through at the eleventh hour.
“I was really excited about a deal that kind of just fell through as it was about to be signed. Unfortunately that fell through and then we – I don’t want to say scrambled – but then time was against the odds to get something over there, and we took the deal in England.”
So having put pen-to-paper on a three-year deal with Walsall, Hollman looked to hit the ground running as he bedded into life, both on and off the pitch, away from home for the first time
Unfortunately for the Sydney FC youth product, the first warning sign gave him a clear indication as to what was in store for him.
“I would say it was probably about a month into it. I thought this could be a real struggle here when I was training well, and I just wasn’t getting chances to play.
“So I went and spoke to the coach and was like, what do you want from me?
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Jake Hollman of Walsall warms up during the Vertu Trophy match between Walsall and Northampton Town at the Banks’s Stadium in Walsall, England, on October 7, 2025. (Photo by Stuart Leggett/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“He just said that it’s nothing to do with you, it’s just you don’t suit the system that I want to play here, and there’s nothing that you can really do to change that.
“So from about a month in, I kind of had the writing on the wall that I wasn’t going to be really in and around and involved. So from then on, it was kind of it was going to be an uphill battle.”
Elite level football is a cut-throat industry and players and coaches are regularly cast aside for a variety of reasons.
But what happened next provided Hollman with the clearest indication yet that his time at Walsall would almost certainly be short-lived.
“It was really frustrating. I spoke to the ownership team and the head coach before I signed, and they were saying all the right things.
“Then I get there, and a month later, the head coach is telling me that forget what the ownership team said, I’m doing it my way, and you don’t fit the way I want to play.
“So I was kind of in his office saying, why bother bring me over? It was very frustrating.”
So from the excitement of sealing your first move overseas to being frozen out all within the space of a couple of months, Hollman’s career effectively began to stagnate. To make matters even worse the midfielder then suffered what would prove to be a season-ending hamstring injury in the early stages of 2026.
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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 14: Jake Hollman of Walsall is carried from the pitch on a stretcher during the Vertu Trophy match between Northampton Town and Walsall at Sixfields on January 14, 2026 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
“I had a lot of thinking throughout my time over there, like different stuff would happen. I was thinking, maybe it’s time to go back or get a new environment.
“But I think the main one that happened was when I had to have surgery for my hamstring over there, and I was by myself over in England, and it was dark and rainy, and yeah, I just had no real desire to to get myself back to play for the club that I was at.
“I think at that stage I just knew straight away like, get yourself right, but for a new journey elsewhere.
“I think that was probably the catalyst (the injury) and then how it was dealt with by the club post surgery as well. I thought, yeah, it’s probably time to move on.”
Whilst he’s no doubt disappointed that his first foray overseas, from a footballing perspective, was a failure, the 25-year-old believes there were plenty of takeaways from the move that will; stand him in good stead for the future.
“It was a super hard time, but it taught me a lot living away from family and friends, for the first time properly for the 12 months.
“It taught me a lot just as a person and who I want to be as a character.
“But then football-wise, it taught me a lot as well. Like the competition over there, how cutthroat it is. How it’s like a religion for everybody over there, which I really enjoyed and flourished (in).
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NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 14: Jack Vale of Northampton Town goes to ground under the challenge of Jake Hollman of Walsall during the Vertu Trophy match between Northampton Town and Walsall at Sixfields on January 14, 2026 in Northampton, England. (Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images)
“I think it’s awesome that it’s like that over there, and I don’t want to say man up, but it taught me to mature and grow a lot. I would say that’s what I’m hoping to bring back here with me.”
Now though, the Walsall experience is firmly in the Sydneysider’s rearview mirror as he settles back into life at the club he called home during his formative football years.
Growing up on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, Hollman was a boyhood Sky Blues fan and, alongside younger bother Corey and sister Shay, came through the club’s academy.
So when the opportunity to re-join the Sky Blues and get his career back on track presented itself, it was a no-brainer as far as he was concerned.
“Very excited to be back, especially at Sydney, a club that I grew up playing in. I came through the academy here, so it’s very special to be back.
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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – SEPTEMBER 09: Jake Hollman of Sydney FC of Sydney competes with Matthew Grimaldi of the Victory during the Australia Cup Semifinal match between Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory FC at Jubilee Stadium, on September 09, 2026 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images)
“For me, the term of the contract wasn’t too important in my headspace. I just wanted to come back into an environment in a club that I knew well and where I thought I could flourish again and enjoy my football.
“But obviously, when the club was offering three years, I was happy to take it because it’s a club that I’m super proud to support and represent.
“My original thought was to come back into an environment where I’m going to enjoy and I’m going to develop still, and I knew that Sydney would would offer that.
“To get to a club that I knew I would enjoy my time at and be at a club that suits the way that I like to play the game. That was my original thought process behind it.
“As you delve deeper into it, (it’s) a huge club, a club that I grew up supporting, always should be challenging for Premierships and stuff like that. So that’s a great bonus.
“And then yeah, if that all kind of sorts itself out and I can focus on my performances, then I think I’m in probably the best club in Australia to then hopefully try and kick back on again.”
Whilst Hollman’s immediate focus will be on getting himself fit and firing ahead of Sydney FC’s blockbuster Matchweek 1 fixture with arch-rivals Western Sydney Wanderers, there is another target the central midfielder is going to work towards.
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SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – FEBRUARY 12: Jake Hollman of Macarthur FC looks to pass during the A-League match between Macarthur FC and Adelaide United at Campbelltown Stadium, on February 12, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“I think any player that’s coming through wants to represent the national team,” Hollman says when asked whether or not the idea of getting a call-up for the Socceroos was something that’s front of mind. It’s like the the best honour you can have as a player.”
Prior to his move overseas Hollman was one of a number of Isuzu UTE A-League players constantly linked with a potential call-up for the Socceroos as a result of his consistent performances in the league.
Fast forward 18 months though and Hollman’s name has all but disappeared from mention when it comes to national team selection. Far from being a surprise to the player, Hollman is now treating it as the ideal target to work towards.
“For me, it’s nice to hear your name sometimes in those circles. It’s obviously dropped off now, having not played for close to 18 months.
“But yeah, at the end of the day, what I work for is always towards that.
“The boys have done well in the World Cup, and there’s lots of boys playing well that are overseas. But I just want to work hard and put my best foot forward this season and the coming seasons for Sydney FC.”
Sydney FC face arch-rivals Western Sydney Wanderers on the opening night of the 2026/27 Isuzu UTE A-League season at Allianz Stadium on Friday, October 16.
