Blackburn Rovers are hoping they have unearthed the next ‘Wizard of Oz’ after handing Australian teenager Joey Gibbs a trial at Ewood.

Gibbs is a product of former Rovers’ skipper Lucas Neill’s scholarship, which has presented him with the chance of spending weeks training and trialling with Rovers, West Ham and Ipswich.

A key player for his under-16 side Manley, Gibbs admits he is entering the unknown but is determined to show what he can do.

He said: “I had no idea. We had a good team this year so I thought many other kids had just a good a chance as me.

“I’m going to take out of it as much as I can. I don’t know what’s going to happen over there.”

Manley’s head coach Phil Moss believes the starlet has the potential to emulate the achievements of his Australian heroes, Harry Kewell and Neill.

“He’s got a superior technical ability which allowed him to stand out, but off the field you can see how players flock to him, he’s a real leader,” said Moss.

“I’ve sat down and said to Joey that he’s not going over there to win a contract, he’s going over there for the experience.

“If he wins a contract that’s a bonus, but if he doesn’t, he comes back wiser and more experienced.”