Gold Coast or Hartlepool? You choose

"I think he's selling himself short, but I think it's a lifestyle decision." so says Chris Turner Hartlepool manager talking about Joel Porter's decision to play for the Gold Coast.

No Chris, you blinkered Englishman, it's about the football:
He'll play alongside Champions League player Jason Culina,
He'll play at a Stadium Hartlepool can only dream of,
His first game will be in the Bird Nest Stadium in Beijing, followed by SunCorp in the League.
He has a strong chance of representing his country in coming years,
He has a chance of exploring other countries through the Asian Champions League,
He may get loaned to Beijing, Shandong or elsewhere if he is any good,
He will be able to build a career beyond football, beyond Hartlepool in coming years.
He's joining a growth industry,
He'll be playing a different style of football, less, much less direct,

oh and then there is the lifestyle, and you are probably just a tad jealous Chris...
A year in the Gold Coast, in the Nation's Premier League under Clive Palmer and Paul Okon or another year in Hartlepool.

JOEL Porter's current boss insists the Gold Coast United-bound striker is selling himself short by signing up for the A-League.

Porter has spent the last five-and-half years with English third tier club Hartlepool United and will head for Skilled Park when the English season ends in a fortnight.

He has scored more than 60 goals in that time and Hartlepool are very reluctant to see him go.

However, United boss Chris Turner doesn't believe that Porter has made the best career decision and suggests that the forward is worthy of a higher quality competition than the one he has chosen.

Turner told BBC Tees: "He's been a magnificent servant, his contribution to the club has been enormous.

"I think he's selling himself short, but I think it's a lifestyle decision."