LUCRATIVE contracts, top facilities and two of the biggest stages in world football – three reasons why Swindon Town assistant manager Noel Hunt believes more foreign players are chasing their professional footballing dreams in the UK.

Of the 32 players that make up Swindon Town’s first-team squad, five were born outside of the UK – Steven Benda, Mathieu Baudry, Toumani Diagouraga, Sidy Sanokho and Eoin Doyle.

Leaving home at a young age to carve out a career in England certainly can be worth the risk.

On-loan goalkeeper Benda alluded to this in an interview with the Adver earlier this week.

But the 21-year-old stopper also underlined the importance of learning the English language thoroughly before officially calling the UK home.

There is the occasional minor language barrier in Town’s current squad but Hunt – number two to manager Richie Wellens at SN1 – admitted having several French-speaking players means it is yet to hold up a training session.

Hunt said: “Language can be a factor – Steven Benda’s English is very good, it’s probably better than mine.

“We have no major communication problems in the group. A couple of the boys speak French fluently.

“So, if there is a moment where players don’t pick up the language, it can be re-laid.”

Hunt can’t blame players including Diagouraga, Baudry and Benda for leaving their homeland in favour of a career in England.

Often, teams’ style of football can have a large influence on whether or not a player decides to join or not.

And so this proved in the example of Benda – both in his decision to join Swansea City and then link up with Town on loan.

Hunt added: “When Steven came over to Swansea, the club was finishing high in the Premier League.

“They were a very desirable side to play for, particular given the way they play football. Swansea play football on the floor.

“Steven would’ve gone into an environment where he would’ve been allowed to play with his feet – and that suited him.

“To come to England from anywhere in the world is a massive, massive, thing.

“The money is good in England, the facilities are very good and the country has two of the biggest stages in the world in the Premier League and Championship.

“There’s no reason why someone like Steven wouldn’t come.”