Oliver Totani's brush with the law in London a valuable life lesson Campbelltown City playmaker Oliver Totani. OLIVER Totani says he learnt a valuable life lesson when he was arrested and thrown in a cell at London's Heathrow Airport just for chasing a soccer dream. The elegant Campbelltown City playmaker who will feature for Australia's first national premier league semi-final against South Hobart in Hobart on Sunday was just 17 when his life seemingly turned into an episode of Locked Up Abroad for the National Geographic Channel. The Football Federation SA grand final man-of-the-match medal winner - after Campbelltown's emphatic 2-1 win over arch rival Blue Eagles on September 19 - remains scarred by that decade old London nightmare. "It all went wrong when I had some really bad advice from a player agent," Totani said. I was meant to trial with Crewe Alexandra but instead airport staff detained me and locked me up for nine hours. They said my paperwork wasn't right and nine hours later they released me and gave me 15 minutes to get out of the airport compound. Totani said it was about midnight at Heathrow when a friend of his mother Carmel came to the rescue after a frantic phone call from Australia. Without anywhere to stay, Totani thought about sleeping on the streets of London. "I got lucky, this lady was based in London, she put me up for five days and I became friends with her son, Michael George," he said. I eventually got to trial with Crewe Alexandra before Empoli wanted me to stay in Italy but on loan to a Serie D club. I never took the offer because the A-League was on its way. Totani was one of Adelaide United MK I's first train on players when John Kosmina was in charge. But the soccer trek to Europe in 2003 may have also cost him a chance to earn a spot with Adelaide United's A-League side. "John Kosmina never looked at me after I went to Europe on trial," Totani said. He didn't pick me for the state under 18s side, it's another lesson in football. Totani, however, now has a chance to help create history for Campbelltown and SA soccer this weekend. A win over Tasmania's champions South Hobart will ensure Campbelltown faces either Sydney United 58 or Queensland's Olympic FC in the maiden final of the national premier leagues competition. Olympic host United 58 in semi final in Brisbane on Saturday. "We've done a little bit of homework on South Hobart," Totani said. We've jumped on youtube and seen some highlights. They've certainly got some dangerous players but we'll be concentrating on own game. Totani and Campbelltown depart for Hobart on Saturday and will be hosted by Hobart Zebras that night. They face South Hobart at D'Arcy Street, South Hobart from 11.30am on Sunday.