There have been plenty of good signings, it seems, ahead of the latest A-League season. But one of the most heart-warming, at least for this observer, is one of the most unheralded.
Indeed, having signed a youth team contract, Dimitrios Petratos will probably go unnoticed for much of the upcoming season. But he is definitely one to watch.
‘Dimi’, as he is known to teammates, isn’t a name familiar to many across the A-League landscape, but to those keeping a close eye on the NSW Premier League and the emerging Australian football talent, the 16 year-old’s signing last week by Sydney FC will be welcomed.
Touched by the Johnny Warren Football Foundation, Westfields Sports High and the NSW Institute of Sport, and with a background in Futsal, there’s little doubt Petratos has hitherto ticked most of the development boxes.
But perhaps his biggest influence, as is so often the case with such technical talent, has been his father, former NSL player Angelo Petratos, who is still running around in the NSW premier league in his early 40s.
Indeed, father and son have spent the winter knocking about in the same side, Penrith Nepean United, where the younger Petratos has been making a bit of a name for himself, essentially as an impact player off the bench.
He hit the headlines with this piece in the Herald a few months ago and has since been called up to Jan Versleijen’s next under 20s for a recent week-long camp in Sydney, which was the official start of preparations for the 2011 Under 20 World Cup.
With all this attention, it will be crucial Petratos remains grounded. But the word is he has a very level head and strong work ethic.
Naturally, he will need a strong temperament to take the next step, but what really stands out about his game to-date is his technique, and primarily his ability to get the ball on the ground, dribble and do a bit with it.
He is the type of player we should be encouraging and looking to develop. A modern-day dribbler that likes to take players on and can make a difference in the final third.
When he sees and opportunity to burst past a defender, he has the pace, skill and want to do it. Where there’s a dead-end, he turns out and extricates himself from trouble.
Diminutive he might be, but it’s his mastery of the ball that should be judged.
Cautioning that Petratos still has much to work on, his current coach at Penrith, Ante Juric, himself a disciple of the technical philosophy the governing body have implemented through the National Curriculum, says he is nevertheless the type of player we should be looking to produce.
“He’s positive, sharp, likes to take on players and is good at the one-on-ones,” said Juric, who doubles as Australia’s under 13s coach and was an assistant for Sydney FC’s W-League team in the inaugural season, during a recent catch-up.
“You can’t teach that sort of stuff at a later date.
“He still needs to work on his defensive game and consistency in the front third, but his technique and ability to get out of trouble is what can make the difference.”
For an Australian system which hasn’t exactly had a production line of wide players with an ability to dribble, it is refreshing take.
Certainly, when I recently took in the Sky Blues’ pre-season game against Penrith, Petratos had a blinder, coming on at half-time and catching the eye with his work down the left flank.
For the former Penrith player I was watching the game with, who was seeing Petratos for the first time and was blow-away by his comfort on the ball, it was obvious. Vitezslav Lavicka had to sign him.
Word is there was a bit of interest from Perth Glory, but Sydney got their kid, with youth coach Steve O’Connor and Lavicka now entrusted with nurturing him and helping him take the next step.
Certainly O’Connor’s work last season with the likes of Kofi Danning, Chris Payne, Zach Cairncross, Brendan Gan and Ryan Grant, and Lavicka’s encouraging work with the Sydney kids in the pre-season suggests Petratos might be under the right tutelage.
For Australian football, the hope is he can kick on and become a real front-third influence, wherever his career takes him.
Peter T.
Guest
I went and watched a Sydney Olympic game at Belmore Sports ground a couple of weekends ago, when they were playing against my favourite Marconi and i noticed father and son are playing together! I really enjoy watching this boy and i'm going over to Belmore to watch them again this weekend against Bankstown.
Macca
Guest
seen this kid play, has been getting some time for penrith 1st grade. good dribbler. probably not at the same level as other sydney fc signings but hope he goes well.
Vicentin
Guest
collin, I got tired of talking about it. But seriously it has been discussed as being part of the development puzzle - I love it and believe it has made the kids I train much better outfield players as a result. Agree with your comments - we'll see if he is overrated in time, great that he's not being instantly dismissed because he's the size of Messi, Aguero, Tevez, Juninho etc. On that topic, while waiting for my expresso a few minutes ago I took in the article about Patafta in the SMH today - looks like he is going to be given a proper run under Culina as a right sided attacking player in a 4-3-3 formation.... let's hope that with the belief of his manager behind he starts to show what to date has just been his potential.
collin
Guest
dont worry about being overrated or not, the point is that is the kind of player this country is crying out for. we need more players to be technically not physically gifted. we also need to encourage more futsal!!! in fact im surprised at how little futsal is mentioned in these forums considering it is what makes brazil and spain so good
sledgeross
Guest
My mail is that Petratos is overrated......
collin
Guest
agree with jaymz, it is a bonus lavicka is their mentor
jaymz
Guest
all i can say is thank god Lavicka will be looking after him, he will be able to have european style training at home from a key age.
jimbo
Guest
SFC Youth squad have a big task rebuilding after last season's impressive A-League Youth League win. A lot of that victorious team have been snapped up by the senior squads or trying their luck overseas. But they seem to keep finding more good youngsters to replace them and there's a good scouting system in place - local scouts and contracts - not having to travel overseas. Not just the curriculum, but the new approach and the professionalism that's coming into junior football associations is very refreshing. The junior programs and the way we are focusing more on skill and ability, I can see the results coming through the grades and the young boys are talking about the A-League and the youth league as a real thing to strive for. Some of the U6s and U11s I've seen this season are destined for a bright future in the game. Another SFC youngster to watch out for is Joe Gibbs. His path into the Sky Blue is very similar to that of senior squad member, Chris Payne. Both Central Coast teenagers came to Sydney’s attention while playing for Manly and both earned the opportunity to train and play in England by winning the Lucas Neill Scholarship. Like Payne, the 17-year old attacking midfielder was stolen under the noses of Central Coast Mariners while playing for Manly United in the NSW Premier League. Gibbs has signed a one year Youth team contract, and is the sixth new youth player to join Coach Steve O’Connor’s squad this season.
collin
Guest
very very happy. no doubt i am quite found of this new national curriculum, if we continue to produce these kinds of players then australia can become a real threat. aussies will always be fighters and extremely athletic, this is only natural because our youngsters grow up playing a variety of sports which include the rugbies and afl that encourage them to be more physical. the downside is this sport requires technical skills far more then physical. if we couple them together we will have a unique mix that many other countries simply dont have. exciting times for australia and their legion of football fans, we might not have it now, but judging by the young players coming through and the drastic changes made by small sided games, the national curriculum, the youth league and many others, it looks like the seeds of change have been planted. lets hope we make more petratos' in the future and best of luck to him
Diego's Son
Guest
Hi Tony, Great comments, may be worth you previewing a young up-and-comer from each A-League "Yoof" team this yera.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
I must confess that I am loving the National Youth League and all that it offers. Kudos to the FFA.
The Bear
Guest
Tim Cahill was told he was too small and slight of frame in his mid teens, so we hear. He went OS...and proved them wrong. Good luck to the kid, and the others out there.
Vicentin
Guest
Nice piece Tony. I remember reading the original article about playing in the same team as his dad (which is a fantastic story) but had no idea that Sydney were tracking him too. If they want to get some extra punters through the gate when they play Olympic in a few days time they need to start the rumour that he'll be getting a run. Players like Dimi do exist in the junior ranks (and always have) but I'm hopeful that this change of football culture (see the Curriculum) they will be nurtured and encouraged to play at the top level rather than being continually overlooked by the bigger/stronger/faster set - not that we don't need a few of them too. The implementation of the curriculum will see a far more skilful pool of players being developed - I'm very confident of this. I know it's been said many time already, but I can't wait for the season to start!
Albal
Guest
I agree. Very good story and good news. I think the Australian system is finally learning that you don't have to be the size of a gorilla to play football - as we have seen when we get flogged by Asian teams. Australian coaches have always prefered big physical players with substandard technique. This could be due to the English influence or even the influence of other codes who need to place a greater emphasis on the phsycal side of players. I have always said that if Messi, Maradona, Saviola, Robinho, Junihno, etc. were born in this country, not one of them would have made it to first grade because their game was never built on the physical side of the game. Football is more about technique. You can always gain mass or even get fitter throughout your football career, but technique is something you can't improve on too much at a later age.
whiskeymac
Guest
Living nearby i have noticed the kid has had a few stories in the local (Penrith) press too. A skilful player from penrif. good stuff. Further with all the juniors and local particpcation it's good for them to have someone, hopefully, to look upto. Hopefully he will be another player from the west to wear the green and gold, especially if they are skilful as opposed to athletic. It does seem that SFC buy the best sydney youngsters (having learnt their lesson from losing burns and djite maybe).... having also bought Gibbs recently (a central coast resident manly player like Payne). getting worried about a western sydney team setting up in their otherwise until now neglected nursery.
Towser
Guest
The one line "Mastery of the ball" seals it for me. Luv this type of player. Providing he can withstand the "butchers" as he gets older because of one his superior skill & two size. Hope to see him rise up the ladder.