"THAT WAS THE BEST MONTH OF MY LIFE" | Paul Okon Jnr

Sydney FC rising star Paul Okon Jnr joins We Are Sydney presented by San Miguel.

The midfielder opens up about his incredible journey from Belgium to Club Brugge and Benfica, returning home to Sydney FC, and earning his first Socceroos call-up.

We also dive into the Sydney Derby win, life playing football across Europe, speaking five languages, gaming, and what the future holds for one of Australia’s most exciting young talents.

🎧 Listen now and don’t forget to subscribe to We Are Sydney.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

I'm actually I actually have two teeth. The boys take the piss out of me for it, like whoever your dentist is, Jenna. Fantastic.

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Thanks to Sky. Are you serious? Well.

SPEAKER_02 0:15

I like a dirty feed.

SPEAKER_03 0:16

We're not going healthy here. I mean this. Paul, so this is a nice jersey. That's a beautiful jerk.

SPEAKER_04 0:27

Welcome back to We Are Sydney, presented to you by San Miguel. My name's Sam, and this is my co-host Adamo. And Dams, we've got one of the young ballers here. I'm very excited to have him.

SPEAKER_03 0:36

I know, Sammy. Home game this week against Perth. That means we are back. Paul Ocon Angster Jr. Man, with a name like that, you were never gonna be a mechanic. Shout out to the mechanics out there. You know, I love mechanics, but you were destined to be a footballer with that name, man. So that's a beautiful name.

SPEAKER_04 0:53

It is.

SPEAKER_03 0:53

And uh you come from footballing royalty as well. So exciting to have you on. First things first, man, how good was that derby win on the weekend, first win under the new manager?

SPEAKER_02 1:03

Um, yeah, it was unbelievable, honestly. Um, just such a good feeling to get that upper, upper hand on them. Um, yeah, two one in games. And yeah, it was just such a good win. Yeah, it was. And uh it felt like a derby, didn't it? It did, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 1:15

We're just saying there was a lot of uh, you know, banter between both teams. It was good to see. And you know, it is obviously uh PK's first win. What are the key differences you feel like he's brought into the squad?

SPEAKER_02 1:26

Um yeah, obviously, I was gonna say he's he's a coach that loves to instill a lot of discipline in in our squad and and yeah, he loves to organize us as as much as possible. And and yeah, it was just such such a good win on the weekend that really really lifted a weight off our shoulders and and yeah, just a lot of pressure coming off us.

SPEAKER_04 1:47

It was good to see him also getting involved when you guys were, you know, the teams. He did say when he was on the podcast last week, he said that if he wasn't a football coach or footballer, he would be a security guard. So it was good to see him.

SPEAKER_02 1:57

Yeah, I I don't I don't doubt that, honestly. Yeah, it was good to see him getting involved, Hannah. Yeah, it was it was pretty funny, honestly, watching it back. It was so good.

SPEAKER_03 2:06

He wouldn't look out of place.

SPEAKER_04 2:08

He's got that build. We I saw him before, he's also picking up the goalposts.

SPEAKER_03 2:12

And I'll tell you what, he's got the world's firmest handshake. Yeah, when he came in, I wasn't ready for it. And you know when you're just not ready, and he just he crushed my hands. He is a legend. It was great to see guys get the first win, and as we said, the derby this season, I've got to say, it's fair play to both teams, you know, for get for really getting into it and playing on that, you know, that that's East Sydney versus West Sydney, which is what we love. It's felt like a derby all season, and and the players have been getting feisty as well. Paul, we have some fan questions that we have every single week. So this is from S. Church Riley, I'm gonna say, this name.

SPEAKER_04 2:47

So this one was how did you go pro?

SPEAKER_02 2:50

How did I go pro? Yeah. Um I went pro overseas, I'm gonna say not fully professional, but it was like semi-professional. I had a professional contract, but I wasn't playing professionally in a professional league until last year when I played in the second division. And yeah, I think this year is my first fully professional season. Yeah, nice.

SPEAKER_03 3:12

So yeah. And let's go through your footballing journey because it's a it's a pretty it's a very cool one and it's been scattered as well. So you you were born in Belgium. Yeah, I was born in Belgium.

SPEAKER_02 3:22

And then you played your junior football in I played some most of my junior football here in um Marconi, right? Yeah, yeah, Marconi and at the Wanderers Alpha Rival Club. Yeah. And then I went overseas just before COVID had started. And then yeah, I stayed there for I played for Club Bruges for I think three years. And then after that, I went to Benfica, Portugal, and yeah, and then I come here.

SPEAKER_03 3:47

And then here you are. How was that jump? How was making the jump from Club Bruges to Benfica?

SPEAKER_02 3:51

Um, yeah, obviously it was it was different, a lot different, just because culturally it's different mentality, and and yeah, just the way things operate are completely different. But I haven't said I got I loved it, I enjoyed it. I got to experience new things, learn a different language, and yeah, take away life lessons from that.

SPEAKER_04 4:08

Yeah, I was gonna say you speak a few languages, how many?

SPEAKER_02 4:12

I speak five.

SPEAKER_04 4:12

That's wild at your age. That's so cool.

SPEAKER_02 4:15

English, Italian, yeah, Dutch, Flemish, is that what is that what it's called? Dutch and Flemish, it's nearly the same thing. Like, and that's what they speak in Belgium. Yeah, that's what they say. Yeah, they speak Dutch and French on both how gonna say it's the country's a bit weird, it's like split into two. Oh, it's like dialect type thing, yeah, yeah. Interesting. And then you speak Portuguese. Yeah, Portuguese and Spanish as well. Because of my mum, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 4:38

What are you like what's your most fluent, you would say?

SPEAKER_02 4:40

Oh, English, I'd say.

SPEAKER_04 4:41

Yeah, besides that.

SPEAKER_02 4:41

Yeah, oh besides English, probably Dutch. Yeah. Yeah, because I had to go to school in Belgium.

SPEAKER_04 4:46

Oh, that's really cool.

SPEAKER_02 4:48

So yeah.

SPEAKER_04 4:49

What was that like?

SPEAKER_02 4:50

It was different, different, especially with COVID. It was like yeah, it was a bit weird with like reduced classrooms and stuff like that. Yeah, you get to wear masks, and yeah, it was it was an experience, I gotta say.

SPEAKER_03 5:03

You must be very culturally adaptable. Like you say, like you anywhere. Yeah, like you just throw you anywhere and you're like, Yeah, I'd like to think I am as well.

SPEAKER_02 5:10

Yeah, that's cool.

SPEAKER_03 5:11

That's very cool. Was there ever like what's been the biggest culture shock in your playing career? Um probably going to Belgium, honestly.

SPEAKER_02 5:17

Yeah. Like just things are different. Like the people are much colder. Like they don't give you much. Uh not that they give you much, but I'm gonna say one day they've like they'll talk to you and they're very nice to you, and then the next day they won't even look at you.

SPEAKER_04 5:29

It's like it's weird because you were born there too, right? So it's like I'm from here, though. In a sense, like what age did you guys move?

SPEAKER_02 5:37

Oh, I moved back nearly straight away because my dad died in Belgium. So I moved back when I was a couple months old.

SPEAKER_04 5:42

Okay.

SPEAKER_02 5:42

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 5:43

And then moved back. Yeah, wow, that's very uh lots of lots of passports, and uh that's crazy. Tell me about the decision to come back to Sydney, well, come back home to Australia and play professionally with Sydney.

SPEAKER_02 5:57

Uh yeah, obviously it was a tough decision I had to make. Um it was I thought about it a lot. I discussed it with my with my family, with my parents, and it was I think the best move in that moment that I needed for my career, which was to come back here and you know try and get as much uh first team uh minutes as possible and to play as much as possible and to keep developing, honestly.

SPEAKER_04 6:20

It's definitely been a great move for you. Like, how have you found it with all the boys and obviously being back in Australia?

SPEAKER_02 6:25

Yeah, obviously at the start it was a bit weird, how can I say, not being here for so long, but yeah, after a while you get used to it again. It's just it's like second nature, and and yeah, I'm just so lucky that I was able to come to a club like Sydney and they welcomed me with open arms, and all the boys just made me feel so welcome. And and yeah, I'm just so grateful to to the club for for giving me an opportunity like this to come back and to be able to yeah to show myself.

SPEAKER_03 6:50

Was there something that you had to adapt personally like within your game? Like was it a physicality difference making a jump? Like I know you said you played professionally for Benfica, so their second team is in the second league, the second league. Okay, so you're still playing men and and stuff. It's not like you came from under 18 to then played professionally. So was it an easy transition for you?

SPEAKER_02 7:08

Um I hadn't played that I basically didn't play at all last year, honestly. Um, maybe one or two games. Uh so I'm gonna say I didn't have that much game rhythm. Yeah, so coming back here, you know, playing every single week, it's it's a big difference. It's a big jump. And just getting used to playing and you know, getting my body as uh physically ready as possible. Yeah, that that was the main the main thing, I I think.

SPEAKER_03 7:35

Your dad is one of these goats. And he's he's got a crazy distinction because he's one of the greatest ever. But then I think unfortunately, because of the injuries that he had in history, he's also one of the most underrated. So he's both in one. What lessons has he passed on to you as a footballer?

SPEAKER_02 7:51

Um, yeah, so many, honestly. Um, I'm so lucky to have him. Just me and my brothers, honestly. Like, I think the education the football education we got at home is just completely different to a normal person. Um he's lessons that he's taught us, I'm gonna say he's experienced a lot of what me and my brothers are going through at the moment. So he has first hand experience, he can help us out with that, with all that type of stuff because he's already experienced it. So yeah, just me consoling my decisions with him, and and yeah, he just helps me a lot, honestly. I'm lucky that I have someone like that.

SPEAKER_04 8:26

It's pretty awesome. Yeah, uh, you're eligible to play for a few countries. What was that like choosing Australia and how did you make that decision?

SPEAKER_02 8:34

Obviously, it wasn't no-brainer? Yeah, I don't think it was, honestly.

SPEAKER_04 8:37

Always just number one. Yeah, like because your brother is under 17, John Lukov in Italy, right? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:45

So you could have represented Belgium for your birth, Italy? Yeah. As well, and Australia. And Australia. Anyone else or um Germany actually, as well, because I have a German passport as well. Wow.

SPEAKER_04 8:55

How many passports do you have?

SPEAKER_02 8:56

I have three.

SPEAKER_04 8:57

Can you have that many? I thought they cap it now, like two or something.

SPEAKER_03 8:59

Tell you what, it's good, you never have to wait in lines. That's a good thing. Like you can always like, oh, which one? Yep, uh, Australia. Yeah, yeah. You don't want to be waiting in that line.

SPEAKER_04 9:07

Also, Australia is expensive, so this one's probably better to have.

SPEAKER_03 9:10

It is uh. And that's a decision that you make that made early because you represented Australia at junior level, and it was always just how can I say I never thought about it really much.

SPEAKER_02 9:20

Just it was always Australia. Like I always played with the junior national teams for Australia and I grew up here.

SPEAKER_03 9:26

Easy. Yeah, yeah, beautiful. Let's talk about those junior national teams because your rise through the ranks, I mean, like even within the last year, has been insanely impressive.

SPEAKER_04 9:35

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 9:35

Under-20s Asian Cup. Then we go under-20s World Cup. Let's just talk about that run because we had Tiago Quintal on, and he said that run in the Asian Cup was insane. And then shortly after you go to the World Cup, and he mentioned when you guys played Argentina, and he's like, wow, that was a yeah, that was a step up in level. What was it like for you?

SPEAKER_02 9:54

Yeah, obviously, it was just such a great experience. I think that that period that we had with the under 20s national team, going to the Asian Cup, that run that we made, it was probably I reckon the best month of my life, honestly. Wow, I just enjoyed it so much. I went from not playing at all during season, and I was trying to keep motivated and to keep as fit as possible, just thinking, like, okay, when I go there, like we just have to smash it. And yeah, just going there and going on that run that we had was like just unbelievable, honestly. Like and then going to the World Cup and experiencing that, you know, just playing against the best players in the world at your own age was yeah, eye-opening, I guess. I'm gonna say, 'Cause you can compare yourself to them, and where do I need to be to you know to be one of the best, which I think everyone wants to be.

SPEAKER_04 10:41

But that must have been a crazy few months for you, because a month later, then you make your debut for the socceros. What was that like?

SPEAKER_02 10:47

Yeah, honestly, I can I say I didn't have much time to think about it. Yeah. Because when we came back from the World Cup, we had yeah, we had our first game against Adelaide, and and yeah, we just started I I started thinking about that and and trying to perform and then yeah, obviously getting the call up for the soccer roos was just yeah, unbelievable, I think. I can I say I wasn't really expecting it, so yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:10

What was that like being in camp at the Socceroos? Like you've always probably dreamt of that as a kid.

SPEAKER_02 11:14

Yeah, yeah, it was was yeah, it was great, how can I say? Just all being there with all the older boys and me being a bit younger and them looking at me like how can I say, like you're one of the younger ones, and yeah.

SPEAKER_04 11:27

Is there any initiation for them? Like you know, you gotta do this, or like you gotta sing or anything like that.

SPEAKER_02 11:32

Yeah, you usually have to sing in it. It's a sweet Carolina. Oh, it's a background. Yeah, you can't go wrong, I don't think so.

SPEAKER_03 11:39

And gets and gets the boys jeep as well. Like a winter cup, they gets to it.

SPEAKER_02 11:44

Yeah, they were singing along and they were all laughing. And I think it's better if you like if you laugh and you get them involved. Yeah, otherwise it's a bit boring, you know.

SPEAKER_04 11:51

See, Darms is a different one. He's like, oh, I'd be Michael Booblay, you know, trying to get it.

SPEAKER_03 11:57

I feel like I'm not sure. Michael Booblay's got the uh a voice that's the easiest to emulate for non-singers. I'm not saying I could do it because boobs is one of the goats, but yeah, no, that's a that's a good one. Now, we were gonna not gonna put you on the spot and mention World Cup because look, in our opinion, we think you're going, you deserve to be going. We think you're going, you deserve to be going. I think you'd add an element to the Socceros team, particularly in that midfield. But again, when you're at the World Cup, you're gonna have a bit of spare time. You know, when you're gonna be a good one. What are you gonna be doing? We heard you're a bit of a gamer, and we also heard that you left your PlayStation in Europe. Yeah, you can't be doing that, huh? Yeah, I'm not sure. Thanks to Stony and Sydney FC.

SPEAKER_01 12:38

We've got you. No way. Yeah, wow. That's unbelievable. Thank you, guys.

SPEAKER_03 12:44

Oh good. Big big, big thank you to Sony and Sydney FC for organising that one. We just put the finishing touches in there. That's unbelievable.

SPEAKER_02 12:51

That means a lot. Wow.

SPEAKER_03 12:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 12:54

I liked the game, yeah, a lot. What happened? You left the PlayStation in. Oh, yeah, I just didn't have enough space in my suitcase.

SPEAKER_03 13:02

How does that look okay, Dave? What do you think like that? Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 13:05

Beautiful. Good stuff. You left it in your Yeah, I left it in Europe at home. So my brothers, they have two PlayStation. Boys have gone mad. Yeah, they're joined in the city. Yeah, one TV on the other side of the room, they're they're playing, and then on the other, they're they've got another one going. So yeah, but they stole one of my PlayStations, basically.

SPEAKER_04 13:21

Now you can connect.

SPEAKER_03 13:22

Exactly. Now you can play them. You can connect that to the World Cup when you go. Yeah, hopefully. And uh gets crust for you. Okay, so now that leads perfectly, Sammy. This is now, well, this is something we do. It's called the Cool Break. It's called brought to you by San Miguel, and it's where we just change the line of questioning, you know. Sometimes he's coming a little bit frosty, a little bit cooler. Sammy, you want to start us off?

SPEAKER_04 13:41

Besides gaming, what do you do to switch off?

SPEAKER_02 13:44

Um, I like to just go out with my friends, honestly. Just go for coffee, go for a walk. Um, yeah, they they all work. How can I say they're most of them are tradies, honestly? Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 13:52

Oh, so it's done by knockoff by two.

SPEAKER_02 13:55

Yeah, and they they they want to do something as well. So I just, you know, go see them or I FaceTime my family. Beautiful. If the if the time difference is yeah, matching up. Yeah, just what games are you playing?

SPEAKER_04 14:07

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 14:07

Oh, I like to play FIFA, yeah, 2K, NBA 2K. Oh, I love NBA 2K. That's good, eh? Yeah, that one. Maybe some cod once in a while. I love that. I love that.

SPEAKER_04 14:15

Can see that.

SPEAKER_03 14:16

When you get told off in the Ocon household, what language are you getting told off in?

SPEAKER_02 14:21

Um it's a it's a bit of a mix, honestly. It's a bit like You've done something wrong. You've left clothes, dirty laundry on the floor. Like, probably a mix of like English and Italian.

SPEAKER_03 14:30

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 14:30

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:31

So that's Italian's the I mean it does impact.

SPEAKER_02 14:33

It does hit better. Yeah, yeah, it does. It sounds very aggressive. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 14:38

Okay, open this side here. Boom.

SPEAKER_04 14:40

Yep. Okay. You've got a few brothers. Have you got three? Three, yeah. All under you, yeah. Who's the best footballer out of you and your brothers?

SPEAKER_02 14:48

I've heard rumours that there's a couple ballers like in the Yeah, my brothers aren't that bad, I'd say. But yeah, I wouldn't be able to pick one, honestly. They're all good in the batteries. You can say too nice. You can say yourself. Nah, I can't say your dad. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 15:00

It's the same as well.

SPEAKER_03 15:03

Okay. All the countries that you played in slash lives. We've got Belgium, Italy, Portugal, Australia. Best food. Oh, that's an easy one.

SPEAKER_02 15:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:12

No brain A to do.

SPEAKER_02 15:13

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:13

What's the go-to for you? Like, what's go-to?

SPEAKER_04 15:16

Yeah, what's your favourite thing?

SPEAKER_02 15:17

Um, in terms of Italian cuisine, yeah. You're past the guy. Yeah, probably, yeah. Probably like a seafood pasta or something. Okay. Beautiful. Very, very nice. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 15:28

Best coffee.

SPEAKER_02 15:30

I'm not much of a coffee drinker. Really? You can't. Okay, when you're gone with the boys. Yeah, but oh, I get like a When you get a matcha? Nah, not a matcha.

SPEAKER_04 15:38

Tyrette likes matcha. Oh, he does? Yeah. We bunded everyone. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 15:41

Al, yeah, Al loves a matcha. Um. You're a tea kind of guy. No, not even, honestly. I don't like hot drinks, just cold drinks. Wow.

SPEAKER_03 15:48

So, you know, it's cold, it's freezing cold as well. What are you getting? You're getting a sparkling water.

SPEAKER_02 15:56

Um Honestly, I don't drink coffee, honestly.

SPEAKER_04 16:01

For a catch up, not for the coffee. Yeah, for the lads not. Yeah, whatever.

SPEAKER_02 16:04

Just talk to them, I'll get a juice or something. Okay.

SPEAKER_01 16:09

You know, it's probably better that you're not hooked on the coffee. Yeah, well the boys take the piss out of me for it. Yeah, I mean.

SPEAKER_04 16:15

I just but with your background, you know, the cafetiere that's probably been cracked up at night.

SPEAKER_03 16:19

No, you just know. Yeah, wow. Okay, there you go.

SPEAKER_04 16:22

Okay, fair enough. You can have dinner with three people. Who are they? And what are you having?

SPEAKER_02 16:28

What am I having? I'll start off with that because it's a good thing. Yeah, because that's the most important thing, you know.

SPEAKER_04 16:32

Pasta.

SPEAKER_02 16:33

Yeah, probably like a yeah. Pasta pizza, something like that. Yeah. Yeah. Like I like a dirty feed. Love it. Not like a We're not going healthy here. You're inviting three greats. Yeah, yeah. We're gonna go. Okay, so it's Italian cuisine, it's probably a pizza. What type of pizza? Oh I me personally, I love just a simple margarita. You can't go wrong, can you? No, you can't, can you? Beautiful.

SPEAKER_03 16:53

Okay, so would we haven't been in dessert? Well, I mean we have to, surely.

SPEAKER_02 16:56

Yeah, of course. No coffee. I mean, no coffee is. For me, no. They can have coffee. Um dessert. Probably like, I don't know, gelato or something. Can you go wrong? Yeah, you can't know. Tippage Italian? Yeah. Love that. Okay. Who are we having there?

SPEAKER_03 17:09

Who are we having?

SPEAKER_02 17:10

Good question. That's tough one.

SPEAKER_03 17:11

Let's mix it up. Let's go. One of them's got to be a non-footballer.

SPEAKER_02 17:15

Non-footballer.

SPEAKER_03 17:16

One, at least one. Yeah, one's got to be a non-footballer.

unknown 17:18

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 17:20

Probably. I'm a big basketball fan, so I said LeBron James. Yeah. Since I was a kid, like I always, I don't know, I've just been obsessed with him. Celebrities.

SPEAKER_03 17:31

Yeah, maybe let's get like an actor.

SPEAKER_02 17:33

An actor? Will Smith. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. Great line. Now let's maybe let's get a footballer that you don't play with. Footballer. I'd want to pick someone that's like a bit crazy, you know, that has a bit of a bit of life to the buttons. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:48

Like you can bring Cristiano Ronaldo, but he's not even going to have the pizza. He's not going to have the pizza.

SPEAKER_02 17:54

It could be difficult to cater for. So maybe. Probably Gascoin, eh? Paul Gascoin. Okay. Honestly. That's a dinner. I've had some I've had like some stories told. Yes. Yeah, cracker stories.

SPEAKER_04 18:06

Oh, it's mad.

SPEAKER_03 18:07

That is crazy.

SPEAKER_04 18:08

He knows some of the goats too.

SPEAKER_03 18:10

Yeah. Yeah, your dad's phone book would be. That'd be good to hit up for the dinner. So we've got Will Smith, LeBron James. And Paul Gascoigne. And Paul Gascoigne with some pizza and pasta. Done. That sounds awesome. Who's your footballing goat? Oh messy.

SPEAKER_02 18:22

It's it's not even a question, honestly. Really? Yeah. Not a discussion. Yeah. Just simple.

SPEAKER_04 18:29

A lot of the younger ones coming through now are messy only, whereas I feel like the older ones are a bit. You're messy, I'm remembering.

SPEAKER_03 18:35

I actually think it but sometimes it's the opposite as well. Yeah. Some are but yeah, it's always been messy.

SPEAKER_02 18:39

Like, honestly.

SPEAKER_03 18:41

Who's your dad say is the goat?

SPEAKER_02 18:44

Probably Messi or Maradona. Yeah. He's similar to me, honestly. Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 18:48

And then LeBron's the basketball goat. The basketball goat.

SPEAKER_04 18:53

Well, MJ was before your time as well.

SPEAKER_03 18:55

I never saw MJ having a say never. No, no, I mean neither did we. Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 18:58

No, me either, but that's why I support.

SPEAKER_03 19:00

Are you one of those like weirdos that goes for players instead of teams? Or like do you have an NBA team? Um, I'm actually I actually have two teams.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

Oh, you can't be doing that.

SPEAKER_04 19:11

You would do who are they?

SPEAKER_02 19:12

Like is any team that LeBron's on.

unknown 19:14

Oh no!

SPEAKER_02 19:15

Yeah. And Miami Heat.

SPEAKER_03 19:18

Yeah.

unknown 19:19

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:19

So your team's Miami, really. And then you support LeBron.

SPEAKER_03 19:22

Yeah, basically. So when LeBron retires, it'll just be Miami. Yeah, basically.

SPEAKER_04 19:26

No, they didn't go Bronny.

SPEAKER_03 19:29

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 19:30

Alright, uh, looking ahead, obviously, two massive games, both at home, guys, get to those. How important is this now? And do you think, well, you'd back you'd back yourself that you can go all the way, right?

SPEAKER_02 19:41

Oh, definitely. These two two games are so important for us. Just securing securing finals, which I think is so important at this stage in the season, honestly. Um, and yeah, just trying to finish as high as possible because I think that gives you an advantage going into finals. I'm not sure how it works completely with the home and away situation, but yeah, just trying to finish as high as possible and securing finals is just so important.

SPEAKER_03 20:05

You know, with your first year of fully professional football, I think and it's been a I feel like it's been such a long season as well. Yeah, it's flown by, but then it's also been really long. Let's go. What's been your best moment and what's been the toughest moment this season? Let's start with the toughest. What's been the toughest moment this season?

SPEAKER_02 20:21

Probably getting injured after that international break and just being out for so long. I think it was a six-week period I was out for. And just yeah, just not being sure if I'll be able to get to that same type of form that I was that I had going into those games, that was just run of games that I went into before I got injured. Um and just yeah, in rehab and just you doubt yourself sometimes. I think it's normal that you doubt starts to creep in, and it's like, am I gonna be the same this season? Yeah, you know. I think we have a lot of things to play for this season, so it was like, will I be involved? Will I you know be able to play at that same level? And and yeah, like I'm so happy that I've been able to, I think I've been able to get into a decent run of form. Um it I it took me a long time, honestly. It took me a good month after I came back to just get into the swing of things. I think being out injured for so long, it just takes a lot out of you out of you.

SPEAKER_04 21:20

And then your best moment?

SPEAKER_02 21:22

My best moment. Yeah, highlight of the you've had many. Oh it's been a pretty cool moment. With Sydney, Willis go with the Sydney, Sydney. Um probably probably on the weekend, honestly. Yeah, winning against the Wanderers and Yeah, it was just an amazing feeling, honestly. That goal that Stammer scored, all the boys celebrating each other. Oh, that was awesome. Yeah, it was it was unbelievable.

SPEAKER_03 21:43

Yeah, nice. Can I just say one thing? Did you used to have braces? Yes, I did. Your teeth look great. I was just admiring just then. I'm like, man, whoever your dentist is, shout out to him. Your teeth look fantastic. That was just a side quest. Thank you. Yeah, yeah, no, that that is um that was a it was a it was a good derby. The the football itself. Was good and Sydney just put it in.

SPEAKER_04 22:01

It was nice and competitive. Like I know they're on the bottom of the ladder, but I I did feel that you know passion from them, and that you know everyone fires up more for a derby as well.

SPEAKER_03 22:09

Yeah, it's different. You seem like a pretty like cool kind of character, but like do you inside like go like, oh man, these guys. Like when you see, especially you know a bit of the trolling that's been going on all season, which I love, I think it's box office. Does it fire you up a little bit more?

SPEAKER_02 22:22

Oh, definitely, of course. I think if it doesn't fire you up, it's a problem, yeah. Yeah, it's just and just taking that into the game. Obviously, you have to be uh emotionally stable and you have to be calm, and yeah, but we do hear everything, I gotta say.

SPEAKER_03 22:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 22:37

Some people think that we don't hear everything, but we hear it. Yeah, we do. Yeah, and yeah, it was just more fuel to the fire, honestly. Like, just more motivation for us. We didn't need any motivation as it was, but that would just you know gave a little bit more.

SPEAKER_03 22:50

Are you one of those, like, do you there's that you know sometimes people say, like, oh, I like to be calm when I get out there, that's when I'm performing my best, and then you have the other opposite where people are like, no, I need to be fired up. Like, where do you lie in that like kind of motivation range?

SPEAKER_02 23:02

You need to have a balance, a good balance, because obviously you don't want to go into a game too fired up and you're just like two foot somewhere to set off to set off first minutes.

SPEAKER_04 23:10

I think more of me. Well, I mean I mean he's probably he's probably got a lot of things. He's got the Euroball somewhere in there, he's everyone. Unfortunately, I want to have two, yeah.

SPEAKER_02 23:18

Yeah, but yeah, I think you need to go in with a leveled head, how can I say? You need to be not angry, but you have to be you have to play like to be fired up. Yeah, yeah. And you also have to be calm at the same time. You have to find that balance.

SPEAKER_04 23:29

With PK too, there he's firing the boys up this way.

SPEAKER_02 23:32

Yeah, we don't need any election motivation.

SPEAKER_03 23:34

I mean, if I saw my gaff of getting in there too, that would be. I think that's my gaff, right?

SPEAKER_04 23:39

We um we're gonna get you to sign this jersey that's filling up very nicely.

SPEAKER_03 23:43

Yeah, this jersey is coming along. So we just show it off. I mean, look at this, Paul. So it looks a nice jersey.

SPEAKER_00 23:48

Everyone that's come on and signed it.

SPEAKER_03 23:49

Oh, wow. It's a beautiful jersey. Wow. It looks great on you. Can I just say? It looks awesome on you, bro. So thank you.

SPEAKER_04 23:56

That's all right.

SPEAKER_03 23:56

I'm gonna predict it right now. I reckon you're gonna have an amazing light. I'm gonna say you have an amazing signature. Do you need me to hold it? Um, yes, yeah.

SPEAKER_04 24:04

That'd be great. You're getting good at that. Thank you.

SPEAKER_03 24:07

Look how cursive that pee is.

SPEAKER_04 24:08

Oh wow, he's done that before.

SPEAKER_03 24:12

That is a signature and a half.

SPEAKER_04 24:13

To be fair, says it, Taveran, but yours is actually really nice.

SPEAKER_03 24:16

I do say that's everyone, but honestly, I mean, he speaks five languages, so he just knew he was gonna be asked. Yeah, exactly. Well, we finish this question, we finish off everything with this question always. I'll spit it out eventually. We always finish every podcast with this question. Yeah. If you weren't a footballer, what would you be?

SPEAKER_02 24:34

You know what? I do think of it sometimes. Um, what would I be? I probably want to do something involved with like sports.

SPEAKER_04 24:45

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_02 24:45

I want to be like a physio or like I don't know, an osteop osteopath or something.

SPEAKER_04 24:50

I don't have the credentials to do it because how can I say your brain's pretty good if you're able to speak five languages. I think you do.

SPEAKER_02 24:56

It's different, it's different. How can I say? I didn't really it's just something that's interested. Yeah, yeah. For me, I would want to be involved in sports and yeah, I just find it interesting, honestly. Like cool.

SPEAKER_04 25:06

Sport science or something. Yeah, yeah. Something like that, right? In that area, yeah. Yep.

SPEAKER_03 25:10

Paul, thank you so much. Yeah, you've been awesome. Good luck for the rest of the season, and also good luck for the future as well, because you've got a very bright future. You do. It's been very exciting to watch you in Australia for our national teams as well. I have a feeling as well. You seem very humble. I know you're not gonna say it, but I have a feeling you're gonna be going to America and using that PlayStation. I will that's most important. Enjoy the PlayStation. I will, I will enjoy the PlayStation. Good luck in the finals and in the future, my friend. Thank you very much, guys. Thank you for having me. No, it's okay, thank you.

SPEAKER_04 25:37

And thank you guys for joining in once again. Make sure you get your fan questions in, like, subscribe, and we'll see you next time. It's been a pleasure, Dumps.

SPEAKER_03 25:44

It always is, Sammy. Guys, remember we got a home game this weekend and next weekend as we finish off the season. We'll see you next time, guys. Ciao