Glass half full for Wanderers talent Aspro
When Jonathan Aspropotamitis trains, it's in full knowledge his next match for Western Sydney may not come for a while.
The diligent 19-year-old prepares with resolve anyway, anticipating that as Tony Popovic's go-to man he could be called at any time to pull on the red and black.
It's just as well.
After four eye-catching appearances in central defence this season, the coach will need Aspropotamitis again on Sunday when the A-League leaders host Wellington at Pirtek Stadium.
With Spaniard Alberto serving a two-game suspension, he'll likely even retain his place in the squad for next weekend's Sydney derby - his first experience of the headline fixture.
It's fitting reward for the up-and-comer's talent and dedication, those assets shine more with each fill-in performance, to the point it seems almost cruel when the natural pecking order dictates he'll again be dropped.
Three weeks ago Aspropotamitis plugged the gap left by suspended captain Nikolai Topor-Stanley, and roundly impressed against Central Coast.
But just like in November, when three fine displays were abruptly halted by Alberto's return from injury, Topor-Stanley's return bumped Aspropotamitis back out.
For a young footballer, being second choice can feel like a frustrating delay on a burgeoning career.
Yet the glass is refreshingly half-full for Aspropotamitis, who has faith all the hard work in his first senior season will yield long-term rewards.
Until then, the kid known as `Aspro' is earnestly extracting everything he can from his teachers.
They include Popovic and assistant coach Hayden Foxe - both former Socceroos centre-backs - and the current first-choice partnership of Topor-Stanley and Alberto.
Alberto, with whom Aspropotamitis combined for the first time against the Mariners, has been one of the main imparters of wisdom this season.
He also draws inspiration from others further afield, modelling his game on Paris Saint-Germain's Thiago Silva, Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels and, more recently, Everton defender John Stones.
"Stones is a very young player like me, and still learning his trade," Aspropotamitis told AAP.
"I look up to those guys a lot.
"I've watched a lot of football, and just taken a lot from a lot of world-class players' games.
"As I've gotten older, I've tried to put it into my game."
These influences have nurtured the teenager's intrinsic ability to read a game, while the Wanderers have honed his defensive instincts, a step away from his former, less-mature desire to look fancy on the ball.
"When I came here with Popa and Foxey, it was just about 'Okay, do your job, you're a defender. Defend first, then worry about what you do with the ball'," he said.
"That's what I've learnt since I've gotten older."
What Aspropotamitis can't quite pinpoint is the origin of his composure, his ability to be thrown into a match after several on the sidelines and rise above the pressure.
Confidence from teammates helps, as does a tactical awareness of his specific role and a high training intensity that renders the transition to the match pitch less taxing.
But he admits it might simply be a quality possessed even before the Wanderers' then assistant coach Ian Crook discovered the lightly built stopper playing for Sydney Olympic in 2014, and before a slate of injuries last season thrust him from obscurity into the starting line-up.
"It is my demeanour," he said.
"I try and take a relaxed, calm approach, especially when I haven't played in 10 weeks."
Popovic routinely praises his young charge's talent and eagerness to learn, sealing his approval with a two-year contract extension late last year.
Aspropotamitis is not chasing his future; he believes it will eventually come to him.
"For me, the way you train, the way you work hard and your dedication, that will control your destiny.
"If I just keep doing the little things right, such as working hard and all that stuff I can control, then all my goals I want to achieve in the future will just pan out."
