Former West Adelaide Hellas player Johnny Koutroumbis may not be a household name yet, but the versatile 18-year-old may soon come to the attention of a national audience after landing an A-League contract with Newcastle Jets last week.
The Jets announced the signing of the Adelaide United Youth player on an injury replacement contract until the end of the 2016-17 season following a season-ending injury to defender Daniel Alessi.
Koutroumbis, who can play either in midfield or defence, was signed by the Jets’ new senior coach Mark Jones, who was Koutroumbis’ coach during the 2016 SA NPL season with Adelaide United NPL youth team.
Jones, who himself was only appointed just before the season as the Jets new head coach, is confident the young South Australian is ready to take the step up from state senior football to the A-League. Speaking on the Newcastle Jets website he said, “Johnny played in multiple roles for us in the youth team in Adelaide and has spent time training with their first team. He is someone I think can do well in the Hyundai A-League, and now it is up to him to showcase himself the best he can”.
“For a young boy Johnny is a leader. He is an exceptional athlete and has good endurance and is quick. He is a winner and did some special things that helped win us some games in Adelaide last season.
“He is well-grounded and is very hungry to play in the A-League. He’s over the moon to be given an opportunity in Newcastle,” Jones said.
It’s a long way from where Koutroumbis began junior football as a six-year-old at West Adelaide Hellas.
The precocious Koutroumbis made his SA NPL senior debut in 2014 as a 16-year-old under West Adelaide coach Paul Pezos, who had also athrough the junior and youth ranks at West Adelaide. He left West Adelaide midway through 2015 to join Adelaide United, where he put in a strong season for its NPL side in 2016. All in all he’s played 33 NPL games.
Speaking on the Jets’ club website, Koutroumbis said: “I am pretty excited for what the future holds. I am actually lost for words with regards to how quickly it [signing with Newcastle Jets] has happened over the past week.
“Now that I am here, one of my goals would have to be to start an A-League game and be in the first eleven at some point this season. Personally I am also aiming to score a goal for the club this season.”