At just 19 years of age, James Demetriou has had quite the football odyssey.

Currently playing for English championship side Nottingham Forest, the player has made quite an impression everywhere he sets foot, even if it’s outside of his football duties.

Born in Sydney to Cypriot parents, Demetriou’s background made him a much more desirable option than his Australian counterparts.

After some impressive performances playing for the Marconi Under 15s, Demetriou was sounded out by former Socceroos and Sydney FC Youth coach Steve Corica. The former Stallion was able to gain a place in the Sydney FC Youth Academy and from there the Sydney teenager made the NSW elite football program. Shortly afterwards Demetriou had the opportunity to trial with English Premier League club Southampton.

Demetriou made the trek to Cyprus to apply for a European passport and while he was there Cypriot club Apollon Limasoll offered him a trial. Demetriou explains how a passport trip almost resulted in him signing his first professional contract in the place where his father’s family grew up.

“Before heading to Southampton I managed to get some valuable experience with Apollon. I was in Cyprus to apply for European citizenship and was approached to train with the reserves. A short stop-over turned into a two week training regime. I was training well, and the coach offered me a professional deal. But my heart was set on the English Premier league.”

So it was off to Southampton, where Demetriou spent five months trialling with the EPL club. He made a bright start to his trial, scoring against Bournemouth, Cardiff and Charlton.

Unfortunately for Demetriou his European citizenship process took longer than he would have liked so he was just restricted to training. It was game time that Demetriou was seeking so he decided to return home to Sydney Olympic.

The move back to Australia was the right one for Demetriou, who scored goals for fun for Sydney Olympic. A successful season resulted in a trial with Nottingham Forest. The 18-year-old is thankful that the Greek Australian club gave him the playing time he needed.

“I have everything to thank Olympic for. Without the people running the club, I would not be here today. They were flexible, extremely reliable, and never held me back from coming back over here. I was lucky enough to better my game against men, in a pretty physical league.

“Peter Tsekenis and Peter Papoythis gave me my first team debut at 16. My best memories at the club include playing against the Malaysian national team and the Socceroos.”

Demetriou got the opportunity to represent the country of his parent’s origin; Cyprus. The teenager reveals it was during this time Cypriot football representatives approached the youngster to consider representing Cyprus as a full international.

“It’s always an honour representing one of your countries, and Cyprus is no small footballing nation by any means. I was called up for a number of games last season for the Under 21s while remaining eligible for the Under 19s. My full debut was against the Czech Republic where I played in my old playmaking role.

“I was approached after my game against the Czech Republic regarding the potential of a full international cap for Cyprus, which I was extremely humbled by. I’m still only 18, and playing for Australia has always been a dream of mine, which will be taken away if I obtain a full international cap for Cyprus.

The Under 21 Cypriot international doesn’t define himself with just what he does on the football field. Off the field his life is just as important, and the Sydney boy says that having a balance is an important aspect of being a footballer.

“I am a completely different person away from football. I make sure my time spent at the training ground isn’t wasted, as professional careers only last a short amount of time, as any ex-pro will tell you. For that reason I make sure my unwinding and non-football related activities are discussed and enjoyed away from the training ground.

He added, “I think it’s important to have a balance in anything you do, but especially football as it can be draining with the amount of time and effort put in on a daily basis. I love cooking, coffee and visiting as many places as possible in my time off. As it’s an amazing privilege to see so much of the world at a young age.”

Not many parents would let their kids leave school at 16 to follow their dreams. But being the parent of a footballer is different. Demetriou regards his family support as a key reason for his success.

“I have no doubt that the reason for my success is because of my old man. He gave me every opportunity available in order to pursue my career. Putting your child through a private school education and taking them out two years before finishing must be a massive kick in the teeth.”

While most footballers these days have money and fame in their eyes, the youngster’s motivation to succeed is quite different from most footballers. Demetriou revealed that he uses a painful loss to spur him on when life is at its most demanding.

“I had an older brother who passed away unfortunately. There isn’t a second of the day I don’t think about him. Every goal and performance I produce is for him. It’s a constant reminder that no matter how hard life may hit you, it can always be worse. So when things aren’t going my way, that extra motivation of pursuing every minute to the fullest for him keeps me ticking over when I feel like I’ve reached my limit,” said an emotional Demetriou.

*Con Stamocostas is a freelance writer at afootballstory.blogspot.com.au