Last A-League season, Melbourne clubs gave two skilled young wingers from the class of ’99 the chance to burst onto the scene and launch themselves into professional careers in Europe.
Melbourne Victory gave Christian Theoharous game time and he impressed enough to earn a contract in the Bundesliga with Borussia Monchengladbach, whilst everyone knows what Daniel Arzani was able to do after Melbourne City gave him his chance.
Now another winger from the class of ’99 is waiting in the wings, hoping for his break onto the A-League stage, after experiencing a brief taste at the tail end of last season. Nineteen-year- old speedster Peter Kekeris is currently part of the Central Coast Mariners’ senior squad having signed a scholarship contract in the pre-season.
A former Sydney Olympic junior, Kekeris came up the ranks through the FNSW NTC, progressing to the Canberra AIS where amongst his teammates was Daniel Arzani. He then moved to the Mariners youth academy in 2016 (after a brief stint at the Western Sydney Wanderers academy) where he remains a regular member of the Mariners’ youth team. He has also been capped at national level appearing seven times for Australia’s U-17’s.
In April this year, Kekeris was given his first taste of senior A-League football, coming on as a late sub against Melbourne City. After training with the senior squad in pre-season, new Mariners’ senior coach Mike Mulvey obviously liked what he saw of Kekeris and the youngster was offered his first professional contract. At the time of signing, Mulvey said of Kekeris: “Peter has all the raw ingredients to make a footballer. He has the ability in one on one situations and speed to burn.
“He has trained with the A-League squad for a number of weeks and has earned this contract through hard work and his ability to listen and evolve his game; and he knows this is just the start.”
In a recent interview with the WorldGame.com, Kekeris said of his experience this season as part of the Mariners’ first team squad:
“Mike has shown faith in me. As soon as he came in, I was training with the first-team, it was about seeing if I deserved a professional contract.
“I came in and after four weeks, five weeks, Mike signed me and said he has big plans for me. He really backs my style of play and what I see on the pitch and what I do.
“I’ve been loving every minute of this season . Obviously the results haven’t gone our way, but we’re just working hard in training. Trying to make things right and hopefully we can start getting results.
“The coaching staff has spoken to me and just want me to keep improving physically. They told me I’m young, I need to stay patient.
“When my chance comes they believe that I will be ready and I will take it. I’m playing 90 minutes every week with the National Youth league boys and I’m waiting for my chance.”