Former Heidelberg junior Andrew Paraskevas has been with top flight Czech Republic club Banik Ostrava for the past two seasons. But prior to establishing himself in the youth team squad, the young defender’s journey to European football’s elite proved to be anything but smooth.
Paraskevas’ European sojourn first began when he was invited by scouts to spend some time with Cyprus first division giants APOEL in January last year.
“During my three week trial I was fortunate enough to play in some practice matches against Russian first division clubs FC Spartak Moscow, FC Rubin Kazan, FC Lokomotiv Moscow and Swiss giants BSC Young Boys,” he revealed to Neos Kosmos.
After impressing APOEL’s youth coach, Paraskevas was invited to return to the powerhouse club in June, but as the youngster explained, that dream opportunity turned into a nightmare.
“Unfortunately, 10 days before I flew back to Cyprus for the new season, I received a call explaining that the APOEL youth coach who was going to sign me got sacked, so I had to find a new club,” Paraskevas explained.
The news rocked Paraskevas but his luck changed when the departed APOEL coach offered the youngster a first team spot at his new club Ethnikos Latsia FC.
“During my seven months in Cyprus I played regularly and I scored one goal but the club faced some financial difficulties and my living situations weren’t the best,” he says.
“So I had to leave the club. But through the help of my old coach Peter Kratky [current coach of Melbourne City U-20] I had a three week trial at Banik Ostrava who are a very big club in the Czech Republic. After three training sessions and a practice match, the coach told me he had seen enough and wanted me to sign a contract. So I decided to move on to bigger and better things.”
Despite his time in Cyprus not turning out as planned, Paraskevas still looks back on his time playing on the Mediterranean island with pride.
“My most memorable moment was playing in front of my dad, younger brother and pappou when they came to visit me,” he says.
“I also got to play against teams from all over the world and was able to travel to different countries.”
Paraskevas was born and raised in Melbourne. His mother has Italian background while his father’s parents migrated to Australia in the 1950’s from Kozani, Greece.
Growing up he first played youth football with Banyule City SC but when he began playing with Greek clubs in the Victorian Premier League competition his career began to gather momentum.
“I played a few years at Heidelberg United where I was part of the first team squad when I was just 17,” he says. “But the most important club for me was Northcote City. I played a few years in the juniors, but it was with the help and belief of Alex Gymnopoulos who gave me the opportunity to play in his U-20s team as a 15-year-old, winning the Best and Fairest in that year. Later that same season I made my senior debut for Northcote against South Melbourne, only two weeks after my 16th birthday.”
After leaving Heidelberg, Paraskevas spent time trialling with Melbourne City and Melbourne Victory. However with opportunities in the A-League limited, the youngster travelled abroad and revealed his delight that he has found a stable club in the Czech first division.
“I’m living in an apartment on my own in Ostrava close to our home stadium, so I have become more independent and mature,” Paraskevas says.
“Of course there are days where I miss my family and friends, but I know I am in Europe for a reason. I want to work hard so I can become a professional footballer. I owe my parents so much for what they did for me growing up, and it is my goal to one day be able to call my father and tell him that he can stop working because I finally signed my big professional contract.”
While it’s been a series of ups and downs, the young defender says his game has improved since his move to Europe.
“The standard of football is so much higher than what I experienced in Australia,” he says. “I was surprised with how technical, fast and physical it is here. Being a very physical player myself I was used to the physicality, but I was surprised to see that some tackles that would be yellow cards in Australia are simply waved on as play on. Coaches want the game to be fast, free flowing, and to never give the ball away.”
Even though he is with Banik’s youth team at the moment, Paraskevas revealed the club has earmarked him as a future member of the first team squad.
“The club’s short term goals for me are to improve the technical side of my game, and understand their playing style more,” he says. “Long term they are looking for young boys to represent the senior team. I have scored two goals and a number of assists between my two seasons here. I have also had the opportunity to train and play with first team players when they come to the U-21s. I’ve learnt so much from them by seeing how hard they work.”
Looking to longer term aspirations Paraskevas revealed that he would be honoured to represent the country of his father’s heritage.
“Of course a big goal of mine is to play national team football and play in a World Cup,” he says. “I hold both an Australian and Greek passport which gives me the chance to represent either. Football to the Greek people is more than just a game, it’s their life. And I view football in that way also. The thought of representing Greece is a real motivational factor. I would love to wear the Greek colours and represent the Greek people with passion and pride. But first I want to become the best footballer I can be so that one day I can join a big club and play professional football.”