If you find yourself in a stadium where the Oakleigh Cannons are playing, you will immediately recognize the left back of the well-worked and highly successful “Greek” club.
This is one of the most difficult positions in modern football, requiring a lot of running and participation in both the offensive and defensive game of each team.
At Oakleigh, this position is filled by a young man with rich qualifications, a football education, an incredible appetite for work, and dreams without limits. His name is Anthony Pantazopoulos.
Last season, the twenty-year-old defender made a spectacular entrance to the NPL league when he made his debut for the Cannons, proving to be an incredible asset to the team.
People who watch the NPL league have been raving about the tall young footballer, predicting that he will be a force to be reckoned with and will undoubtedly provide us with many more years of thrilling and captivating performances.
We met at his favorite cafe, Vanilla in Oakleigh.
My first question was about his injury that kept him out of action for a few weeks.
“I am doing well now. After suffering my first major injury in my career, I made sure to spend as much time as possible with the team to prevent any distance between us while I was out. When I returned to training, I felt strong right away and just had to make the first shot, the first tackle, and generally find my footing. My return to competitive duties went relatively smoothly”.
I take him back to his childhood and his first steps in football with Brunswick City.
“I was born, raised, and still live in Brunswick, just seconds away from Brunswick City Stadium. As a child, all I could think about was the ball. I don’t know what I would do if I wasn’t a footballer. I’ve never considered anything else besides football. At school, the teachers told me that it’s not good to not have other goals outside of sports, but I always felt that if I didn’t focus on football, I wouldn’t succeed. There was a teacher when I was 6-7 years old who made me cry because she told me that I would never make it as a footballer. I still think about her when we achieve a goal with my team or when something good happens. Maybe one day I will contact her”.
He stayed in Brunswick City for eleven years. His move to the Cannons was the first major step in his career.
“I played for Brunswick City for many years, so it was hard to leave the club after such a long time. However, I felt that I needed a change that would push me to become better. I was very nervous when I first arrived at Oakleigh, but they gave me a very warm welcome, so everything was great. I used to watch a lot of NPL1 matches on TV, so it was amazing when I started training with footballers I admired. The level of training was incredible compared to what I was used to. Chris Taylor has tremendous experience, which is evident in every training session. His advice is invaluable and I follow it faithfully”.
He swells with pride when I ask him about his Greek heritage and his family.
“I inherited my mother’s genes, which is why I’m blonde, while my sister got all of her features from my father and looks more like a Greek (laughs). I love Greek food and was crazy about eating what my grandmother cooked before we lost her. When my grandfather comes to see me play, I’m always impressed by how many acquaintances he has at Oakleigh. At the stadium, he can’t stop talking to old friends, which is how I realized how important football is for the Greek community. You see so many people coming to every match, and old gentlemen coming to training – there is a huge sense of community around the club”.
The most important role in his involvement with football so far has been played by his father.
“My father’s playing for Port Melbourne was a great help to me. He taught me the value of training and hard work, and not to take the easy way out. Most importantly, he taught me to kick with my left foot, which has been incredibly beneficial to my career. I remember him taking me to the ballpark when I was 5-6 years old and warning me that if I touched the ball with my right foot, we would go straight home. This motivated me to focus on improving my left foot, and eventually brought it up to the same level as my right foot. This has enabled me to move more comfortably on the field. I am very grateful to my father for that”.
He speaks fondly of the Cannons and is adamant when I ask him if he would play for another NPL team and if his dreams have a limit.
“I wouldn’t play for another NPL club; I’m aiming for the next step, even if it means something bigger. I don’t have any pre-set dreams, nor have I ever limited myself to playing in a specific league or team. What I’ve always done is work hard and never put a cap on my ambitions. I strongly believe that if you dedicate yourself and give it your all, then all your dreams can come true. Of course, I want to further my career and why not play abroad one day? I’ll give it my all and see where it takes me”.
Wondering what his prediction is about the team that will lift this year’s championship cup?
“Week by week, we are bonding more and more due to the many changes from last year’s roster. South Melbourne, Avondale, and Knights all possess strong teams and any of us could win the championship this year. With a younger team, we are sure to play to our maximum potential by the end of the year. Our roster is full of depth and quality, and we are confident that we will be crowned champions in the end”.
