An extract from SMH 20 April 2017 

In round one the season looked bleak for Jonathan Aspropotamitis. He was one of five centre-backs vying for two starting positions at Western Sydney Wanderers and if the team sheet for their first game suggested anything, he was at the bottom of the pecking order. Of the five, he was the only one available yet was not selected for the clash against Sydney FC.

As the youngest of the five, his omission was seen as a preference for experience in a game played before a record crowd and the beginning of a year in which his education would come on the training ground, not with the Wanderers’ first XI.

He acknowledged the uphill battle he faced as early as pre-season and Aspropotamitis’ mission was to make coach Tony Popovic’s selection choice as difficult as possible. Being fifth-choice wouldn’t mean his season was one spent learning, rather challenging the experienced quartet.

To complement his strengths in the air, reading the game and playing out of defence, Aspropotamitis picked one of the fittest and fastest players in his squad and challenged himself to reach the lofty standards set by the fullback, Scott Neville.

Aspro has been selected for the Australian Under 23 training camp to be held in Sydney from 14-19 May 2017 in preparation for the AFC U-23 Championship China 2018 Qualifiers to be held in July in Myanmar. 

We wish Jon all the very best.