To see the Mariners training for their Gold Coast Clash,
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PICTURES

“Family is very important. You always need your family. Without family there’s no life. Family’s one of the best things in the world, probably the best,” he told au.fourfourtwo.com at his favourite Sydney cafe.

On a modest wage at Central Coast, Amini has splashed out on Foxtel subscription for his family so they can keep up with his growing reputation as a playmaker at the Mariners.

“They love it. They come to the games and watch it on TV because I bought them Foxtel as a present. They saw my goal on TV and they rewind it,” he said with a smile.  

Life sounds sweet for the teenager with the growing band of fans. “Living at home, I’ve got my own room now that my brother’s moved out,” he added.

“I come home and there’s food on the table. Mum’s there looking after you, Dad is like ‘what do you need, you need anything?’”

Amini has either one or two games left in the A-League season. Saturday’s game with Gold Coast then, if things go to plan, a grand final with Brisbane.

After that it’s July’s World Youth Championships in Columbia as his next big challenge.

"Musty"and the rest of a talented Young Socceroo group will see the WYC as a showcase for this new generation of players under the tutelage of U/20 mentor Jan Versleijen.

No doubt Versleijen would like to see his entire squad enjoy the highest level of preparation possible.

Training camps in Canberra have been organised but many feel that might not be enough to keep this talented group at their peak for a World Cup.

It’ll be up to Amini, his club and representatives to work out the best solution for him and Australia.

“It’s very important for all the players - not just me - to be not just fit but match fit to represent your country,” added Amini.

“Match fitness is different to training with a team. It’s always great to play for your country and do what you love. Best feeling ever.”

And by having the players around him, he says being a Young Socceroo right now is an absolute joy. And who could blame him?

“Tommy Oar on the left; Matthew Leckie on the right and Kantarovski and Grant behind, with Matthew Fletcher in front,” he said with a glint.

“Just having those players around you, having the confidence to play with them and having the confidence in you, is great. Jan’s a great coach. You can just tell he’s a different coach to others from his training sessions and tactical stuff. How he wants his ball speed quicker, it’s how it is in Europe,” said Amini, a former AIS student.

Coaching has been vital in Amini’s development. Westfield Sports high school provided him with a professional environment in his younger days.

“I’ve had the best coaching since U10s,” he said. Unlike, he noted, his younger brother Yousef. “I go to my little brother’s training and his coach rocks up with thongs on… it’s a joke.”

Fortunately, the Mariners haven’t been a joke this season. One game away from both an A-League grand final and a spot in the ACL, it’s been a fantastic season for the club.

“I went into pre-season with the Mariners and I was like, ‘what am I doing here? I should be back with at the AIS with my boys’," recalled the west Sydney-born youngster.

“But then I got stronger and faster and the ball just came to me and I just got used to it and it just feels like normal training. All the boys have looked after me.

“In the beginning he [Mariners coach Graham Arnold] didn’t play me because he said I wasn’t ready but when I came back from AFC he put me on the bench and after that he started me in the next game.”

Amini added. “He’s had the confidence to play me.

“Arnie told me in Brisbane the other day, ‘when we first saw you play we were like, ‘what did we waste our money on?” And now he’s like ‘wow you’ve come a long way. He keeps playing me and putting me on the bench.”

What has also been noticeable is that Amini has bulked up somewhat. For that Andrew Clark – Mariners Strength and Fitness guru – takes most credit. “He’s made me fit – he’s got me calves” said Amini with a laugh.

Certainly Amini has muscled up in the last few months.

“I want to finish the season with the Mariners, hopefully win the grand final and stay fit and keep training,” Amini added.

Best moment? It was scoring his first senior goal.

"Finally! I got the monkey off my back. It had to come off eventually," said the playmaker.

"Just starting against Perth in Sydney with my family there and all my friends were there from school. It was like it was written.”

Coming from a modest background the kid with the sensational afro has his feet firmly on the ground and his family close by - even when he suits up for this Sunday’s A-League awards ceremony.

There'll be no flashy girlfriend on his arm just yet...

“I’ll be there with my mum on the red carpet," he said with a trademark smile. 

To see the Mariners training for their Gold Coast Clash,
CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PICTURES