Despite injuries, the versatile defender/midfielder has made nearly a half century of first team appearances in the four years since - and notched up some 34 Australia youth caps.

Just eight months into a new three year contract at the Jets, we caught up with the 19 year old hotshot for a chat.

You are currently injured at the moment, how is your rehabilitation going?

It’s coming along nicely, I see the surgeon next Wednesday to assess whether I’ll be cleared to play soon. I’m at the five month mark now [since getting injured], I’m about two weeks away from reaching six months, which was how long the surgeon first predicted before I’d be fit again. I’ll have to wait and see what the surgeon’s diagnosis will be once he sees how my rehab has been going.

The under 20s World Cup is coming up, do you think you will play a part in it? Obviously being captain, you would think that if you’re fit you would be selected...

I’d love to be able to contribute to the campaign in Columbia but I’ve got to get the leg right first, if it’s not then it’s not helping the team or myself. I’m concentrating on doing the rehab properly and then taking it from there and when I see the surgeon we can make a decision on whether or not I can be a part of it.

Do you believe that the Young Socceroos have a good chance of winning the World Cup?

Anything can happen in football, we’ve got a very good team and I think it has improved from the last time when we went to Egypt. There are a couple young boys that were there and are in this campaign as well so there’s even more experience in the team and a greater depth of players. I think we’ve got a very good chance of, if not winning it, improving on last time.

Who do you think will shine in the tournament? Obviously there has been a lot of hype around Mustafa Amini.

He’s a quality young player, there’s no reason why he can’t and there’s no reason why the other players from Australia can’t be one of the standout players of the tournament. There’s Tommy Oar and Matthew Leckie, some of the older boys. There’s no reason why Musty Amini, goalkeeper Birighitti, anybody can have a good tournament and take off.

What are your hopes for the Jets this season?

It’s still a while until the first game; we’ve been in training for the last couple months. We are working on getting our team together, we’ve nearly got all the players on board, the depth of the squad is really good at the moment, we’ve got to improve our squad as a whole and work together as a team and put our ideas out on the pitch. We’ve got a long to do that so hopefully when the season starts we’ll be up there fighting for a spot in the finals.

Obviously now that Jason Culina has joined the team you will be competing with him for a starting spot, are you worried that you won’t get to play as much football as you did last season?

It’s a good challenge, it makes the training sessions more competitive, you’ve got to be your best every day, that’s what being professional is about.

Do you agree with the decision made by the Jets to not sign an International Marquee striker? The Jets played their best football when Jeffers was at the club so surely that is what the Jets need to win the league this season?

I’m not sure, it’s been discussed as a whole within the club and I think we’re happy with what we’ve got as a squad, we’re confident we can do the job with what we have so we are going to do that job with the players we have, who are good players.

A couple of years ago you trialled with Bayern Munich, the huge difference between an A-League club and a European powerhouse must have shocked you, what was the trial like?

It wasn’t too bad, it wasn’t actually a trial it was more like a training session, back then we were still in the Asian Champions League so it was in between one game and the next so it wasn’t a long trial period, it was sort of a week training session and it was good just to be in the atmosphere which was an incredible atmosphere, being over there at one of the biggest clubs in Europe with so much history and culture was extraordinary.

After the trial everyone thought that you were going to join Bayern Munich as soon as you turned 18, but you turned it down and since then you recently signed a three year contract with the Jets. Do you have any intention on going overseas soon or will you play out your contract and then look at your options?

That was always the idea, to find a good solid club to move to. It was my intention to go overseas but I just wasn’t ready to make that move, I think there’s still a lot more things I’ve got to work and improve on here before I move overseas. I’m getting close to that goal of being ready to make that move.

Are there any potential countries you are looking at that you would like to play in or is it whoever comes in with the best offer?

It’s whichever one that comes in with the best offer and appeals the most; we’ll make that decision when we come to it.

Last season you scored your first A-League goal for the Jets against Brisbane, how did that feel?

It was good to get off the mark, I wish I could’ve gotten a couple more but it wasn’t meant to be. It was good to finally get that goal and start the ball rolling; it gave me a bit of confidence during the season. Hopefully I improve and get some more next season.

Being captain of the Young Socceroos and playing well, surely a senior cap isn’t too far away, has Holger got in contact with you about that?

No he hasn’t but it would be an unbelievable experience to get a Socceroos cap.

You were called up by Pim Verbeek for the Kuwait game, what did you think of the camp?

It was great; it was a privilege and an honour to be called into the camp with the actual team and all those players. It was good just to be acknowledged and even better to be out there training with that calibre of players. It was a good learning experience and I improved each session because of the players around me.