Whalley departed Blacktown City at the age of 18 in 2017 to join fourth tier Greek club Panserraikos FC.

After a season with the Lions he signed with top flight Greek side AEL at the start of 2019.

Now 20, the winger is out to break into the Greek Super League and is loving his time at one of the country’s biggest clubs.

"It’s a good club, it’s professional, the quality is good,” he told FTBL. "The team is performing really well, we’re fighting for a Europa spot in the league. It’s going very well.

"Greek football is very stong, it’s like every man for themselves. Everyone wants to win, no one’s going to give it to you so easily, it’s very aggressive.

"We still play good football of course, but I would definitely say the playing style is very aggressive. I’ve learned a lot.

"You’ve got to certainly adapt to what’s going on, you can’t just go through the motions and go to training without purpose, because once you do that you lose the development.

"I want to make the most of every single day.”

After playing for the Under-19s last season, Whalley is after a loan move in January to accelerate his breakthrough into senior football.

"I was looking to find a spot in the first-team but the team has been performing extremely well so they’re looking for the older, experienced players,” he explained.

"The plan might be to go on loan in the winter transfer period and look for some game-time there.

"I’m quite on my own – I’m young, I’m from Australia, there’s not too many Australians here in the Greek league but all the players have been really supportive.

"It’s really helped me to play better and develop me as a player. I feel at home here, I’m really enjoying football here.”

A right-sided winger, Whalley grew up in Sydney’s northern suburbs and came through the junior ranks of GHFA Spirit FC.

After spells with Blacktown Spartans, he spent four years with Blacktown City.

"When I was playing for Blacktown City it was from there a manager had spotted me playing,” he said.

"He really liked the way I play and he said there’s not much happening here, it’s better if I branch you out into professional football where you’re playing all the time and everything is full-on.

"It was from there he found me a club in Greece. I went to Panserraikos FC, when I was only 18. I was training with the first-team and playing matches with the second team. It was good, I developed a lot as a player.

"I went from living at home with my parents to living alone, I had to look after myself. It was a huge change, a massive step up for me. But I think I handled it really well. It was a really positive season.”

Whalley, who can play on either wing and at right back as well, always harboured an ambition to try his hand in Europe.

"Of course, I always wanted to play football professionally,” he said.

"It’s always been my dream. If I wasn’t a professional I’d just be devastated. So to be living that life now is great. The A-League is a good league but I feel like it’s quite difficult to get that exposure.

"The best A-League players are foreigners who have come from Europe, they’ve played in Europe most of their career and become top players. Then they’ve come back to the A-League and they’re unbelievable.

"So I feel like my aim is always go to Europe, develop a lot as a player and maybe later In my career as a player I come back to Australia and play in the A-League.

"Maybe at some point, but for now I want to play in Europe.”