He is one of several A-League stars setting their sights on becoming the coaches of tomorrow.

The injured Hindmarsh defender is on an FFA course for his ‘B Licence’ qualification, which will allow him to lead a top flight side in Australia or several countries abroad.

He admits that coaching is something he feels passionate about and is he prepared and willing to put in the hard graft required.

It is a positive start to a fresh season for Valkanis after his last campaign was ruined before it had really even begun.

A knee injury in the opening couple of weeks of the campaign put paid to his contribution but he’s made an impressive recovery and cannot wait to resume full training.

In a break between sessions in Canberra, he told au.fourfourtwo.com: “I see the surgeon regularly, every few weeks, and the last time he was super happy about my progress.

“There’s a chance I could have been ready for Asia but we just didn’t want to risk it. But I’m feeling good and looking forward to getting back into things and hopefully get some game time when we take part in the Pre-Season Cup.

“From a playing perspective, last year was one for me to forget but they do say you learn a lot in adversity and I’d agree with that.”

A season on the sidelines has given the 33-year-old plenty of time to think about life after football and he is convinced he has much to offer in a coaching role.

He said: “You really have to want to do this as it’s a tough gig, no question. Just being here this last week, along with the likes of Steve Corica, David Zdrilic, Paul Okon and Carl Veart has made me look at things differently and you take these new ideas on board.

“Rob Baan is one of those who has been in to talk to us, there’s sessions on planning, nutrition, you name it and there’s also a lot of people on the course involved in the grass roots of the game.

“I think that’s so important, that they’re able to go away and use the knowledge they gain because that’s where the future of football in this country lies.

“This is a great time to be involved in football in this country. It’s great to be part of the A-League and I hope to carry on playing for a while yet.

“After that though I really believe I have something to offer as a coach. With the National Youth League starting up for example there are going to be openings for coaches.

"I’m sure I’m not the only one looking to put something back into the game and to pass on what I’ve learned to others.”

As for his teammates, Valkanis just hopes they can continue their tremendous progress in the Asian Champions League.

He joked: “I’ll be telling the boys to make sure they finish top because then it should be great timing for me to come back and play in the quarter-finals.”