Marco Rojas knew from the moment he walked through the doors at Melbourne Victory that he’d made the right decision to switch from Wellington Phoenix.
Marco Rojas knew from the moment he walked through the doors at Melbourne Victory that he’d made the right decision to switch from Wellington Phoenix.
The opportunity to train and play with the likes of Harry Kewell, Archie Thompson and Carlos Hernandez was too good to pass up for the 18-year-old New Zealander, regarded as one of the most exciting young talents in the competition.
“I was really looking forward to coming over here and it’s been everything that I’d imagined,” said Rojas.
“I felt that with everything the club was trying to be, like the best team in the league, it would be good for me and my football development.”
“The boys have been good, they’ve really helped me settle in and the facilities are unbelievable.”
“There were no guarantees and I knew I would have to fight for my position, but now that I’ve started the first game I really want to keep that spot.”
Retaining his place in the starting line-up for Friday night’s clash with arch rivals Adelaide United will not be an issue if the compact midfielder’s dazzling debut against Sydney FC is anything to go by.
Rojas distinguished himself as the most influential outfielder on the park on Saturday night with his creativity and pinpoint passing.
“It was unbelievable playing with a crowd like that and hopefully it’s like that all the time,” said Rojas of the 40,000 supporters who packed Etihad Stadium.
“My performance was alright, but I would have enjoyed it more if we had snuck a goal in and won the game.”
“I’m just in it to help the team to win the game and I’ll do whatever I can to get there.”
While a move to Europe down the track seems inevitable, Rojas said he’s determined to give his all to Victory’s quest for a third Hyundai A-League title.
“You always dream about playing in those types of leagues, and I’m no different,” he said.
“I would like to get to that level one day in my career but, for now, I’ve got to make sure I do well for Melbourne, then who knows what can happen after that.”
“There’s no time frame, I’ve got to do good here before anything else can come up.”
