Nathan Amanatidis has impressed during the Joeys’ AFC Under-17 Asian Cup campaign in Thailand. Another Adelaide United product, the exciting Australian prospect chats to KEEPUP’s Sacha Pisani.
“I want to be the guy that everyone can look forward to seeing play,” Nathan Amanatidis told KEEPUP.
Referring to his idol Cristiano Ronaldo, Amanatidis has become that guy at the AFC Under-17 Asian Cup with his lightning-quick dribbles and iconic celebrations.
The Adelaide United teenager has emerged as Australia’s super-sub in Thailand, where he has amassed a little over half-an-hour of football in each of Australia’s three group-stage matches, scoring two stoppage-time sealers.
Both of those late goals have seen Amanatidis channel his inner Ronaldo.
“Everything he does, I want to be like that,” he said in an interview with KEEPUP. “I want to be the guy that everyone can look forward to seeing play and scoring goals.
“And obviously both goals have come in Cristiano Ronaldo time, last minute. Of course I’m going to have to do it.”
“You see the things he’s done and to me, it’s exactly how I want to be. Hard working, just the way he plays and carries himself. It’s exactly how I want to be,” Amanatidis continued.
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Amanatidis was a late inclusion in Australia’s squad for the Asian Cup. However, the 17-year-old has dazzled for Brad Maloney’s side.
His form has a lot to do with his exposure to senior football via Adelaide’s NPLM SA side in South Australia.
Playing against men, he has scored five NPL goals this season and that experience has proven beneficial for him and the Joeys.
“I’ve played two years against men and it’s helped me massively,” he said. “Coming here versing kids my age, I have a bit of an advantage when it comes to that but so do a lot of these boys.
“It’s helped me quite a bit. Very happy at Adelaide. It’s been a good challenging this season.”
Adelaide’s NPL team has been stacked with talent at times in 2023, featuring the likes of Nestory Irankunda, Luka Jovanovic, Jonny Yull, Panashe Madanha, Ethan Alagich and Musa Toure.
All of those players have either forced their way into Carl Veart’s senior side or had a taste of Isuzu UTE A-League football.
That pathway for youngsters in Adelaide has given Amanatidis hope and he is determined to be the “next one”.
“Obviously we have a great, great track record of producing young players,” he said, having already trained with the senior team on a couple of occasions.
“Hopefully I can the the next one. I’m very keen to show what I can do at A-League level. I’m very excited to see what the future holds for me at Adelaide.”
But before then, Amanatidis and the Joeys have business to take care of.
On Monday night, Australia go head-to-head with Japan in the Asian Cup quarter-finals. The winner not only advances to the semis but seals qualification for November’s FIFA U17 World Cup.
Amanatidis and the Joeys, though, are aiming much higher. They want to become the first Australian youth international side to win a major tournament.
“We’re looking forward to not only qualifying for the World Cup but to win. That’s always our mindset. Coming into the tournament was to win the tournament not just qualify,” he said.
“At the end of the day, if we do that obviously we make history but as a team we will always remember that.
“In 20 years time, no matter what any of us do in our careers, we will always think of where it started and how tough the journey was but we did it together. It’s a bond that will last forever.”
