Quietly spoken but with an air of confidence, you get the sense that Marco Rojas is raring to go after an injury-riddled 2020/21 season for Melbourne Victory.
The Kiwi international is certainly no stranger to adversity.
On two separate occasions the diminutive winger was offered the opportunity to dip his toes into the European footballing landscape, first with German side VFB Stuttgart before returning to the A-League after a tough stint in Denmark with SønderjyskE.
In some respects, Rojas’ journey reflects that of a prototypical A-League youngster; he burst onto the scene with Melbourne Victory in 2012/13 winning the Johnny Warren Medal in the process but returned to the A-League after struggling for match minutes in Europe and now finds himself back in the league at the age of 29 with his career at a crossroads.
At his best, Rojas is a joy to watch. His fast feet, ability to bypass a defender and finishing quality is clear for everyone to enjoy. These combined with his confidence on the ball are often the intangible qualities sought after by European coaches – something that the English like to label the “je ne sais quoi”.
Despite possessing the requisite qualities for a winger to succeed on the biggest stage, Rojas’ adventure underscores the treacherous and uncompromising nature of European football, particularly for those who make the journey from down under.
For the 42-time New Zealand international, looking back on the past is not an option as it merely makes you question career choices and whether certain paths would have paved a clearer way to success in Europe.
“Hindsight is beautiful, it allows you to think about many different scenarios,” softly said Rojas as he reflects on the past.
“There’s Australian players and New Zealand players who go over and build successful careers at different points and different ages and then there’s players whose cannot do that or struggle for a little while… it varies for each individual.”
Oftentimes, the cut-throat dynamic that pervades European football can affect younger players who seek to make the leap from the A-League. Resilience and persistence are key, particularly when a player is not favoured by a particular manager.
While Rojas looks upon his time in Europe with fond but uneasy memories, he indeed acknowledges that it was a vital learning experience for both his footballing career and personal development.
“Not playing is hugely detrimental to a footballer, I was in a situation where that was happening and that was often when I would move to a different club,” explained the Kiwi as he espoused the difficulties of continuity and consistency in Europe.
“I then found myself in a place in Denmark where I was playing quite a bit more than what I had in other places in Europe, but it just didn’t feel right for me.
“I look on Europe now very fondly. It taught me a lot. It was really difficult at times…it molded me into the player and person I am now,” he summarised.
In recent years, debate has raged about whether Australian youngsters should jump at the chance to make the leap from the A-League as many cite Daniel Arzani’s move to Manchester City as evidence of the need to cement a place in Australia’s top division before making the move.
While this conversation will continue to ensue in the coming years when Australia’s next wave of virtuosos look to make that leap, Rojas is an advocate for educating young footballers. For him, these talents should receive advice on what is needed to be successful at the top level to ensure they make the most of their ability.
“It’s a very very big chance…I think it’s something that young players should be aware of and have education on,” he explained.
“There are probably some similarities to to what it takes to be successful over there or what happens to the players who bounced around a little bit and probably information that you can use in the future.”
Despite continuing to battle with a persistent injury that has lingered from last season, Melbourne Victory’s Kiwi international has enjoyed been able to speak to some of the club’s young players from the sidelines during this pre-season while he gradually re-integrates into full training.
Although he does not necessarily see himself as a mentor, Rojas is acutely aware that his experiences can be of value to Melbourne Victory’s academy prospects.
“I’ve just tried to create an open place where if they have questions, if they have ideas that they would like to talk about, then I’m always there.
“You gain experiences, you see things happen, and then you pass on the information when required to the new players coming in.”
Having featured in just seven league games last season, Rojas is looking forward to working with new manager Tony Popović for the first time and has been impressed with the way that pre-season has been conducted under the new boss.
“We’re working hard. We’re definitely working hard and he (Popović) knows what he wants us to do and it’s a very clear level of instructions and it’s a very structured way of training that has been really good for us,” the winger said of pre-season training.
“Preseason is all about getting out of your comfort zone and pushing your body as much as you can.
“This preseason, I’ve been in and out of it, obviously recovering from my long term stint on the sidelines, but by all accounts, a lot of experience and what I’ve seen from the sidelines, it has been really good.”
Under the tutelage of Tony Popović, Rojas will compete with the likes of Robbie Kruse, Chris Ikonomidis, Ben Folami and Nick D’Agostino in what shapes to be a very strong attacking lineup for the Victory.
While gradually partaking in team sessions and small-sided games, Rojas has been impressed with the quality and intensity of Popović’s sessions and has been motivated by the competition in the final third to find his best form once again.
A cult hero in the Victory terraces, Rojas is setting his own expectations and is attempting to not get distracted by talk of a title charge from the Melbourne-based outfit this season. With that said, however, the winger made clear that there are large expectations from within the group to achieve a level of success under Popović.
“I really do look positively into when the season starts because we’re definitely putting in the work and we’ll definitely be ready,” Rojas said.
“I think it’s a blessing to have won the appreciation of people out there who think that you’re a good player.
“On top of that to work in an environment where people are expecting success really helps to drive competition.”
With a gluttony of attacking resources at his disposal, many have questioned how Melbourne’s Victory new manager will deploy their Kiwi wizard this season, however, Rojas seems to have received little indication on what role he will play due to COVID halting any potential pre-season matches.
“There are a few different ideas that he would perhaps like to try throughout the rest of pre-season,” he stated.
“There are quite a few players in our team who can play in different positions which probably brings an added level of excitement and unpredictability to our team that will probably benefit us through the season.”
After such a long period on the sidelines, hearing the noise of a packed AAMI Park is something that Rojas is really eager to see once again and is helping to drive his desire to come back to full fitness. Acutely aware of his popularity in the terraces, the dynamic winger would love nothing more than to hear people chanting his name again.
The return of fans to stadiums following the Victorian lockdowns is something Rojas is seeking to relish ahead of a crucial campaign for the club.
“Really looking forward to that and it’ll be huge.”
“I mostly started to note it when I was re-introduced into the small-sided football aspect of training which I had missed for a long time and it really excited me!
“If you add on top of that a stadium full of people with our own supporters then I assume it will elicit some pretty incredible emotional responses within myself and it’s something I look forward to seeing again.”
Having missed such a large chunk of time with his injury, the Kiwi international is not placing a timeframe on his return to football, but is quietly confident that he’ll be fit for the team’s opening match against Western United.
“The first step is to come back into full football training which is coming really soon and then after that it’s working with my body and getting used to being in that environment regularly again.
“But yes, the first game definitely falls within the window there should everything go well,” he confirmed.
While it would be easy for somebody with the experiences of Rojas to toil with his past, the intelligent and quick winger prefers to look forward and envisage success at the end of the road for Melbourne Victory this season.
Should the Victory wish to rekindle the sense of dominance and hope that they have demonstrated in the past, it is indeed likely that Marco Rojas will be at the heart of that comeback.
Ultimately, it’s difficult to imagine a greater ovation for a Melbourne Victory player this season than the one that Rojas will receive when he steps out onto AAMI Park for the first time in almost a year this season.
If he propels this team to an all-important A-League Men Championship, he could just as easily etch his name into Victory folklore as a bona-fide legend of the club.
Image Source: Melbourne Victory
