Sydney FC youngster Calem Nieuwenhof has been one of the breakout stars of Season 2020/21, and ahead of the Sky Blues’ trip to Western Australia to face Perth Glory on Wednesday night, we caught up with the 20 year old to see how he’s been going.
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How are you finding your first full season in the A-League?
I’ve been loving my first year in the A-League. I’m gaining good experience by playing my first games now and I’m keen to keep on developing and learning at Sydney FC.
What’s it like competing with Luke Brattan, Paulo Retre etc for a starting spot in midfield?
It is very tough to compete for a starting spot against two great midfielders with a lot of experience in the competition. I am always learning off of both the midfielders and trying to push myself week in week out to hopefully keep playing more minutes.
How have you found the jump from NPL to A-League?
There is a significant jump from the NPL to the A-League in terms of pace and quality in the game. It has been an easy transition though, helped by the great youth team setup at Sydney FC which sets the young players up for success in the A-League with good quality coaching and the many opportunities given to younger players to play.
What are you expecting against Perth on Wednesday?
I’m expecting a very tough game against Perth on Wednesday. I’ve never played them myself but they have some exceptional players which will be a good test for us to come up against.
What sort of impact are you hoping to have against Perth?
Like always, I am hoping to help the team as much as I can, and I’m hoping to get the opportunity to help us get three points.
How did the Big Blue being called off affect preparations?
It was very disappointing that the Big Blue was called off both for the players and fans because everyone was keen for a big derby game, however as soon as the game was called off we began preparations for Perth which is a massive game for us.
What are you hoping to produce for the remainder of this season?
For the rest of this season, I am hoping to get the opportunity to play as many minutes as possible and to try help the team win more trophies.
Sydney FC are in A-League action away against Perth Glory at HBF Park on Wednesday night (kick off 9:20pm AEDT). Catch the match LIVE on Fox Sports 505 or stream the match on Kayo Sports or the My Football Live app.
