Ramy Najjarine was still in primary school when Western Sydney were formed in 2012 but four years on, the sixteen-year-old starlet finds himself training with the Wanderers’ Hyundai A-League team.
It should come as no surprise for the Fairfield local for whom playing up has been the story of his career so far.
Last year, the gifted playmaker signed for the Wanderers’ Foxtel National Youth League squad as a train-on player at just 15 years of age.
There’s video evidence of Najjarine gracefully humiliating defender after defender in the U16 NPL 1 NSW for Football NSW Institute as a 14-year-old.
And while he began the Red & Black’s PS4 NPL 2 campaign playing in the Under 20s, he was quickly promoted to the first team after scoring three goals in four matches and has since become a vital member of Trevor Morgan’s first-team side.
It was just another normal day at the office for the Lebanese maestro on Monday as he prepared for his biggest step up yet.
“I was pretty confident and just went through my normal routine and did what I had to do before training,” explained Najjarine.
“It was very professional and everyone was very welcoming.”
The Westfield Sports High School student is certainly experienced beyond his years and not even scrapping it out against hardened stalwarts like Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Robert Cornthwaite, players of nearly double Najjarine’s age, could deter him from impressing Tony Popovic.
Following on from the 2016 NPL 2 season, Najjarine will look to impress the Wanderers’ coaching staff further as he embarks on his journey for first-team football.
He is desperate to follow in the footsteps of former Western Sydney youth graduates like Jonathan Aspropotamitis and Jaushua Sotirio as he pursues a dream position in the Wanderers’ Hyundai A-League picture.
If he wants to make an impact, he could do a lot worse than the Wanderers where another two youngesters both made famous debuts after starring for the youth team.
Alusine Fofanah broke league history when he debuted at 15 years and 189 days against Adelaide United in the Wanderers’ second season, while a 16-year-old Daniel Alessi’s now infamous on-debut schooling of Alessandro Del Piero in the first Sydney Derby of the 2013/14 campaign has already been cemented into terrace folklore.
Najjarine takes on the pressure in the only way he knows how: with a frankly unconcerned swagger.
“I don’t really think of my age that often. I always think everyone is on the same level.”
You can see Ramy in action this Saturday at Blacktown Football Park when the NPL team takes on in-form Fraser Park. Kick-off is 7pm and entry is free for Members.
