The 17-year-old is preparing to move his life to the other side of the planet, having agreed to a transfer worth up to $2.5 million to Major League Soccer side Colorado Rapids – the same team that helped turn Socceroo Lucas Herrington into a $33 million Premier League player.
asserted
that → prepare → player
Last season, he became the youngest ever player to suit up in an A-League grand final, and on Friday, he’ll start his final season for his club, Sydney FC, with a derby against the Western Sydney Wanderers, where he spent his junior years before they inexplicably let him slip through their fingers to their crosstown rivals.
asserted
him → become → rivals
As one of Australia’s hottest young talents, who has already represented the under-23 Olyroos, despite being nearly six years below the age cut-off, he’ll be one of the A-League’s top attractions between now and his departure next year.
asserted
he → represent → departure
The spotlight is now firmly fixed on him, and with any luck, it’ll be that way until he retires from football.
asserted
he → fix → football
So, how on earth does he deal with it all?
asserted
he → deal → it
He doesn’t.
Asked if it’s been difficult to juggle everything lately, Akon replies with a nonchalance that seems to come naturally: “Not really, aye.”
asserted
that → ask → nonchalance
“I kind of don’t really focus on anything, more just where I am presently.
asserted
I → focus → anything
I just let everything fly by,” he says.
asserted
he → let → ?
I don’t let things come to my head.
asserted
things → let → head
I just do what I can, be me, and whatever comes, comes.”
asserted
comes → do → ?
It’s an almost absurdly relaxed outlook for a guy who cannot buy alcohol in Australia until May.
uncertain
who → ’ → May
That’s when he turns 18, and that’s why he’ll be with Sydney FC for another season: because FIFA rules generally prohibit players from making international transfers until that age.
asserted
rules → ’ → age
It works out for all concerned, since Akon wanted to spend another season in the A-League to keep developing, and now he can do it without transfer speculation hanging over his head.
asserted
speculation → work → head
There’s more than a hint of Herrington in the way Akon has been able to take everything so far in his stride.
asserted
Akon → ’ → stride
But as a player, there’s shades of Nestory Irankunda; maybe he doesn’t have the same raw, explosive power, or set-piece wizardry (from we’ve seen so far, anyway), but he does have the same sort of fearlessness, directness and unpredictability that makes defenders tremble in their boots at the mere thought of being isolated against him one-on-one.
asserted
defenders → ’ → one
And he does celebrate goals with a backflip, too.
asserted
he → celebrate → backflip
When they signed him, Colorado Rapids sporting director Fran Taylor described Akon as having “uncommon physical and competitive maturity”, and watching him play, that checks out – although it possibly understates his level of creative nous, which is also rare for an out-and-out winger.
uncertain
which → sign → winger
It helps that Akon grew up with plenty of practice taking on opponents.
asserted
Akon → help → opponents
As the fourth-oldest of eight children from a South Sudanese family from Sydney’s west, the numbers were always there to organise a pick-up game at short notice.
asserted
numbers → organise → notice
“It’s not good,” he says.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
“If anyone says it’s good having seven siblings, they’re lying.
asserted
they → say → siblings
It’s not fun.
asserted
It → ’ → ?
“I don’t know, man.
asserted
I → know → ?
There’s just too much people at once in one house, and then you just get overstimulated and stuff.
asserted
you → ’ → house
But at the end of it, you have fun when you’re growing up.
asserted
you → have → fun
You can just ask your brothers, ‘Let’s go kick a ball,’ or ask your sisters, ‘Can you teach me how to do this and this and that?’”
asserted
you → ask → this
Akon was born in Sydney and grew up around Mount Druitt and St. Marys, surrounded by not only his siblings but extended family, for whom football is in the blood.
asserted
football → bear → blood
His parents moved to Australia from South Sudan several years before he was born, although he doesn’t know much about the circumstances that brought them here.
asserted
that → move → them
“I don’t know the full details because they haven’t told me yet.
asserted
they → know → me
They probably think I’m too young or something,” he says.
asserted
he → think → ?
But with so many kids, the cost and logistics of junior football eventually became too much.
asserted
cost → become → football
And here’s where Akon’s story has further parallels with Irankunda, and many other emerging African-Australian players: some of his siblings had to give the game away so that the family could afford his registration fees.
uncertain
family → ’ → fees
“At times, you feel bad because they also love the sport a lot,” Akon says.
asserted
Akon → feel → sport
“And since they had to stop because of me, it’s a bit of pressure on me.
asserted
it → have → me
But then it’s like, ‘OK, now I have to do you proud’ and stuff.
asserted
I → ’ → you
It obviously hurts that I had to see my brothers stop – because who knows, they could have been with me.
uncertain
they → hurt → me
But that’s how our life is.
asserted
life → ’ → ?
“To be honest, they make it easy for me because they’re very supportive.
asserted
they → make → me
When they stopped, they were kind of just like, ‘Now it’s your turn to do it for us, and we’re here for you.’
asserted
we → stop → you
That’s precisely what he intends to do.
asserted
he → ’ → what
…and 19 more, not listed.
The Aporia
