The fact that he is a firmly-established first-team regular with nearly 50 Hyundai A-League starts to his name makes it easy to forget that Josh Risdon is still only 20-years-old.
The fact that he is a firmly-established first-team regular with nearly 50 Hyundai A-League starts to his name makes it easy to forget that Josh Risdon is still only 20-years-old.
And that explains why he’s been especially thrilled by the recent inclusion in the senior matchday squad of fellow-homegrown youngsters Jack Clisby, Brandon O’Neill, Ndumba Makeche and Storm Roux.
“It’s really good to have some of the younger guys around,” he said.
“I’ve been playing with them for a while now and it’s great to see them being given opportunities at first-team level.
“Jack played an awesome game on his debut against Brisbane and Storm, Ndumba and Brandon did really well when they came on as well.
“Hopefully all the young lads can back up and do the same again in the coming weeks.
“It’s also good to have some extra pairs of hands helping me out with setting up and taking down all the gear at training!”
Risdon is expected to reclaim his right-back berth for Saturday’s clash with Wellington having been ruled out last week by the one-match ban he received after seeing red for the first time in his senior career against Melbourne Victory.
And while many observers felt that his second yellow card was underserved, the man from Bunbury has taken a philosophical approach to the whole incident.
“It was a bit disappointing the way it happened,” he said, “and I did think it was a bit soft, but there’s nothing you can do about it.
“You just have to learn from it and move on.
“I was just confused and shocked when I saw the card because I didn’t even think it was a free-kick.
“But my disciplinary record has been pretty good overall, I’ve had three yellows this season and I didn-t get any at all last season.
“Fergie said he thought it was unlucky and it was good to have his support.”
Looking ahead, meanwhile, Risdon is hoping that history will repeat itself this weekend as the men in purple make the long trip across the Tasman to tackle the Phoenix in a game that has been moved to Auckland’s famous Eden Park.
Victory in last season’s corresponding fixture provided the springboard for Glory’s late-season surge which of course took them all the way to the Grand Final and Risdon sees no reason why they can’t replicate those achievements.
“All the boys are pretty confident,” he said.
“We’ve got a few younger boys coming into the team now and that’s made things pretty lively around the place.
“Now it’s about getting back to winning ways.
“I think last year it was on this trip that we started our run of picking up points away from home, so hopefully we can do that again this weekend and get up towards the top six.”
Not that the pacy defender will be underestimating Ricky Herbert’s side despite the fact that they are currently propping up the A-League ladder.
“Wellington have been a bit like us this season,” he said.
“They started off well and have struggled a bit lately, but we can-t take them lightly.
“We’re both down at the bottom of the table and it’s going to be a tough game.
“I don’t think it makes any difference to us whether it’s in Wellington or Auckland.
“We won there (in Wellington) for the first time last season and amazingly, even the weather forecast for Saturday is looking quite good.
“But I’ll still be packing my screw-in studs just in case!”
