Two years ago, Tass Mourdoukoutas found himself at a bit of a career crossroads. Needing more matches and more minutes to grow his game the Australian looked for opportunity thousands of kilometres away in the Canadian Premier League.
And after 36 matches with York United FC over the 2022-23 seasons, Mourdoukoutas now finds himself in Winnipeg wearing Valour FC colours while taking on a leadership role with a new outfit which has undergone a significant makeover.
“I really like the cohesiveness already of the group,” Mourdoukoutas told valourfootball.club after training on Friday at WSF South. “We have a lot of new players and for them to be able to adjust to the new environment – and for some it’s about getting used to the cold weather – but we’ve come in with a good attitude. A lot of the boys have been top class and it’s only going to hold us in good stead for the rest of the season.
“We’ve got a coaching staff that is very willing to put together guys that are motivated and want to bring this club to where it belongs at the top level and into finals football. In terms of quality, this is as good as any. I have no qualms in saying this group should be at the top level and performing every week as dark horses – and embracing that role as well, which could be huge for us.”
Mourdoukoutas is more than content in the right here and now with his new squad. Take a step back and what’s he’s even more than thrilled with was his decision to leave Australia and the Western Sydney Wanderers for York and the CPL.
He had played five years with the Wanderers in the A-League but wanted more of a workload and more responsibility. His manager had a connection with York and with that he left the comfort of his home country for a new adventure.
“We saw an opportunity when I moved to York to get regular game time and grow my confidence,” he explained. “To be an important player in a team was huge to me to help get me out of my shell and improve my game.
“It’s funny, it can seem like the other side of the world, but football has no real boundaries in that sense where if there’s an opportunity and it looks like a good idea for your development you take it with both hands and run with it. I thought I did that at York and am looking forward to doing that here.
“I’ve been so impressed. The guys back home ask me about the league – I was one of the first Australians to come here and took a bit of a leap of faith. But I also knew my ability and knew I could grow and develop and hopefully then lift those around me. I’m trying to do the same thing here with my experience.”
Now 24, the centre back looks to play a big role in Valour’s revamped back line. He brings size and experience and is now approaching a big number as a professional.
“My dream was always to become a professional footballer and to play one game was a blessing,” he said. “This year hopefully I’ll be playing my 100th pro game and I always say all the hard work I put in when I was younger in Australia in that environment and in a competitive league and to make it here.
“I always say if you want to grow your game, take a leap of faith. Go for it. It’s a good country, good people and the league is thriving more and more.”
Mourdoukoutas now has two CPL seasons under his belt and was asked on Friday to assess his new squad and offer a take on Valour’s 2024 prospects. And while every squad likes where it’s at in preseason training, the veteran defender did provide a fresh and unique perspective.
“Look, our prospects are as good as anyone in this league,” he said. “People are going to look at the position from last year, but we don’t worry about that at all because this league is so tight. Last year with York and we came fifth and were four points out of second place. You think about critical moments in seasons, wins or draws you should have had that you let slip, that could put you near the top and in the Champions League. Ottawa came last and won the league the year after. So, for us, we don’t look at last year.
“We have everything available to us with the way the club is established and is operated compared to other clubs in the league; clubs I’ve been a part of and clubs I’ve heard about. They do everything right here from top to bottom so in that sense we have no excuses. It’s got to be a group of 20-plus guys all committed and working together for one thing and that’s fighting for silverware at the end of the season.
“People will look at that statement and go. ‘Oh, that can’t last…’ but let’s go back to when Ottawa did it, so why can’t anyone else. I believe this league is one of promise that is growing every single week, every single year. So, for the new guys that clean slate is so exciting while the guys from last year want to prove a point.”