Melbourne Victory midfielder James Jeggo has declared he can fit into any midfield role new manager Ange Postecoglou requires of him for next season.
Melbourne Victory midfielder James Jeggo has declared he can fit into any midfield role new manager Ange Postecoglou requires of him for next season.
With Carlos Hernandez and Grant Brebner not returning and Mark Milligan’s loan deal having expired, Jeggo is expected to be a key midfielder in Postecoglou’s revamped Melbourne side.
Postecoglou has indicated that signing a defensive midfielder is one of his main priorities before the new season but Jeggo says he has the versatility to complement any player his new coach might sign to play in the middle of the park.
“I don’t mind sitting back but I enjoy getting forward as well,” Jeggo said.
“So if it’s someone who likes to get forward and that means I might have to sit back a bit more then so be it.
“If it’s someone who does like to sit back and control things more and it allows me to bomb on then that would be fine as well.”
Jeggo played nine games for Victory in the Hyundai A-League (HAL) last season after coming off the bench to play his first senior game for the club in the pre-season friendly against Los Angeles Galaxy.
The Austrian-born midfielder then made his HAL debut against the Central Coast Mariners in Round 6.
But despite his relative inexperience, Jeggo was one of the highlights of Melbourne’s 2011/12 season, settling in quickly to Victory’s midfield and starting the last seven matches.
The 20-year-old said he had only just started to reflect on his breakthrough into senior football since Melbourne’s friendly against Olympiacos on May 19.
“You know I played my first game and then it was ‘am I in the squad for the second game, am I in the squad for the third game?’,” Jeggo said.
“So you don’t really have time (to reflect during the season) and then the season finishes and it was about getting a rest, getting myself ready for (Olympiacos).
“So you don’t really have time, you know?
“You’re just focusing on the next thing, trying to move forward and improve.”
Having moved up from Melbourne’s National Youth League (NYL) side, Jeggo is well-placed to comment on any future stars for Victory.
The energetic central midfielder believes Victory fans could see some of his former NYL team-mates push into the first team next season.
“There are a lot of good boys in the youth team and with players of that age it’s always about getting that chance and there is a hint of luck involved,” Jeggo said.
“So that’s what I tell them, you’ve got to work hard so that if you do get a chance that you’re ready to take it.
“There’s a few (promising) boys there and hopefully you might get to see a few of them soon.”
