Canberra FC junior Marc Tokich is trialling in Germany after being named National Youth League Player of the Year following an outstanding campaign with the FFA Centre of Excellence.
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Tokich, 17, has developed dramatically over the past two seasons under former Socceroo and Centre of Excellence coach Tony Vidmar who kept the rising star in his program for an additional year.
The attacking midfielder was spotted as a late blooming 14-year-old and came into the academy at 165cm and 47kgs, before graduating at 183cm and 72kgs, and Vidmar said the budding talent isn't done yet.
"Marc missed a fair bit of football because we had to manage his training load and growth otherwise he would have got injured, and he's still growing," Vidmar said.
"He was a delayed developer but we saw the football potential in him and invited him to train with us in 2014 and then offered him a scholarship.
"Knowing his quality, the individual player was our priority, that's why we kept him on for an extended period and I don't think anyone else could have done that."
Vidmar wasn't surprised the young picked up the NYL award for the competition that ended in January and said Tokich remained training with the academy before earning his trial in Europe.
"Marc is an attacking midfielder who knows where's the goals are, he has good drive and combination play and had a very good year so the award was very well deserved," Vidmar said.
"He's a quiet guy and doesn't say too much, he likes to let his football to do the talking and I think he's starting to grow as a person and becoming a leader."
FFA player development manager Jackson Kupke said Tokich's rise can be attributed to the world class facilities at the AIS where the Centre of Excellence is based.
"His success is down to the sports science at the AIS and that he was affectively managed," Kupke said.
"His growth and load management has been so tightly monitored over the past two years that our physio would look at his daily data and speak with coaches on what his body could tolerate.
"He has been part of Australian under-20 side preparing for the 2019 World Cup and I expect him to make that team when the squad for qualifiers is announced later in the year."
Tokich's father Tony confirmed his son will remain in Germany for another month after the club extended his trial period last week.
"We're very proud of him and it's well deserved because he works very hard," Tokich said.
"He has come a long way and long way to go but we're just happy he's following his dreams because this is all he has ever wanted to do."
