Melbourne City striker Shayon Harrison is putting his future plans on hold to focus on a deep run into his first A-League finals series.
On loan from Tottenham Hotspur, Harrison has hit the ground running in Australia with four goals and one assist in 10 starts and is pleased with how he adjusted to life Down Under.
“It took a few games to finally get on the scoresheet, but in these last few weeks I’ve grown in confidence and the goals have come,” he said on Evenings on FNR.
Coming from Europe, the concept of finals football is one that is foreign to Harrison but is something he is eager to experience and perform well in.
“I haven’t experienced it before, but I’m really, really looking forward to it,” Harrison said.
“It’s a really, really important one especially in my career, a good chance to win something right now,
“We’ve been working really hard in training and we just can’t wait to get out there.”
Harrison debuted for the Tottenham first-team in 2016 as a second-half substitute in the EFL Cup against Liverpool, but has struggled for consistent opportunities at senior level.
Now 21 years of age, Harrison took the opportunity to come to Australia to play senior football and has relished the challenge and the quality of the competition.
“It’s been an amazing standard,” he said.
“That’s the reason I came out here in the first place, to test myself and improve myself and play men’s football, because that’s the next step for me in my career.”
Warren Joyce brought Harrison in alongside Jamie Maclaren in a big double coup for City in January, with the pair striking up a fearful partnership for A-League defences.
“Me and Macca hit it off straight away as soon as we started training together,” Harrison said.
“On the training pitch we have a really good understanding and I think that shows on the pitch as well,
“He’s an amazing player to watch and learn from, I’m trying to take everything I can from him because he’s such a fantastic player and a really nice guy off the pitch as well.”
On Joyce, Harrison said he has taken from the manager a mentality of pushing himself in training and always finding ways to improve his game.
“He’s constantly telling me ways I can improve, and I think that’s a big thing for a manager to talk to a young player about,” he said.
While admitting that playing for Tottenham in the Champions League would be a “dream,” Harrison affirmed his mind is solely on Melbourne City as his parent club navigates a Champions League semi-final on the other side of the world.
“It would be nice to be one of those players that can come and make a difference but my main focus right now is to be playing for Melbourne City and doing well in these finals,” Harrison said.
Approaching an important period of time in his career, Harrison remained coy on his future but admitted that going abroad to find first-team football could continue to be a possibility.
“It’s very important for young players – if there is the opportunity to play abroad – to pursue it,” he said.
“It can only help develop you, I’m really happy I’ve made this step out to Australia; it’s been a good test for me,
“Afterwards I don’t know what’s going to happen, we’ll see what happens but I’m really enjoying my time here right now.”
