Apostolos Stamatelopoulos: Dealing with a footballer's life

03/20/2025 03:44 PM

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos made the brave move to Scotland in July from Newcastle Jets. The Australian striker quickly caught the headlines due to his impressive goal record and uniquely long name.

But his move to the other side of the world came off the back of what he calls his 'best season in football.' Going back to the early stages of his career, Stamatelopoulos quickly built up a package of minutes on the pitch from a young age.

"I scored my first professional goal after four first-team appearances," he said.

"Hindsight is a great thing. I was playing for my hometown club, and I had played a lot for the Under 23s before moving up. It was a great time for me.

"I then played more games the year after and then got a bit injured, just because I wasn't used to the pace. After that, I moved to Western United and didn't play a lot. It's the hardest thing to deal with as a footballer.

"People underestimate how hard it is when you don't play and when you can't build rhythm. If I could change anything, it would have been to stay somewhere that I was playing consistently. But it's my journey!"

The Australian international may have had a fast start to life as a first-team player, but he was quickly learning that not everything about being a player is good. It was at his second club, Western United, where he wasn't a regular feature on the pitch, and so began a chain reaction of moves.

"I was only 20 when I moved to Western," the 25-year-old said.

"The guy who was playing in front of me was the A-League's second-top scorer ever, and in that season, he tied for the golden boot. It was hard for me to not play as a centre forward; my coach would try to play me in different positions, but it just didn't suit me.

"I moved to Newcastle Jets; they had another striker who was playing, so I was playing out of position again. After I left Adelaide, I didn't play as a centre forward until last season!

"Then I moved to Greece. I went to the second division there for the purpose of playing games. The Coach wanted me as a striker; I played there for the first 10 games and scored seven goals. I then moved to my second team, and I didn't play there either."

Having been played out of position and with frustration levels building, Stamatelopoulos returned home for his second spell at Newcastle Jets. At this point, he got his wish. Playing up front, through the middle, the Australian began to show the world what he could do by scoring 17 goals in 25 league games. And it was off the back of this goal-scoring spree that his move to Scotland came about.

"It was the best season I'd ever had," he stated.

"But, for me, it wasn't a surprise. I knew I could do that; it was just about getting the opportunity. I've always wanted to play in Europe and go as high as I possibly can.

"I spoke to people who had been at Motherwell before. Scott McDonald was one of them. He basically told me to go for it; he said it was a family- and community-driven club. I was with him for one and a-half years at Western.

"One thing that is important to me is the national team and representing my country. I want to be playing at the highest level and scoring goals, so I have a better chance of getting in the squad."

Unfortunately for Stamatelopoulos, his life in claret and amber didn't start too strongly. Having been named in the starting lineup for his first game since signing, the striker limped off in the first half against Rangers at Hampden. Scans confirmed a thigh problem and indicated he would be missing for a couple of months.

"It was brutal, but it's football," he said.

"What are you going to do? People get injured all the time. It's on me as well because I didn't have the greatest preparation coming into here.

"If you get too emotional, it would be towards your own detriment. People don't realise how hard the game can be in that sense. I take it as it comes."

With that spell on the sidelines marked at an end by his return to the pitch on Friday night against Dundee United, Stamatelopoulos is now ready to kick on from his strong season last year, especially with somebody very close to him arriving in the country.

"I don't want to make the same mistake as when I first came in," the striker explained.

"I'll build up, and I'll hit the back of the net soon. Last year was a massive year, ticking off personal and footballing milestones. My family knows what I can do and has stuck with me; it doesn't stop now.

"My wife gave birth to my son Leo on the 23rd of July, and I flew to Scotland three days later. It was hard for me, but it was worse for her. It's been two months, but they arrived this week. It was hard because we were so far away; it's a day on a flight to see them.

"The time difference made it hard to talk, but I'm thankful my in-laws and parents have helped her so much back in Australia.

"I feel like if I didn't get injured and I was playing, it would have been a little bit easier. You know, on a game day I'd just be worried about football. But when you're injured, there's lots going on in your head.

"Now they're here, it's just gung-ho football because I know I can take care of them when I'm at home, and I can focus on playing when I'm at the stadium."

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