Image: Graeme Furlong
12,501 kilometres separate the poor agricultural region of Jonglei in South Sudan and the Melbourne suburb of Heidelberg. It’s an entire world apart, yet against all the odds at Heidelberg United, Kenjok ‘King Kenny’ Athiu couldn’t seem more at home.
In truth, at home is quite an understatement. Athiu’s talismanic skill and precocious work rate have seen him make Olympic Park his own, becoming a firm fan favourite. In the process, he’s become a flag-bearer for everything excellent football can offer in this country.
In fact, it’s hard to imagine when faced with the jovial humility of the young forward that he could be as unpredictable, physically relentless and deadly a finisher on the football field as he is week in, week out.
After a lightning recovery from an injury plagued opening to 2016, the striker’s 18 goals in 22 appearances led the Bergers to a nail biting, yet crucial second place finish in the NPL, narrowly scuppering rivals South Melbourne.
He’s also given the spoilt-for-choice Heidelberg faithful another golden boot contender in recent times, following Dan Heffernan’s prolific hauls. ‘King Kenny’ would eventually finish a slim third in that race, having played three games less than the ultimate victor.
For any NPL player this level of achievement at just 23 years old would be noteworthy. Yet when considering Athiu’s journey to get to this level, his story becomes nothing short of remarkable.
Leaving a nation torn apart by civil war as an 11-year-old, Athiu arrived in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne from a country where youth have no tangible route to fulfil their dreams. Yet football, as it does for young kids across the world, allowed a young Athiu an escape from daily life.
“There wasn’t much and we didn’t have much. You just go to school and it was easy to get lost, I guess. You would always see people stealing or just wasting their life,” he says.
“I played football since I was six and that was what distracted me from losing focus. Growing up I always wanted to play for Arsenal, now I’m a little more realistic, but I still aim to be a professional footballer.”
Athiu is understandably eager to promote football as a bridge between cultures, and between people.
“It’s helped me one hundred per cent. Through football you can get to know someone in a different way. You can see them across the street and just go over and say hi, but you can’t really know each other that well.
“It’s helped me to adapt to knowing where everybody comes from and to understand people better.”
You wouldn’t know for a second the hardships that Athiu has faced. His warm personality and perpetual smile is enveloping, and he radiates a calm sense of readiness that is as evident in an interview as it is on the sporting pitch.
Yet while football has offered Athiu a fundamental aspiration and sense of connection in Australia, it is what Athiu can offer Australian football that is perhaps more exciting.
Following a successful spell at Box Hill S.C in the NPL2, Heidelberg coach George Katsakis quickly spotted Athiu’s ability. Yet given Heidelberg’s dazzling attacking roster, Athiu initially found it difficult to cement a spot in the starting line-up.
At a young age this would have been hard for a prodigious talent to overcome. For any young striker self-confidence is important. For a young man from a refugee upbringing growing up in Melbourne, this confidence is essential.
“I never doubted my ability. I came here to train with the boys and obviously there are a lot of good players at this club, but I could match it with any of them. I just had to work and wait for my opportunity.
“(South Sudanese Australians) have faced a lot of challenges. On television you always see a lot of negative things about the South Sudanese community. I know a lot of it isn’t true, but it’s hard if you’re new to the country and people are always saying negative things about you, you think that they hate you.
“But that’s the media that plays its role, and it’s not really as bad as it may look.”
This determination is something that Athiu credits in abound to his upbringing in Australia and this attitude of continual perseverance is now paying off.
Having played understudy last season to one of the most prolific NPL forwards in recent memory in Daniel Heffernan, Athiu now appears set to mimic the Heidelberg legend’s impressive career.
“Yeah, obviously I have (A-League ambitions). As a soccer player you always want to push yourself to go as far as you can. I’d love to go to that next level and see how I can compete with those professional players.”
For Athiu though, the A-League is far from the limit.
“South Sudan is the country I was born and raised in, I would obviously love to represent them in the future. Just the feeling of representing your country, you know?”
Despite the longing in his voice, a mouth-watering finals series for Heidelberg is eminent, so for now Athiu is simply focused on the task in hand; delivering the Bergers a maiden NPL title, and their first Victorian divisional title since 2001.
“To be honest I like to think of myself as a very humble guy. I just rock up to training and do what I’ve been doing and don’t think too much about what could happen, just what’s happening now.
Given his performances have likely rocketed the forward into the national spotlight; the 23-year-old relies on modest roots to continue progressing. Yet considering what inspires him, the uncertainties of football understandably pale in comparison.
“I don’t feel like I made sacrifices, but I feel like my parents sacrificed a lot. Leaving back home to move to Australia, they left a lot of family to bring us to a better environment and get better opportunities for us.
“Obviously growing up they had to be on me at certain times, make sure I was eating right and not getting in trouble. They made a lot of sacrifices,” he repeats earnestly.
“I always look up to them for answers or whenever I feel like I need to know something I go to them.”
The adherent fans attached to Olympic Park like wallpaper can tell of the joys he’s brought this season.
However in South Sudan, the world’s youngest country, heroes are there for the making, and there’s nothing stopping a hero of a thousand becoming a hero of millions.
One thing’s for sure. It’s going to take a lot to stop someone who has come this far from going all the way.