Newcastle Jets striker Adam Taggart is not yet 20 years old but already has had the good fortune of being able to learn from four of the best in his position.
Taggart told The World Game how lucky he felt about having previously been a team-mate of Robbie Fowler and Shane Smeltz at Perth Glory, and now Emile Heskey and Michael Bridges at the Jets.
He said it was a grounding any young striker would love to get and that he had tried to make the most of it at the two clubs.
"That sort of learning experience is something you can't buy," Taggart said. "I started off with Robbie at the Glory, and as someone who looked up to him as a kid I thought that was fantastic. I watched him closely and borrowed from his game.
"Next, Shane Smeltz joined the club. He's an unbelieveable finisher, and the way he positions his body in certain situations was something I picked up on.
"All of these guys are great strikers, but there's something different about each of them.
"Heskey does a lot of things a young striker can learn from. He's so good at putting himself between the ball and the defender, and keeping it away from them.
"And his movement in the box is so clever. He makes great runs, but you can also bounce off him with a one-two.
"Bridges is all about the little twists and turns, to try to get away from defenders. He's always trying to get forward when he gets the ball, and I think that's a massively important thing for me to learn.
"He's always looking for someone to feed the ball to, off his runs, so you try to stay alive for him."
Taggart said that while he had learned a lot from being on the field alongside players who had such huge reputations, it was their generous attitude off the field that really struck him.
"They are all pretty humble, considering what they've done in their careers," the Socceroos forward, who played in the EAFF East Asian Cup qualifying tournament, said.
"And that's been an important thing for me to see because it teaches you a lot about how you should act as a footballer.
"Each of them has done a lot to help me, especially Robbie.
"I was only 17 when I started at the Glory and I was so nervous I wasn't even game to talk to Robbie, but he eased me in and I felt the pressure go down.
"He helped me a lot with my game."
With such esteemed peers offering their assistance, Taggart has wasted few opportunities to spend as much time as possible in their company.
"All four of them have been really good to me," he said.
"They've taught me a lot about football and I know I've been lucky to have that experience.
"I've hung out a bit with them away from training and playing as well, and when they start talking about football, and their experiences, it's fascinating."
Taggart is still only 19. He doesn't turn 20 until 2 June, just before he will represent Australia at the FIFA Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.
He is looking forward to playing there, alongside on-loan Wellington Phoenix forward Corey Gameiro, but is desperately hoping to get some finals football in with Newcastle first.
The Jets are one of the five teams locked in a dogfight for the last two available places in the A-League finals series, and will play Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.
Newcastle is sixth, level on points with fifth-placed Sydney FC, one ahead of Brisbane Roar, two ahead of Perth Glory and three ahead of Melbourne Heart, but has played one game more than all of those teams.
Taggart said the Jets have simply got to aim at winning their last two games and hoping that is enough to get through.
"We really needed to get the three points against Perth last weekend, to make sure of things," he said.
"But, although we dominated the game, we didn't get anything out of it and that was really disappointing.
"It makes the next two games massive. The way the comp is, if we win both of them it will probably be enough, so it's all up to us now."
Originally Posted by q-money
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