Marko Stamenic has opened up about how the Swansea City community helped him rediscover his passion for football following a challenging first year at the Championship club, marked by personal tragedy.
Thursday marked exactly one year since the 24-year-old midfielder left Nottingham Forest to test himself in the Championship with Swansea. While he has settled into life at the club, the past twelve months have been overshadowed by the sudden death of his father, Nikola, in October — a loss that came just months into his new chapter in Wales.
Ahead of Saturday's opening home league fixture of the new season against Sheffield United, Stamenic reflected candidly on what has been an emotionally turbulent period. He described it as a year defined more by struggles away from the pitch than on it, but credited those around him at Swansea for helping him through the darkest moments.
"Probably more off the field for me on a personal note as everybody knows," Stamenic said. "But I think having the people around me in this club, it really helped me cross that hurdle, to find my love again for the game and really get back to how I know I am as a player and person."
Stamenic revealed that one of the hardest aspects of losing his father has been missing their regular discussions about football, conversations he described as a daily fixture in his life. His father, whom he calls the central influence on his development as a player, had first sparked his love of the game when Stamenic was just eight years old, watching New Zealand compete at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa alongside him.
Sixteen years later, that early inspiration came full circle as Stamenic represented New Zealand at this summer's World Cup in the United States, appearing in all three of the nation's group matches. Although his father was no longer there in person, Stamenic said he felt his presence throughout the tournament, describing him as "watching from above," with the rest of his family present to witness the milestone.
Among the fresh faces adjusting to life at Swansea this summer is Elijah Just, a New Zealand international team-mate of Stamenic's who scored three goals during the World Cup campaign. Stamenic revealed he played a role in facilitating Just's move to the club from Motherwell, having held conversations with both the player and Swansea chief executive Tom Gorringe as the transfer took shape.
"I have brought him along now," Stamenic said with a smile. "He's a talented, a great player, and obviously a great guy. I'm really happy to have him here and I'm hoping the club is going to see what he brings."
Just made his league debut for the club during the recent trip to Stoke, lining up alongside fellow new signings Stephen Welsh, Joseph Opoku and Moussa Yeo. The squad has been further strengthened by the return of Ross Stewart, who is set to be available for selection for the first time this weekend.
With the club's roster looking increasingly competitive, despite continued activity expected in the transfer market, Swansea will be eager to build on last season's 11th-place finish. Stamenic acknowledged the club's higher ambitions for the coming campaign, though he was careful to keep the focus on the immediate task at hand.
"There's no hiding the fact that all of our goals and aspirations are to get promoted — we can't lie about that," he said. "But on a day-to-day basis, we're just focusing on training, making sure the standard is high, and then when it comes to Saturday, on doing our job."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.