DANIEL Stynes is in the third year of a law degree at Murdoch University in Perth. The 24-year-old midfielder is well aware that a football career doesn't last forever.
Right now. Football is all the Newcastle Jets attacker is focused on.
Stynes is among 12 new faces at the Jets.
The lanky No.10 announced his arrival with a first-half hat-trick in a 15-1 demolition of the Coffs Coast All Stars during the club's training camp in Coffs Harbour nearly a fortnight ago.
He backed that up with another eye-catching performance - minus the goals - in a 3-all draw with Wellington Phoenix in a modified friendly in Sydney on Sunday.
"It doesn't matter the opposition, you always want to hit the back of the net and build confidence," Stynes said. "It was very important for me to get my first goals for the club.
"As a new player, even as a player from last year, you always want to put you best foot forward. No matter the opposition, you always want to perform at your best and put your name in the hat."
Stynes and fellow attacking midfielder Callum Timmins joined the Jets from Perth. The Glory were keen to retain both and had tabled two-year offers.
"I had been a Perth boy through and through. I came through the academy system since I was 12 and have a long, long affiliation with the club," Stynes said. "It wasn't a great year for the club last year, if I am being honest. I felt that I needed to get out of my comfort zone. I was very comfortable in Perth, I was studying and living at home with my parents.
"I just felt like I needed a change in my career. When the boss (Jets coach Arthur Papas) called me - I had watched Newcastle very closely last year and obviously when they smacked us - it was something I knew was right up my alley in terms of the football that was played. When he called me, I was very, very excited and wanted to come over straight away."
Asked to elaborate, Stynes said: "The amount of possession the Jets had. They were dynamic, they were free flowing. It felt like a very free, expansive team that wanted to express themselves, that wanted to score goals, that wanted to be entertaining."
The first month of life at the Jets has reinforced Stynes' observation.
"I'm really enjoying it," he said. "Since I arrived, I do feel differences physically and in knowledge with regards to what I need to do tactically. I feel like I have made good strides already."
The work hasn't been purely on attack. The Jets shipped 39 goals last season, an area Papas is determined to improve.
"A lot of the focus has been on winning the ball up high, suffocating the opposition and scoring goals from the press," Stynes said. "There has been a lot of work defensively on shape, pressing, when to press and how to press. It is very exciting."
Off the field, apart from getting used to a new home, Stynes has also continued to study.
However, it is more a release than a back-up plan.
"I'm in my third year now and am not too far from completing it," he said. "I have done it part-time through Murdoch University for the past seven years. It is something good to stimulate the mind away from football."
The friendly against Phoenix was played in three 45-minute periods. The Jets struck first through a stunning volley by Reno Piscopo. The Phoenix then scored two back-to-back to lead. Archie Goodwin converted the Jets' second from a penalty before Jason Hoffman scored the third to again tie it up.
