In his first 12 months as a professional footballer James Holland became the youngest player to score in the A-League (in his debut match), won an A-League Championship and played for the Socceroos.

He showcased excellent attacking skill yet still retained calm concentration, which would foreshadow his gradual shift towards a defensive mentality as his career wore on.

He was quickly pegged as the next big thing and shot off to Dutch side AZ Alkmaar.

But in three years, under coaches Louis van Gaal and Dick Advocaat, he failed to make a single appearance.

But rather than falter or fade, in 2012 Holland arguably made the best decision of his career - at least until now.

He took up a role in the Austrian Bundesliga with Austria Wien, a club that was outsideof continental competition and still in transition from its rebranding five years earlier.

This was a lifeline for the Australian. In his second season at Wien, Holland played 34 league matches, won the Championship, and was soon facing clubs like FC Porto and Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

Once again, fulfilling his lofty potential appeared promising. But in 2013 the cautious style Holland had developed throughout his Europoean journey didn't fit within the Socceroos gung-ho philosophy under new coach Ange Postecoglou.

Despite becoming a leading figure within the Austrian Bundesliga and Ange's insistence on scoping far and wide for talent, Holland registered just over 100 minutes of game-time throughout Postecoglou's entire reign.

His 15th and final match for the Socceroos was 15 minutes in a 0-0 draw with the United Arab