Liavas still playing the ?Little Warrior? at Bankstown City Lions

Un-fazed by cultural background and pre-conceptions, Liavas is driven by a love for the club and passion for its people, who have taken him to their hearts during his five-year stay.
Success has often followed the 29 year-old throughout his career, part of three Bankstown Grand Finals, one of them a victory over Bonnyrigg, where he lined up with good friend and fellow player Sean Babic.
The last couple of years have been disappointing for Liavas though, who has seen his club uncharacteristically miss the finals series.
Now under the leadership of NSL veteran Peter Tsekenis, the winger must help his Bankstown side fight through a disappointing start to their season as they seek to return to winning ways…
FNSW: You?ve been with Bankstown for a few years now Steve and it?s generally been a happy time; you?re game has flourished and you?ve become synonymous with the club. You must be feeling good?
SL: My game?s improved year-by-year at Bankstown, playing regular football is important and to do it at one of the clubs vying for the Premiership every year has helped my game.
FNSW: Does it help to be playing for a team with such a huge reputation in the state league? Bankstown are a powerhouse and attract a lot of attention.
SL: Definitely and playing at a club that demands so much success puts a lot of added pressure on yourself, which is not a bad thing. We have been successful, especially in the last five years ? we?ve played in three Grand Finals ? and unfortunately the last couple of years have been a bit disappointing with us not making the Semi Finals. This year we?re looking to get back on track and play finals football again.
FNSW: Is there a particular reason the club haven?t enjoyed their usual success over the last couple of years?
SL: I think the first year that I got to the club, Andrew Papoulias was there and we won the Grand Final that year and since then Peter Tsekenis has taken over; I think he?s a great young coach who is going to go a long way, not just in this league but probably at a higher level. The combination of him and ?Flea? ? Peter Papoythis, the assistant coach ? has helped a lot of the young players that have come through over the years and also the core players, the six or seven who have been there over the past few years, they?ve built the squad around these guys.
FNSW: What?s it like playing with a player-manager at a club? That?s the role that Peter Tsekenis has taken on.
SL: It?s great, his leadership obviously speaks for itself with what he?s done throughout his career and he definitely lifts the boys with his leadership on the park. From a coaching perspective, I?m sure over time he?d like to watch from the sidelines but at this stage he?s playing good football and having Flea there on the sidelines makes his coaching that much easier.
FNSW: Have the last two years at Bankstown for you personally been that bit more disappointing because you?ve already tasted success?
SL: Definitely, once winning titles is in your system it?s a very big let-down. Regardless of injuries and recruitment at the club, a club like Bankstown regardless of who is at the club will usually bring success. When we fail to do so it?s definitely a disappointment. At this stage of my career I?ll be looking to win as many titles as I can! I don?t know how long I?ll keep going for, I?m only 29 but I?d definitely like to win a few more.
FNSW: Does it help you to have such a supportive base at Bankstown? Often players are seen after the game enjoying a drink at the club house and there seems to be a very positive atmosphere at the club.
SL: The five years that I?ve been there our committee has been nothing short of excellent with the club and the players. I don?t get involved in the politics as such ? which is probably surprising to some people! ? but regardless of the background of a player, they?ve always accepted a player. We are a tight-knit group at the club both as a committee and group of players as well and that goes a long way to making the club a successful one. After the game we usually do go into the club and have a drink and a feed and usually we welcome the opposition players as well; that?s been a part of Bankstown for the last five years I?ve been involved.
FNSW: Does it help also to have such a passionate and loyal core of supporters at Jensen Park? It might not be the biggest in the league but they are particularly vocal and turn up every week.
SL: Definitely. You always see the same faces there regardless of the result but at the same time a club like Bankstown need results and that?s what keep the crowds coming. But that loyal base of fans are mostly there on home and away trips as well. We?d like to get back on the winning track and see the grandstands at Bankstown a lot fuller than they are these days.
FNSW: Bankstown always seem to produce an attacking, entertaining brand of football whenever they play. As a group of players, is this something you consciously set out to do?
SL: That?s something that Peter Tseksnis and Peter Papoythis have set out to do; we base our game on attack. We try to keep things as tight as possible in defence but our main goal whether we are at home or away is to play an attacking style of football and at no stage in the last five years have we ever been instructed to play defensive or to play for the draw and I think that comes out in the football that we play; we like to hold the ball and attack and score as many goals as possible. If we can do that on a regular basis, more than likely we?ll get the results.
FNSW: You?re a player that stands out when he plays for Bankstown and is well known at the club. Have you ever officially been approached by A-League clubs?
SL: There?s been nothing major or concrete but as a player, personally, it?s very hard. There are a lot of good young players out there who have the ability to become very big players and I think ? I?m not saying I?m getting old ? at 29 I?m just enjoying my football and I?ve never put added pressure on myself to do anything out of the ordinary. I like to focus on the things I do best in the game and if anything comes from that at any stage, I?ll take it as it comes. I?m more than happy to end my career in the TeleChoice Premier League.
FNSW: Is it disappointing that you were never sounded out though? Do you think you are good enough to play at a higher level?
SL: I never doubt my ability. I think I have certain attributes to my game that are beneficial and I always focus on the things I can improve on and using the things I know I?m good at on game day. Every player has their good and bad points and if you focus on improving your bad points, that?s the most you can do as a player.
FNSW: Bankstown are a particularly passionate club. Do you feel that passion when you play on the pitch
SL: Definitely and I think part of that is the bunch of boys that you play with. Most of the core players have been there throughout and it?s a winning culture that we have at Bankstown. If we lose it?s not the end of the world. There?s no point getting hysterical; it?s a professional club and the guys who represent them week-in-week-out are passionate and a lot of that comes from winning ? that winning feeling is very hard to let go of.
FNSW: You?re now at a more mature age at 29 ? is this a time where you can perhaps give something back to the club by helping the young players who are coming through?
SL: When I was younger I always looked up to a lot of the senior boys at the various clubs I?d been at and I?m at that stage now. A lot of the juniors at Bankstown are very good young players and we?re always communicating with the young guys and getting them up to our training sessions. Some of the 16s and 18s train with us every know and then and it?s important to have that connection with the younger boys as well.
FNSW: Finishing up now, what was your most memorable moment in a Bankstown jersey?
SL: Probably winning the Grand Final against Bonnyrigg; that was definitely a highlight for me, I had a good game and player out a Parramatta Stadium. But there are other moments as well, like winning the Super League title three times in a row with Stanmore but that Bonnyrigg ones and playing with one of my favourite players, Sean Babic, who scored a couple of goals that day. He was a good mate of mine and I can look back with pride and say that I played with him.
FNSW: Thanks very much for your time Steve and best of luck for the rest of the season.
SL: Cheers.
Interview by Chris Paraskevas