City's new No1 was all smiles as he signed in at Carrow Road this lunch-time.
As any Australian would be. They had three wickets in the bag at the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff; the tide of the first day's play had yet to trun back England's way.
None of which was lost on Norwich's new goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos as he settled swiftly into his new surroundings.
Was it good to arrive on the first day of an Ashes series?
“Yes – and I think it's three for something,” he smiled, as Australia took the first session.
Whether that natural confidence would have taken a knock or two come the end of play is another matter, but it was clear that Theoklitos arrives in Norfolk with some traditional Aussie traits figuring large in his make-up – as well as the usual eccentricity that comes with being a keeper.
“Goalkeepers are a different breed,” he admitted. “Off the pitch is one thing, on it you've got to be bossy – and, yes, I like to think of myself as an aggressive goalkeeper. And I'm pretty vocal.
“And I come from a winning mentality – and that's what we need here at Norwich. And I suppose it is an Aussie mentality – it's all about winning. At the end of the day, that's what football is about.”
This is, of course, not the first foray he has made into the middle reaches of the Football League. He has one, injury-hit spell at Bloomfield Road on his cv. All part of life's rich learning curve.
“I played seven or eight years ago for Blackpool. I was a young keeper then and it was great to learn my trade,” said the Melbourne Victory star who on the back of two A-League triumphs with his home city club decided that the time was now ripe for another shot at making it big on the European stage.
Out of contract, 28-years-old and with a World Cup tournament looming next summer – be it with either the nation of his birth or that of his ancestors – so Theoklitos decided to make his move. And his first stop was going to be Norfolk.
“I like to think that I'm a mature goalkeeper now – I'm 28,” said Gunn's fourth, full-time signing of a busy summer.
“I've had the success that I've had back home and I'm really looking forward to joining Norwich City and, hopefully, getting this club back in the league that it deserves to be in.”
He certainly arrives in the UK with a winners' mentality. Victory have dominated the A-League scene of late.
“We've won the A-League twice and the Grand Final twice,” he confirmed. “Bryan [Gunn] has talked about a winning culture and I like to think that I've been part of that.
“We've had success and it's been great to see Australian football progress in the way that it has. But in saying that, I'm glad to be over here in the UK.
“It's the home of football and I'm really, really excited to start a new chapter in my life and to be playing here, for the manager and for Norwich City.
“It's a massive club. And as Bryan mentioned before, the goalkeepers that have come out of here have all been top-notch. So I feel really honoured and I really can't wait to start and work under the management here at Norwich.”
His enthusiasm might have been slightly dampened by the fact that the use of the word 'Bryan', as opposed to the obligatory 'Gaffer' cost him a four dollar fine on his first afternoon as a fully-fledged City player.
That will be just part of his latest learning curve; the little, engrained ways of a traditional, English professional football dressing room.
Inspirations aren't too hard to find. There's one Socceroo who is a hero on Merseyside; another in Teesside.
“There's Tim Cahill at Everton and Mark Schwarzer who has doen very well here over the last ten years. I think he's now 35, 36 and he's still going very well.
“So, yes, they're the people that I look up to and aspire to. But it's something that I've always wanted to do – to be here in the UK; the home of football.
“And I'm just thrilled to bits to be here and I just can't wait to get started.”
If that was one, big decision made another still looms – whether to tie his international colours to the mast of either Australia or Greece.
On the bench for the Socceroos recent clash with Kuwait, Theoklitos hasn't actually played for Australia. Even now, he could switch and bring his Greek passport into play.
“I've got the dual nationality, so when the time comes I'm sure I'll make the right decision,” he said. “In the meantime, however, I've just got to concentrate on playing my football and playing to the best of my ability for Norwich City.”
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