Vukovic, 34, is undergoing rehabilitation in Sydney after rupturing his Achilles at training with Belgian champions Genk when the current season was only a few days old.
Vukovic admits he does not know when or if he will be back in his club's first team but throughout his chequered career he has learned to treat adversity as a test of his character.
The affable goalkeeper has had to deal with many drawbacks since making his senior debut for Central Coast Mariners in the first A-League in 2005-06.
He was fined and suspended after being sent off in the 2008 grand final and missed out on the Olympics, had two unsuccessful stints in Turkey and Japan, was an innocent victim of the salary cap scandal that robbed him and his Perth Glory teammates of a chance to play in the finals, and was forced to deal with the trauma of a rare illness that befell his young son.
Yet, same as he did before with sheer determination, hard work and a calm head over his shoulders, Vukovic is determined to come out on top of this latest mishap.
And four-year-old fighter Harley, who is his dad's biggest supporter, is unwittingly playing a key role in Vukovic's long and winding road to recovery.
"The suspension in 2008 was a shock to my system and the hardest part about is that it was self-inflicted," a relaxed Vukovic recalled over a coffee in Parramatta, just before undergoing another physiotherapy session.
"At first it took me a while to come to terms with what had happened to me, not least the $10,000 fine that I had to pay myself and for which I had to take out a personal loan.
"I was just an average goalkeeper those days but I worked hard to get through that dark period and not end up on the other side.
"Turkey was a harrowing experience. I went there in 2010 after five years with the Mariners, because I wanted to enhance my chances of playing for Australia. I knew straight away however something was not right with the Konyaspor club.
"I played all the pre-season games but was dropped on the eve of the championship because the club wanted to use its three foreigner spots with outfield players so I missed out. To add insult to injury, my contract was never lodged with the federation and I was told I was free to leave the club so I effectively had no contract, no club and no idea where I would play next. I was devastated. Thankfully Wellington Phoenix needed a goalkeeper so I went to New Zealand.
"Japan in 2014 was rather enjoyable under coach Graham Arnold, but when he was sacked I knew I had no future with Vegalta Sendai. I was there on loan so I went back to my club Perth Glory.
"But the salary cap scandal that was caused by things that were out of our control robbed us of the chance of playing in the A-League finals.
"My season with Melbourne Victory was the worst in my career. I did not perform and was making the sort of mistakes I had never made.
"Coach Kevin Muscat gave me every chance to find form but in the end he had to drop me. It was at this time that my wife and I discovered that our son Harley was gravely ill with a horrible liver disease that required a transplant.
"Our respective families were in Sydney and we had little or no support in Melbourne. When I was away my wife Kristy had to take Harley to hospital on her own. These factors must have had an impact on my game ... I still regret not being able to give Victory my best.
"Coming to Sydney FC in 2016 was a godsend. My game flourished and I was able to help the Sky Blues win the championship-premiership double. Sydney is a wonderful club with a beautiful environment and Arnie and John Crawley helped me improve the mental and technical side of things."
Vukovic, whose contract with Genk expires at the end of next season, also gave an insight into the frame of mind of a successful sportsman who was forced out of action for a long time through injury.
The goalkeeper comes across as a casual, happy-go-lucky person but like anybody else in his position he has moments of doubt, frustration and torment.
"I had periods where I did not know how the future would unfold because this was the first serious injury of my career," Vukovic said.
"You go through various rehabilitation stages but the worst part is going to work and instead of joining your teammates on the practice field you go to the gym where you are alone with your trainer.
"In the initial phase of your recovery you are keen to come back as quickly as possible but after five or six weeks rehab becomes the same thing over and over again and you have to stay on top of yourself to remain motivated. I think my club allowed me to come home so as to keep my spirits up.
"Rehab definitely is a challenge and a test of your character. Being out for so long is like a mourning period. At first I kept saying to myself 'why me?' but feeling sorry for myself was not going to help me so I got back to what I have done best in my career and that is work hard.
This is how I will attack this setback. In my mind I know it is going to be difficult but I can see myself as fully recovered and playing.
It might not be so straightforward. The game of football is littered with examples of injured players failing to get back into the team because their replacements took their chance or simply because circumstances at the club changed by the time the injured players were ready to play again.
Does Vukovic fear a similar scenario, particularly since Genk have had a new coach since he has been away?
"It is not necessarily a fear ... more like a concern," he said.
"Of course I have thought about it a lot. I understand this part of the game and it's something I accept and if that's the case I will come back to the team and have to earn my position same as I did three years ago. I came into the Mariners team after Crawley had a career-ending injury, after all. I have never had any guarantees in football especially here in Belgium."
There is also the Socceroos question. Vukovic is regarded as Mat Ryan's No. 2 but if he fails to play regularly when he recovers his chances of going to a second World Cup would be seriously jeopardised, provided the Socceroos qualify.
"The Socceroos is also something I have thought about," he said.
"I am desperate to come back into the national team reckoning because to represent your country is the pinnacle in your career. I know the importance of playing regularly and that is motivation enough for me to come back stronger than ever.
"I look at my son and realise that what I'm going through now does not even compare with what he's gone through in his young life. It puts things in perspective. That's what keeps me going and drives me to return to the game and experience those special games in special environments that become addictive."
Vukovic will return to Belgium in two weeks to resume the rehab at his club.
