Last year’s move to Utrecht wasn’t the first time you had a chance to move to Holland...

I had a chance to move to NEC Nijmegen the year before but I chose not to go. There were a lot of reasons why I turned it down – we’d just come off two really good seasons with the Roar, Frank Farina was still the coach and he showed a lot of faith in me. I was also really settled in Brisbane, playing at a good level and I’d just won my first Socceroos cap. I was happy where I was so didn’t really think seriously about moving then.

You’ve been injured for most of the season but you’re finally back on track after a long rehab. What was the injury?

I’ve been out for the last six months with a double hernia, one on each side, so I had an operation. My rehab wasn’t managed properly and I had an operation before Christmas and ever since I have been working my way slowly back to fitness. Now I’ve been on the bench five times and come off once. I played 60-odd games for Brisbane and when I came here I thought I was going to make a mark on the team – not straight away – but I was hoping on having a good season, but that’s not happened.

What’s the main difference you’ve seen between Australian and Dutch football?

I’d say the style of football. Dutch football is one end of the spectrum – along with Spanish football – in terms of philosophy. There’s an emphasis on a short passing game, and everyone knows about ‘Total Football’. I wouldn’t say Australian football is on the other end of the spectrum but it’s much closer to say Scottish football where it’s very direct and physical. So that was hard to adjust to.

You’re playing in a different position here than you did back home. Have you learnt a few new tricks?

Yeah definitely. I’m playing at left-back more here, while in Australia I was more of a left winger. That transition has been difficult but I think I’m working on parts of my game here that have always been my weakness, such as one-touch football and thinking quickly. In Australia you get used to having some time on the ball and taking a lot of touches and you just can’t do that here. The emphasis is on one- and two-touch football and I think I’ve improved in those areas.

You finally got out on the pitch this season against NEC Nijmegen, the club you almost signed with. There’s a nice symmetry there.

It was a really significant moment for me, even though it was only 10 minutes off the bench. There was so much behind that appearance – joining a new club, no-one knowing who you are or what you can do and I couldn’t prove myself as I was injured. It was a big relief to get out there finally because you don’t really feel part of the team until you’ve played for them. The trainers and coaches have been really supportive. They seem to be happy with how I’m coming along and do see me as having a role to play at the club in the future.

Your age group of players have yet to make an impact on the national team though...

It’s time our generation of players takes more responsibility because at our ages, players like Kewell, Cahill and Viduka had done really big things in Europe. And as of yet, our generation hasn’t really done that, as in made our mark in Europe. For any player to come to Europe and get regular playing time, they’ve got a really good chance to claim a spot for the Socceroos.

And what are your goals for the next 12 months. Staying fit would be a good start, I’m guessing…?

I think staying fit is by far the biggest thing for me because there would’ve been a lot of opportunities for me if I had of been fit. But one of the main reasons I came overseas was to play for the Socceroos again and if I can break into the Utrecht side I think it will go hand in hand with getting a chance with the national team. So in the next 12 months I want to become a starting player here and hopefully that in turn will mean I have a chance to be in some Socceroos squads and hopefully make a mark on the first team as well.

This article appeared in the June 2011 issue of Australian FourFourTwo magazine. To buy back copies of this issue call 03-8317-8121 with a credit card to hand.

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