Adelaide’s FFA CUP hero Craig Goodwin is aiming for a Socceroos berth after the disappointment of missing out on Russia 2018.
Goodwin’s stunning double strike in the 2-1 FFA Cup win over Sydney FC saw the Reds become the first team to lift the trophy twice.
After missing selection for the 2018 World Cup squad, the Adelaide winger reminded national team coach Graham Arnold of his qualities with two superb strikes.
While Goodwin’s first goal – a freekick from outside the box – was of the highest quality, the second which was a rasping volley with his right foot proved to be even better.
Goodwin has three Socceroos caps to his name and he’s hoping that performance will help him add to that collection.
“With the Asian Cup coming, it’s going to be an ambition of every player that’s been in and around the national team set up and for me it’s the same,” he told FTBL.
“But for me to have any chance at getting in that squad, I am going to have to be doing exceptionally well with Adelaide and performing week in and week out and for the position I am playing as a winger.
“I’m going to have to be providing goal scoring chances and getting goals and assists.
“Hopefully that can get me back into the fold with the national team.”
Goodwin was instrumental for the Reds during their 2015/16 Grand Final and Premiership winning campaign and his performances earned the winger a contract with Eredivisie side Sparta Rotterdam.
For the first 18 months Goodwin played consistently but when a new coach arrived, he was frozen out and the 26-year-old admitted the situation was one of the most challenging of his career.
“I was caught in the middle of that and not being given an opportunity,” he said. “For the six/seven months that had happened I went from playing regularly to being completely on the outer.
“It sucked out all the enjoyment I had out of showing up every day and doing something that I loved and enjoyed.
“I still trained all the time, but sometimes I was put in at right back and centre back and I was completely out of position. So I was just filling in the numbers.
“Those sorts of things can happen with a change in coach and you will find that most Australian players that go overseas will experience something similar or their own kind of story.”
Goodwin admits that situation may have cost him a berth in Russia.
“It was a difficult period because it did hinder any chances I could have had,” he said. “I had been involved in a lot of the national team squads around that time but with the way it went I wasn’t playing.
“But whether I would’ve made the World Cup squad or not is something I’ll never know. It’s something that I found peace with because the situation was what it was and I can’t change it.
“Now it’s given me new ambitions and new goals to set and I’m excited about that.”
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