Sutherland Sharks midfielder - and Milligan's best mate - Nick Stavroulakis has revealed the life behind Milligan's rebirth in China after a recent visit to catch up with the Shanghai Shenhua defender.

"All the workers from Hungry Jacks jumped from behind the counter, stopped serving and got him to sign posters and autographs. It was mad," he said.

"And we caught a cab to his apartment after a game and he was ambushed by fans. They love him.

"Outside their stadium, and it's a massive stadium, is this huge billboard and slap bang in the middle of this picture of a group of their players is Millsy.

 "When he takes a long throw they all clap and roar when he's in his run up. They love him."

Although the pair has gone their separate ways professionally with Stavroulakis enjoying stints with Peterborough and Empoli before settling back in Australia, they speak regularly over the phone.

It's a friendship built on playing junior football in Sydney and later at the AIS and through youth national teams as promising young players.

And it's Milligan's form that is promising for the full national team right now. 

With so many of the current squad either without a club or on the fringes of selection, a regular starter at Shanghai is proving a boon for the former Sydney FC defender as he looks to make it back-to-back World Cup selections.

The 24-year-old was given leave from the national team for Wednesday night's friendly with the Republic of Ireland in order to concentrate on his club career.

However, many believe Milligan and Matt Spiranovic will hold the national team defence together for the 2014 and 2018 campaigns following the Lucas Neill and Craig Moore era.

As for now, Asia-Roo Milligan is revelling in the CSL as he looks to relaunch a career that appeared to have lost its way last year following training stints across Europe with, among others, Arsenal.

Shanghai Shenhua plays reigning Chinese champions Shandong Luneng on August 22 where the former Young Socceroo skipper is set to mark former Cologne striker and Lebanese international Roda Antar. Milligan's side currently sits in fourth, with Luneng in second.

And last week, Milligan set up a goal to help defeat Brendon Santalab's Chengdu Blades 2-1.

"I've seen him go through some massive highs but also some massive lows. A lot of people criticised him for making decisions," added Stavroulakis of Milligan's protracted efforts to find a club in Europe last year after splitting with Sydney FC at the end of the A-League season.

"But the way he's playing at the moment, he'll end up in Europe."