“I definitely want to go overseas in the next year or two,” he told au.fourfourtwo.com.

Burns’s recent training spell with top Norwegian side SK Brann was a satisfying experience and it has given him a taste.

“That Belgium, Holland route might be best," he admitted. "I can’t get into England first so I’ll have to back track around because of the European passport situation. I think it’s better that I do that earlier rather than later."

A planned trip also to Germany’s Bayern Munich never eventuated due to time constraints, but his trip to Norway showed him what is required to make it at that level.

He added: “I brought a lot back [from the Brann trip].

"I learnt a lot from the players overseas and that’s pretty much been the first time I’ve been with another club overseas.

"It showed me what it takes to make it over there and see the level and the requirements. I think after the Olympics we’ll see what happens. There’s a lot of football to be played by me between now and then.”

Meanwhile, Burns if focusing on two tricky ties against Vietnam’s Binh Duong in the Asian Champions League. The first is away next week followed by the home tie two weeks later in Adelaide.

Melbourne Victory’s loss in Bangkok on match day two of the ACL has merely reinforced what Burns already knew about south-east Asian football.

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” he said of the 3-1 win to Chonburi FC. “I think some of these south-east Asian nations are difficult and we underestimate them, these Thais and the Vietnamese teams.

“Hopefully we can get six points from the next two games. But as we’ve seen from Melbourne [against Chonburi] they’ll be a tough opponent."

Burns’ experience in Asian football with the various national teams tells him that there are now no longer any easybeats.

“These teams are the ones to look out for. We have to go in thinking they are one of the best teams and believe we have to bring out our best football to beat them.

“I think definitely it’s a mind set that we need to get out of. I think because they haven’t been that successful in Asia we have that mindset but they play against other Asian teams so they are used to the conditions."