The United club captain has endured a disrupted first half of the season due to a mixture of international commitments and niggling injuries.

He has started Colchester's last two games though and both ended in victories. He's now looking to make it three in a row when the Essex side take on Hereford United this weekend in League One.

He told the Evening Gazette: "Everyone talks about match fitness and the whole package comes from playing games on a regular basis.

“It’s hard when you’re not, because you don’t get the continuity where you don’t play week in, week out."

Coyne's Socceroos commitments are precious to him and he is delighted his club have been so understanding about all the travel involved.

But with Pim Verbeek unlikely to call on his overseas Aussies again until the World Cup qualifier in Japan, Coyne can look to focus solely on club football for a spell.

He said: "It’s nearly three months until the next game now so I just want to knuckle down, cement a spot in the team and push up the table.

“It’s up to me to establish myself in the side.”