The Australia international is intent on helping the club seal a place in either the UEFA Cup or Intertoto Cup.

Blackburn face Tottenham tonight at White Hart Lane and then Reading at home on Sunday.

Emerton, 28, is looking forward to those immediate challenges, and also the chance to wear his country's colours in the summer.

He has confirmed he will be available for the AFC Asian Cup tournament when Australia play their group games against Oman, Iraq and Thailand in Bangkok in July.

First up though is the game against Tottenham, where defeat will surely end Rovers' hopes of a second successive European adventure.

However, they have shown good form in recent weeks and go in to the match on the back of a victory at Newcastle last weekend, which turned out to be Glenn Roeder's last game in charge of the Tyneside club.

Emerton said: "We are feeling confident as we are on a little bit of a roll. We have been playing good football the last couple of weeks.

"We want to win the last two fixtures and hopefully that will be enough to secure a UEFA Cup spot.

"We have a very fit bunch of guys and this is definitely showing at the moment.

"There are high expectations here and after qualifying last season we want to do that every year.

"You have to set yourself targets and Europe is the goal.

"It has been a good year. I have been quite happy with the way I have played."

For the second summer running, Emerton will continue playing into the close season.

He was involved in the World Cup in Germany last year when Australia came through the group stages only to go out when eventual winners Italy scored a late penalty in the last 16.

Emerton said: "The Asian Cup is an important tournament for the national team.

"Off the back of a good World Cup we are going to have massive support in Australia and hopefully we can be successful.

"It is the first time we will have played in Asia and it will be good experience for us.

"The conditions will be difficult and testing in Bangkok as it will be very hot and humid, but everyone is looking forward to the event."