The Reading custodian knows all too well what it's like to warm the bench having played second fiddle at the Madejski Stadium for most of last season.

Federici knows he has many years to go before he really matures as a top class goalkeeper and accepts that.

The likes of Ante Covic, Michael Petkovic and Danny Vukovic are all desperate to eventually replace Schwarzer but Federici knows more than most what it's like to wait.

He told au.fourfourtwo.com: "It does drive you nuts but you have to keep reminding yourself that you're still only 23.

"A lot of people don't consider you a good goalkeeper until you're 33 plus.

"I've 10 years of maturing before people start looking at me as an experienced keeper. It actually took me a number of years to get a club, probably because of my age. They all said I was good enough but didn't have the experience.

"Time is on my side and I just have to play that supporting role."

Schwarzer is the man he eventually has to dislodge and Federici revealed he had given the new Fulham keeper some stick about his choice of club. Fulham stayed up at Reading's expense on the final day of the English Premier League season.

Federici said: "Mark's a great goalkeeper and it's a great move for him. He's a London boy now.

"Fulham pushed us down though and he goes there! Great, brilliant.

"It's just a horrible, horrible thing and you wouldn't wish it on anyone. We had it in our own hands for the whole season and we'd only got ourselves to blame really.

"I think what happened at Reading will only really sink in when I go back there to start pre-season and I look at the fixture list.

"Coming back here and training with the Socceroos is really uplifting though. There's some great banter and it puts you in good spirits."

Should opportunities be limited between the sticks next year then a change of role could beckon.

Federici joked that he'd urged boss Steve Coppell to make use of him last year, even if it wasn't as a goalkeeper.

He said: "I thought I could get on and score goals. I'd tap the manager on the shoulder throughout the season and tell him to stick me up front. He didn't though.

"But the gaffer is very loyal to his starting eleven at Reading. I think that's brilliant because once I get into the side then I'll get that same loyalty.