A melding of consistency, composure and ruthless old school defending this season for the K1 League’s third placed side Pohang Steelers, Grant, 28, was scouted by Socceroos assistant Tony Vidmar. But he didn’t quite make the cut. 

The feedback Grant received was a perceived lack of pace, which he cheekily referenced by aping Usain Bol’s iconic lighting bolt pose after scoring in last month's 2-0 win over Suwon Bluewings.

Mirthful gestures aside, Grant took it on the chin and has not given up on chasing an elusive cap, even though fellow Korea-based stopper Harrison Delbridge, Thomas Deng, Kai Rowles, Bailey Wright, Trent Sainsbury, Milos Degenek and Harry Souttar are the current chosen ones.

A foot injury at training last week has ruled Grant out for the final four games of a season in which he’s made 27 league appearances and excelled across a range of metrics including distribution, interceptions and duel-winning ratios.

The Manchester-born, ex-Stoke City product scored the goal which powered Pohang into the final of last season’s ACL, and he has emerged as one of South Korea’s most vaunted defenders.

“I just have to keep doing what I’m doing,” Grant told FTBL. “I was injured when I came here last season and the club stuck by me.

“I like they think I’ve played them back with my performances - and I’d loved to have been involved with Australia.

“I think my name was in the conversation here and there and I’ve been in a few extended squads. I thought the latest squad was maybe my best chance to get in with a few players out injured. 

“I thought I was in with a shout, especially with the form I’ve been in. But I can’t take anything away from those who were picked.

“I know Tony Vidmar was in Korea the other week and on that occasion we lost and it wasn’t my best game. I’d like to think he’d have seen a few others during the course of the season because I’ve been very consistent.

“The feedback I got was that I was on the slow side, which I haven’t really heard in my career before.

“I won’t say I’m fastest and my Usain Bolt goal celebration (against Suwon) was a bit of banter about that.”

Grant, though, remains optimistic that his chance may yet come at some point, and he harbours no recriminations.

“I’m sure there are others reasons which they’ll probably keep to themselves,” he added. "That’s football and it’s all about opinions - I can only focus on myself and not worry about anything else.

“I take it on the chin - maybe I need to get back in the gym and work on my speed! I think the players and coaching staff here were disappointed for me. But, like with my goal celebration, it was light-hearted in the end. That’s the way I look at things.

“I’m not writing off the national team. It’s still an aspiration and a dream. Some players have to be more patient than others.”

A case in point is fellow defender Sasa Ognenovski, another Aussie who starred in South Korea, who made a belated Socceroos debut at 31.

“I hope I don’t have to wait until that long. But football changes quickly and anything can happen," said Grant.

There’s often a silver lining in life, and Grant missing out allowed him to remain in Korea to be alongside his wife for the birth of his second son.