Grella is battling back from a calf injury sustained on national team duties against Uzbekistan last month.

The injury has so far kept him out of the first team plans of his new club Blackburn Rovers apart from the first game of the season against West Ham.

Grella was this week named in the extended 35 man squad for the World Cup qualifier against Qatar but the fearless midfielder is hoping he will be given a pass from the game.

“Technically I am fit but I have only really put in one training session with the team," he told the Lancashire Telegraph. "I have put in a lot of general fitness work but just probably need the next couple of weeks to get myself fit.

“I think after the game I will be talking with the manager of Blackburn and have already talked with the manager of the national team.

“We will then make a decision. But there is a strong chance, I don’t know how strong, that I will be staying here.”

He said: “I think it is a tricky one because even the national team coach would probably rather have his full team, even though some players aren’t at a 100 per cent.

“It is even hard for him to leave me out even though he knows I may be struggling physically.

“But I think he is a decent man and he understands the difficulties I have been going through, especially changing clubs and not having been able to fit for my club.

“I have expressed that to him and he has been very good about that. He understands so we will see.

“Bolton is the next game and that would be the ideal plan. Hopefully speaking with them we find the best agreement for me.”