"I'm not one to dwell on the past but the travel is a big plus," the Heart signing tells au.fourfourtwo.com. "Especially when you lose an away game it's a long journey back.

"That isn't something I'll be missing."

But as the 28-year-old North Queenslander admits, it's not the only reason he joined Heart.

The club's clever strategy of bringing in a highly credentialed foreign coach - former Oranje and Ajax Amsterdam assistant John van't Schip - has huge appeal for a man who still holds Socceroo ambitions.

It's the same strategy taken by Sydney FC over 12 months ago to stunning success with the appointment of former Sparta Prague and Czech U/21 boss Vitezslav Lavicka.

And Srhoj certainly can see the benefits of having someone with the reputation of van't Schip.

"As soon as you talk to them and [hear] their ideas, the club's ideas, it makes your decision a lot easier," Srhoj said of van't Schip, who'll be assisted by former Danish great and Manchester United player Jesper Olsen.

"Of course there is still a lot of work to be done," van't Schip told au.fourfourtwo.com as the club beds down their training facilities before ramping up pre-season in June and July with a game against Everton.

"But that also has its charm. For sure everybody knows it's not the ideal situation yet and we want to make it ideal. We also need the input of players."

The Melbourne derby between Heart and Victory is another huge attraction for Srhoj, a former Glory and Brisbane Strikers player.

The clash looms as arguably the biggest game on the A-League calendar, perhaps even bigger in time than the one between Victory and Sydney FC.

While Heart continue feverish negotiations with AAMI Park for a workable long-term tenancy, it's understood the club would prefer to play the Melbourne derby after the AFL season is over in early October.

Either way, former Joey Srhoj is in no doubt about what effect playing at the stadium will have on van't Schip's red and whites.

Srhoj added: "It'll want players to take it the next level playing at home at such a good stadium and hopefully with good crowds, it'll be a real buzz."