Langerak Targets Number One

Ever-present and ever-reliable veteran Mark Schwarzer was not selected in coach Holger Osieck's squad for Australia's exhibition sojourn due to injury, paving the way for one of an assortment of up-and-comers to take his place against the Kiwis - and against Serbia on Tuesday.

But with Schwarzer approaching 39, what will be a brief cameo in goal this week could well be an audition for a full-time gig further down the track.

Still only 22, Langerak has the inside running after his first season in Germany's Bundesliga with championship-winning Borussia Dortmund and he believes his game has lifted considerably since his shift from Melbourne Victory.

His main competition will be Adam Federici, who joined the Socceroos' camp in Adelaide late Wednesday night after his club side, Reading, fell agonisingly short of promotion to the English Premier League at the hands of Swansea on the weekend.

But the bolter is little-known Danish-based keeper Nathan Coe, who turned 27 on Wednesday and plies his trade with SonderjyskE.

Langerak said that Osieck hasn't yet given his three goalkeepers an indication as to which way he will go.

"Honestly, I'm not too sure what the plan is. Australia has got such a good depth in goalkeepers at the moment," he said.

"I'm sure whoever plays will do a great job. If it's me, I'll relish the opportunity."

Though Schwarzer is not currently involved in the camp, Langerak revealed that the Fulham custodian has become a mentor figure of sorts for him.

"We've exchanged a few texts and he wishes me well every now and then. He told me I can call and ask questions whenever I need to. It's good to have him there," he said.

Langerak is tipped to be the heir to Schwarzer's throne but he contends that with Australia's rich stocks in that position, it's far from clear-cut.

"It's going to be a big battle for the job between the sticks over the next five or 10 years," he said."There's so many goalkeepers. It's a competition between five or six of us.

"Everyone's fighting for spots but it's not up to us. All we can do is do what we do at our clubs and train and play as hard as we can. The rest looks after itself."

But despite his progress and improvement over the past two years in particular, Langerak sounded an ominous warning for any fellow Australians eyeing off the No.1 jersey - there's more to come.

He added: "I'm still young so each year I'm getting better and better - but I've still got such a long way to go. I'm nowhere near where I'd like to be yet."