Even though offers from the MLS and the AFC have come in for the former Swiss League player, at 29 he's ready for a move back to Europe.

And his career-best form at the resurgent Newcastle Jets has convinced him that the move is right, as he told au.fourfourtwo.com.

"I love the way they play football," he said of German club football. "It's a fantastic league and really well-organized. I'd like to play in Germany to be honest.

"Croats do really well in Germany. Anyone from the Balkans does well there. And also I speak German fluently. It's really only a matter of time before I sign there."

Whether it's only a matter of time before Milicevic regains his spot in the Socceroos is less clear after the classy defender missed the cut for coach Holger Osieck's 50-man squad for the Asian Cup next month.

Playing in Germany might help Milicevic's Socceroo cause in the future given the German-born coach's background.

And Milicevic believes if given the chance, a defensive combination featuring himself and Matt Spiranovic would serve the Socceroos well ahead of Brazil 2014.

As expected, Spiranovic was announced in Holger Osieck's squad released by the AFC today although Miliecvic, somewhat surprisingly, was missing.

The pair has yet to play together in the national team but after January's Asian Cup in Qatar, there may be a reshaping of the Socceroo defensive guard ahead of the next World Cup qualifiers.

Milicevic, 29, is hopeful he and Spiranovic, 22, are in the mix at some point in the future, saying their ball-playing ability across the back and physical presence provides a good combination at the back.

"I think Matt's obviously a very talented player," Milicevic said. "I've watched him from afar. And a few people have mentioned he's very reminiscent of me when I was younger.

"Hearing that inspires me and I'd love to play with the guy."

Spiranovic, the elegant Geelong-born fringe Socceroo capped five times for the national team, has long been touted as a future regular in the centre of the Socceroo backline.

The former Nurnberg and now Urawa Red Diamond player was considered unlucky not to have made the squad for the 2010 World Cup, although Osieck recently played him in a friendly last September against Switzerland.

Both defenders are over six foot and have that physical presence needed by any central pairing. But crucially they also possess the ability to play out from the back, distribute cleverly and read the game well.

"We're not traditional centre backs," noted Milicevic. "We're not about brute or about being overly aggressive and bring out agro to get their message across.

"Obviously there's an aggressive side to the game but it's so not necessary. When you look at players like [Franco] Baresi and [Paolo] Maldini, it's more about reading the game.

"When you play like that, you don't waste unnecessary energy and play smarter.

He added: "Only time will tell if we get to play in club football or at national team level."

Milicevic speaks from a wealth of experience. He has skippered both the Young Socceroos and Olyroos earlier in his career and is current stand-in skipper at Newcastle Jets (regular captain Michael Bridges is injured).

He's played for Perth Glory, Melbourne Victory and Swiss clubs FC Thun and Young Boys.

Playing for Thun, he was voted man of the match in both games against Arsenal in the Champions League and captained Young Boys when he was just 25.

This season, he's in career best form with the resurgent Jets but his refreshingly candid views over the year have not always gone down well with those in positions of power in the game.

Milicevic's last Socceroo cap was in 2006 - one of just six appearances in the national team. Now off contract at Newcastle it's understandable he's eyeing a move abroad next season.