The boy from Sunbury returns to Melbourne after stints in Europe with German side SV Darmstadt 98 and loan spells with Scottish outfit Hibernian.

Maclaren finally broke his duck in the national team after leading the line in the Asian Cup, but Hibs manager Neil Lennon left the club last week after an alleged incident at the club in late January.

Maclaren scored eight goals with Hibs in the second half of 2017/18, but only found the net once this season when he struck against Aberdeen last year.

Hibs were persuaded to end his loan to Scotland and then Darmstadt 98 released him to join City, causing some Australian football fans to question his ambition.

“I’m in a situation where I’m 25, I’ve seen and heard enough from fans that at the end of the day, they’re only looking out for themselves and I’m only looking out for myself,” Maclaren said today at Fitzroy Primary School.

“It was a situation where City offered me a great deal and I’ve always wanted to play in Melbourne. It’s always been a dream of mine to play at home in front of my family, but at the end of the day, people don’t realise, I spent 11 years away from home.

Maclaren leading the line for Australia at the Asian Cup

“I’d like to see them do that and for me to do that, miss family, I can now see my mum every day. Family is so important to me, I’m a family man and I’m just grateful to be back.”

Maclaren said the familiarity he has with the A-League after his success at Brisbane Roar – where he became the highest Australian goalscorer in A-League history in back to back seasons – will help him at City.

But he also said he wanted to be happy playing football again.

“In Germany, they tried to put me in a different position, and I wasn’t happy, so I’d go home thinking my football side wasn’t happy,” he said.

“My football situation at Hibs was great for the first six months and then I got injured with a serious back injury. I then wanted to get fit for the Asian Cup and while I was there, the manager got sacked.

“People don’t realise the situations players go through and I saw a situation, I evaluated everything and at the end of the day, I thought this was the best decision for me.

“What people don’t realise when a new manager comes in, if you’re a loan player, it’s difficult.

"For players that are signed, they’re there permanently, but if a new manager came in February, I’d only have three months left in my contract.

“He probably didn’t want to play me for whatever reason, so I wanted to have some security and City offered that and here I am.”

Maclaren’s sister – Steph Condello, works at City’s crosstown rival Melbourne Victory as a commercial partnerships manager and admitted she was a factor for his return.

“My sister works for Victory and recently fell pregnant, so for me I ask, ‘Do I really want to miss out on these things?’,” he said. “It’s a tough gig being a footballer, you’re always moving around and you have six months here and there.

Jmac celebrates after scoring a goal

“It’s not easy to find yourself settled and when an opportunity arises from Melbourne City and the City Football Group to come back home and really enjoyed it, it’s something I’ve always wanted to do and these things don’t happen very often.”

Maclaren is also reunited with old friend Luke Brattan, who is spent time with at Roar and the midfielder said his situation resonated with him after spending time in the UK.

He also joins former Perth Glory teammates Scott Jamieson and Rostyn Griffiths.

“I know what he’s going through,” Brattan said. “He’s been away with his family a lot longer than I was and I still found it hard. He’s back with his family now.

“Family is everything and it is tough to leave them behind and I don’t see them very often in Melbourne. It’s tough, but it’s part of the job and sacrifices to be a footballer are very big. Hopefully he gets rewarded for his hard work and I can’t wait to see him on the field.”

Maclaren is likely to make his City debut against Adelaide United on Saturday night.