The 29-year-old is three weeks into life with new club Bangkok Glass but still a month out from the launch of the Thai Premier League season.

It’s given the towering Londoner a chance to take stock of his new surroundings after finding himself on the outer at nib Stadium.

From “I can’t understand a word” to the “ridiculously huge” shopping centres and the great massages for “under 10 bucks”, the veteran striker is starting to find his feet.

And while he hasn’t ruled out a return to Australia at some point in the future, he says answering Aussie coach Phil Stubbins call to join the Rabbits was the right move.

“I had other opportunities to stay in Australia at different clubs but I just needed a new challenge,” Mehmet told au.fourfourtwo.com.

“Obviously this one came up and the way the gaffer spoke about Bangkok, he sold it to me. At the beginning it was a bit difficult. You know what it’s like when you go to a new club – it’s different. 

"But having been here three or four weeks – the boys, I’ve obviously got to know them and we have a bit of banter together.

“It’s a bit difficult to understand each other but we know what’s going on. It’s a different culture but I’m enjoying it so far and considering the gaffer is English helps a lot.”

Mehmet says he’ll probably never understand why he was frozen out of Glory’s first XI but says he’s “gutted for the boys” now sitting at the bottom of the table.

The Perth outfit has struggled to score this season and will be hoping new Argentinian recruit and playmaker Matias Cordoba can open up the path to goal.

When Mehmet and Glory parted company last month the club was holding onto fifth – now they find themselves in a desperate bid to make the top six.

“It was a little bit frustrating and that’s why I left in the end,” he said. “I scored three goals in the first six games and I then I just got dropped for nothing which I didn’t understand.

“I was playing, and I was playing well in my position, and I was scoring goals, and we were doing well as a team.

“And then I got moved position, for whatever reason, and then I got dropped. I thought I’ve got to look to myself, and Stubbsy gave me this opportunity which I grabbed with both hands.”

But he continues to keep tabs on the team he joined in September 2011.

“I’ve been following them and obviously it’s not been going too well there,” he said. “Hopefully they can turn it around and get into the finals.

“Last season they got to the grand final and they were wanting to improve on that and go one better, so to be where they are in the league is disappointing.

“But I look out for them and I wish them well.”

After a career that has taken him to Scotland, Turkey and Australia his latest move into Asia has provided the biggest culture shock. Still he feels re-energised by the Rabbits ambitions for the 2013 season and the opportunity to provide leadership on the park.

“When I first signed, the chairman told me they had finished in the top five for four or five years or something and last season they came eighth which they were disappointed with,” he said.

“Obviously the aim is to finish as high as we can in the league. I’ve not come here to finish fifth or sixth. I’ve come here for a challenge and hopefully to get in the top three.

“I hope we can finish as high up the table as possible and I want to help the younger players around me and give them a little bit of my experience, and push them onto bigger things as well.

“There are some players here who I think are quite gifted and their technique is very good. There’s obviously a few different areas that obviously can be improved on and I’m sure the gaffer will put his stamp on that and change the way things are.

“We have a few youngsters here and I’ve pulled a few of them to the side and had a little chat with them and it’s brilliant.

"They listen to you – they’ve got so much respect, it’s unbelievable.”