Versatile Socceroo Mark Milligan has indicated the move to Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli has been beneficial for his World Cup preparation.
The Socceroos have settled in World Cup camp in Kazan and are looking to cause an upset in their opener against France on Saturday.
Milligan returned to Melbourne Victory for a second stint last year after a move to England fell through due to FIFA World rankings and issues with visas.
The 32-year-old stuck out half a season in the A-League before signing for Al Ahli, where he played eight games.
He admitted he hadn't wanted to return to the A-League after the Confederations Cup.
“I was very disappointed when my move to England was put to bed,” Milligan said.
“I felt like that was an ending for me. I was pushed very hard to get that opportunity, and when that fell through, I didn’t know what was going to be ahead of me.
“Melbourne threw me a bit of a lifeline at that time because we waited a long time to see if the rankings would change.
“I was very appreciative to Kevin (Muscat) and Melbourne in giving me that chance. My goal when I left Victory after the winning the (A-League) title a few years back was to finish my career overseas, whether that’d be in Asia or England.
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