Ryan recently joined the Belgian club on loan from Valencia for the rest of the 206/2017 campaign. The goalkeeper had managed just two appearances in La Liga this season, as he slid down Los Che’s pecking order.

With vital World Cup qualifiers in March and a Confederations Cup in June, Ryan knew he needed to get regular club football under his belt to remain the Socceroos' starting shot-stopper.

“It was a massive factor that,” he told FourFourTwo.

“Apart from the fact you always want to be playing as a keeper. But obviously it was in my mind, that consideration. The boss [Ange Postecoglou] has always said he wants his players playing to best prepare them.

“That was one of the major points why I went out on loan to get the game-time. Every kid wants to represent their country and I’m no different. I want to do it for as long as I can and as best I can.

“It was definitely a big factor in the decision.”

The Socceroos face Iraq in Iran and then UAE at home next month. In June they take on Germany, Chile and Cameroon in Russia.

Ryan, who has 30 caps for his country, has been Ange Postecoglou’s preferred goalkeeper since he was appointed to the national team in 2013. But the 24-year old knows there are no guarantees when it comes to international selection.

“I had spoken to the boss through January and a little bit before, and when I had been in camp as well, just getting his thoughts,” he said.

“He kept saying the same thing – we’ve got massive games coming up for the national team and it’s vital you’re getting regular game-time because it’s what we need for our players.

“If you want to give yourself the best chance to be playing then you need to go out and do that. So hearing that from the horse’s mouth… but regardless I always want to be playing so it was pretty much not a factor for me staying there [in Valencia] in the end.”

Ryan made his debut for Genk at the end of January in 1-0 loss to Oostended in the Belgian Cup semi-final. Since then he kept a cleansheet in a 1-0 win over Mouscron and then played another 90 minutes, notching another cleansheet, in the 3-0 victory against Sint-Truidense W.