Adelaide-born McGowan has forced his way into the first team for Hearts in the Scottish Premier League after years in their youth system and spells on loan in lower divisions with Ayr United and Partick Thistle.

But in a powderkeg clash with Celtic last week, he saw a fan run on the pitch and attempt to attack Celtic boss Neil Lennon before he was dragged away by security in ugly scenes.

The frightening attack came after a series of threats to Lennon including an intercepted letterbomb.

But McGowan says that all pales into insignificance compared to what may await the Olyroos in the Yemen clash in June.

 

"I've actually got Olympic qualifiers back home, which I hope to be involved in," he told Scotland's Daily Record. "We've got Yemen, home and away - which might be a bit hostile as well!

"Tynecastle during the week might be like a park game compared to that. We're not even sure where we're going to play yet."

McGowan admitted his disappointment at the attack on Lennon in the Celtic game.

 

"It doesn't reflect well. Scottish football will now be broadcast in Australia for that incident - not for Celtic winning or a good game, which I thought it was," he said.

 

"I've certainly never seen anything like that back home. We're too laid back to get that worked up about stuff. But it's a one-off incident that isn't good for Hearts.

"It doesn't reflect well on the club and we're disappointed in the individual."

He added: "The game against Celtic was frustrating. There was a good atmosphere at the start but then it turned sour.

"I missed what happened with the crowd but it's not really football, is it? You don't want to see that at any ground, anywhere.

"It's all everyone's going to be talking about. As footballers we don't want to be talking about these things. We'd rather be talking about stuff that happens on the pitch.

"There's no place for it. It shows the passion but there has been a line that has been crossed this season."