“It's concerning, very concerning,” Schwarzer tells au.fourfourtwo.com when quizzed about Dukes' departure from the Riverside to rivals Newcastle United. “It's very disappointing.

“Mark was one of the main reasons why we stayed up.

“I've already said that we need to be adding to our squad not losing players. We need three to four quality signings.”

Schwarzer then said the words Boro fans are dreading. “It makes you think that it could be time to be looking elsewhere.”

With Schwarzer in stellar form there would be no shortage of suitors for the 34-year-old, who joined the club a decade ago.

Schwarzer, currently on a break in Australia promoting his new book, is also seeing for himself the increased profile of the Socceroos. He attended an AFL match on Friday night in Melbourne, saying later, “It's frightening how many people recognise Socceroos like myself these days... It's pleasantly surprising.”

The big keeper will join the the just-named Socceroo squad later this month in Singapore as preparations for the Asian Cup in July ramp up.

Schwarzer says he's revelling in Australia's Asian Cup favourites tag. “Yes, it's a different mindset being favourites as opposed to last year when we were underdogs. But I'm relishing the opportunity and the pressure that comes with the tag,” he says in an accent that reflects his almost 11 years in England.

“When we played in Oceania the gap between us and the others was large. However, now that gap isn't so big. We cannot underestimate any of our opposition. The Thais will have home support, Oman is potentially dangerous and we've played Iraq in Sydney in 2005 and they too will be no pushover. We respect all our opposition.”

Schwarzer is also happy to sign off on the preparations pre-Asian Cup under Graham Arnold. “I think if you include the Uruguay game and the Singapore game, plus the camp that we'll be in, it should be enough. You've got to remember, a lot of these boys have played a long and hard season.”

Brad Jones, Schwarzer's understudy at the Riverside, has been named as one of the two keepers alongside the Socceroo number one glovesman. At the same end that Schwarzer pulled of his epoch-making saves 18 months earlier, Jones announced himself in the recent Urugyuay friendly by dropping a regulation cross that was snapped up by Alvaro Recoba for the winning goal in the 1-2 loss.

“You felt for him,” says Schwarzer. “All keepers have been there and done that but on your debut it's even tougher. But he's a good young keeper. All our young keepers just need to be playing regularly, it's important.”

Meanwhile, the big keeper is well on his way to becoming a Socceroo book mogul. After signing copies of his book for most of Saturday afternoon in Melbourne, Schwarzer revealed there are more books to come.

“I've signed a five book deal for this series. The book is called Megs and the Vootball Kids, and it's about a kid who comes over from Liverpool in England. He makes friends through football.

“It's about encouraging boys to read and what's more, if you go to www.megsmorrison.com you can not only find out where to buy the book, there is a creative writing competition in conjunction with Qantas with the winner receiving a trip to England.”

With fellow Socceroo Michael Beauchamp also nicknamed Megs, Schwarzer said it didn't occur to him that the defender may wonder if it was about him. “I kept the book pretty quiet from the other guys ... I didn't think of Megsy till later!”

Boro fans will be hoping there is another chapter in the Schwarzer story at the Riverside.