The Gold Coast United recruit has emerged from quarantine after contracting swine flu and will be on the plane with the rest of his Young Socceroos colleagues on Wednesday.

As well as the flu, Minniecon's preparation for the Under 20 World Cup warm-up tournament in Argentina saw him at the centre of a row between Miron Bleiberg and the FFA.

Bleiberg was reluctant to see the player released until the governing body insisted United had no choice.

But Minniecon is anxious to pull on the green and gold at every opportunity and said  he was looking forward to making the trip to Argentina.

Speaking at today's launch of the NAB Young Footballer Of The Year Award, he said: "I'm over the contagious part of the flu and I feel good. I'll definitely be on the plane on Wednesday.

"(I came down with it) about a week and a half ago and was contagious for three or four days. I was isolated for seven days.

"With all the talk about swine flu I thought it could be it. I couldn't get out of bed so I had to call in and say I was too sick to come in."

And he joked that he didn't get cut much slack from his team-mates: "Sympathy? Not at all. More teasing than anything else!"

As for the tug of war in the club v country row, he said: "I wasn't worried. Both parties have to agree the rules that are set in place. I'm always excited to play for the national team and I would have been disappointed not to go, definitely."

Minniecon is happy with the Gold Coast's pre-season progress so far but not getting carried away. And he knows exactly where he wants to play next season - off the wing and in the centre.

"It's been pretty good and we've played some exciting football," said Minniecon. "You get a lot more opportunity to create things in the centre."

And Minniecon is just trying to remain cool about the 'unbeaten' predictions of owner Clive Palmer and the hype surrounding the club,

He added: "All the boys have kept a level head."