The 28 year old fullback seemed destined for semi-obscurity after an uninspiring run with clubs Bristol City and Middlesbrough until he gambled on a switch to the Eredivisie and a stint at FC Twente.

He got the chance to shine there after then-Australia coach Guus Hiddink saw enough potential to bring him into the Socceroos for the 2006 World Cup campaign.

Since then he's established himself as a first team regular for Australia and earned a big money move to Dinamo Moscow and Champions League football, with a date against Celtic this week.

"In the end, I was glad to get away from England," he admitted to the Scottish Daily Record. "I didn't have the best of times at Bristol after leaving Boro and the chance to go to Holland was a good one.

"When I was at Twente, I played with a Russian player just before he retired. Before he went, he asked me if I'd be interested in going to his country at some point.

"The way Russian football had grown in terms of club football and on the international scene was impressive and I was keen to to go when the chance of joining Dinamo arose.

"They have come on leaps and bounds and people take notice of Russian football now. You only have to look at some of the players who are transferred in and out of the league to understand the quality."

He added: "It has been a good move for me. I thoroughly enjoy being in Moscow and the football is excellent.

"We are gaining a good stature in Europe. Hopefully, we can keep it going by knocking Celtic out."