Williams left Rotherham United in the off-season to join League One rivals Pompey. The winger earned his first senior cap for Australia last month in the 1-0 friendly loss to South Korea.

That experience in the green and gold has whetted his appetite for more, and the 25-year-old says while signing at Fratton Park, he had one eye on continuing to impress Socceroos boss Graham Arnold.

"Korea was awesome, I really, really enjoyed it. I wanted to do it for so long and managed to do it, especially with my brother there and some mates I grew up with like Brandon O’Neill and Adam Taggart," he told FTBL.

"It’s got me wanting more, so that’s kind of lead me to Portsmouth really because I think to be in contention to be picked I need to be playing every week and playing well.

"That’s why I came here. I worked so hard to get to that position and to maybe go to the Championship as a non-starter and not get picked again. So I’m trying to give myself the best possible chance to get called up again.

"Portsmouth has a bit different style of play to Rotherham. They like to leave their two wingers and their striker up, so hopefully this season I can get on the scoresheet a lot more and I can be up the top end of the pitch a lot more than I was last season.

"It’s always tough to go up to the Championship with such a small budget, so last season we were aways on the backfoot. I was defending a lot more than what I would have liked to but to help the team out and to try and maintain in that league, that’s what I had to do.

"I had no complaints. But this season I really needed to be somewhere I’m going to be up the top end of the pitch. It [rhe Socceroos] always seemed so far away. I felt like I had a good camp so hopefully I put a good impression in Arnie’s mind.

"If not, hopefully I can help him make a decision going forward."

Williams started his professional career at Portsmouth in 2010 when he left Perth as a teenager.

He made four first-team appearances for Pompey before being sold to Fulham in 2012.

Williams admits: "At first it was a bit strange coming back here. I was 18 when I joined and I’m 25 now, so it’s been a while.

"All my memories of this place have always been good. I kind of grew up here. I enjoyed it. It’s really good to come back as the club is in a different place to where they were last time. When I left they were on the decline and now they’re ascending.

"They’re trying to get back into the Championship, which is were they were when I left. If we were to get back to Championship, it would be such a big deal for the club and for myself personally.

"To be able to get them back to the Championship would be massive for the fans as well. Once we do do it, I think we’ll stay here."

Williams spent two seasons with Rotherham, helping the Millers get promoted in 2018.

The winger made more than 80 appearances for the club, but felt he needed a new challenge away from the New York Stadium.

"I really enjoyed my time there," he said.

"But I just needed something new, something fresh. Maybe some new ideas. A new place. Just a fresh start really. The potential for this club is to get to the Championship and hopefully stay there is what made me want to get here."

Williams has been the target of abuse online by some Rotherham fans after declining to sign a new contract and leaving the club.

"Fans are fans. You’re a hero one minute and a villain the next," he conceded.

"The club wanted me to stay, the manager wanted me to stay and I said I felt like I needed a change. I’ve copped a bit from the fans but it is what it is. I’m happy to be where I am now. But I had some good times there.

"We got promoted out of League One in my first season. I enjoyed the fans while I was there. It is what it is."