Adelaide United pocket- rocket Scott Jamieson is not getting too far ahead of himself despite being called up to the Qantas Socceroos squad for its must win Asian Cup qualifying clash against Indonesia.
Having been training in Brisbane with the Australian squad for the past two days, Jamieson is pleased to be in his present company, but knows he faces a tall order earning a place in the team for the upcoming World Cup finals in June.
“I don’t think I’m anywhere near the World Cup right now. If I’m talking about that then I’m a silly boy, so it’s just about trying to get in the team for the game against Indonesia, taking my chance and then going from there,” Jamieson said.
Admired by Qantas Socceroos’ boss Pim Verbeek, Jamieson earned a call up to the initial squad for the qualifier in Kuwait in January but missed the final cut for the match that ended 2-2.
Jamieson burst onto the scene for Adelaide United making a huge impression in his first season with the Red’s during 2008-09, taking out the league’s Young Player of The Year award.
Starting in all but one match for United that campaign, Jamieson claimed the left back position from team-mate Cassio, who had been Adelaide’s player of the year just 12 months earlier.
He can also claim to have played every minute in the knockout stage of the 2008 ACF Asian Champions League.
Jamieson’s stellar first season brought him into the international spot light and he received his first call-up to the training squad for the World Cup qualifier against Qatar in late 2008 although it wasn’t until January the following year that he received his first national cap, in the Asian Cup clash with Indonesia.
The 21-year-old found his second Hyundai A-League season much tougher, though, as he struggled with form, some saying he was struck with the ‘second season blues’.
Jamieson was even forced to spend time in the National Youth League, such was his form. He did still however, manage to feature in 24 of United’s 27 Hyundai A-League matches.
While United finished with the wooden spoon in season 2009-2010, it has also seen a return to form for Jamieson, but not after some hard work fighting for his spot in the team.
“I’ve just tried to keep it simple in the last three to four weeks since I got back into the team, it has been enjoyable and luckily I’m finding my feet at the right time,” he said.
The experienced youngster has definitely peaked at the right time it seems, with United winning its last three fixtures, including a hard fought 1-0 win against the reigning ACL Champions Pohang Steelers of Korea last Wednesday.
“It’s good to be back in Asia and competing against the best,” he added.
The ex-Bolton Wanderers player did not have much time to celebrate the win, catching an early morning flight to Queensland to meet up with the Socceroos training camp.
Fellow Reds Eugene Galekovic, Matthew Leckie and Michael Marrone also join Jamieson ahead of the match against Indonesia, with Leckie and Marrone looking for their first national caps.
