City’s ‘meat and potatoes’ midfielder eager to 'follow in the footsteps' of two emerging Socceroos

With rumours of an overseas move coinciding with a stellar run of form and talks of a potential Socceroos call-up, it’s becoming increasingly difficult for “unsung hero” Melbourne City midfielder Aiden O’Neill to keep a low profile.

O’Neill confesses he’s more than happy operating in the shadows at City, but the former Burnley FC midfielder wrote all the headlines with a brilliant brace that secured all three points against Brisbane Roar at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.

Socceroos head coach Graham Arnold is set to name his first squad since the 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup; O’Neill is one of a handful of Isuzu UTE A-League talents forcing themselves into selection contention off the back of superb domestic form.

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O’Neill went into City’s clash with Brisbane without an A-League Men goal to his name, with his strike in the postponed Melbourne Derby not to register until the fixture’s planned restart.

He ended the afternoon with a brace. The first of which came from distance, struck with venom and swerve into the top-right corner. The second came with a pinpoint header off a corner which, after Brisbane captain Jay O’Shea’s late equaliser, wrestled the league-leaders all three points at the death.

Post-match, O’Neill was quizzed by Paramount+ on his club future, Socceroos ambition – and that “unsung hero” label within the City squad.

“That (tag) gets thrown around a lot – and I don’t mind that at all,” O’Neill said. “I’m not someone who likes the headlines and all that sort of stuff. I just do my job, and keep it pretty simple.

“Some of the lads (call it) meat and potatoes. I think that was a little bit more than meat and potatoes today! So that was pretty good.”

City head coach Rado Vidosic released the shackles on the typical deep-lying midfielder against the Roar. Playing alongside traditional left-back Scott Jamieson in the engine room, O’Neill and Jamieson were tasked with rotating between holding and progressive roles. It’s what led to O’Neill’s opener, as he charged forward to pounce on a poor Brisbane turnover and finish from range.

Former Socceroo Archie Thompson was watching on from the Paramount+ studio, and with a slip of the tongue suggested O’Neill has a spot in the squad on lock.

“Do I?” Joked O’Neill.

He continued: “The Socceroos would be massive for me to get into that, and be a part of that team. How well they did (at the World Cup), it would be unbelievable. We’ll see what happens. I think there’s a few of us in our team who might have a sniff of getting in, so yeah that’s really exciting.”

And as for his club future: “Look, my focus here is at City at the moment,” O’Neill said. “Obviously I’m out of contract at the end of this season. Two goals like that, that helps doesn’t it?”

O’Neill has been linked with a move overseas of late, with the strongest rumours suggesting a link-up with former City boss Patrick Kisnorbo at French Ligue 1 club ES Troyes AC was imminent.

Without confirming any concrete plans to depart the club, O’Neill expressed his willingness to eventually follow the likes of former City stars Nathaniel Atkinson and Connor Metcalfe and who have made recent moves abroad to excel in Europe.

“I think you can see here at City, there (are) a lot of boys who have come back and come through the academy and gone overseas,” he said. “(Nathaniel Atkinson and Connor Metclafe) at the moment are doing really well, so yeah, I want to follow in those footsteps and see how far I can go. Obviously going back overseas like I have done before.”

O’Neill could face a nervy wait ahead of Arnold’s Socceroos squad announcement – and he’s not the only City star eagerly awaiting the squad reveal for Australia’s “Welcome Home” series against Ecuador in late March.

Emerging full-back Jordan Bos, who this season has firmly established himself as one of the brightest young talents in the A-League Men, admits he’ll be keeping his phone close to hand in case of a “dream” phone call.

“It would be a dream come true,” Bos told Paramount+, when asked about his hopes for Tuesday’s Socceroos announcement after City’s 2-1 win over Roar. “So I’ll just stay by my phone, and hopefully it becomes a reality.”