Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan is hoping to learn as much as possible off first-choice Qantas Socceroos custodian Mark Schwarzer in Melbourne this week.
Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Mathew Ryan is hoping to learn as much as possible off first-choice Qantas Socceroos custodian Mark Schwarzer in Melbourne this week.
The 19-year-old, the Hyundai A-League Young Player of the Year last season, was called into his first Australian squad last week.
The Australian Under 23s representative is not likely to feature in Wednesday’s 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia at AAMI Park, but plans to pick Schwarzer’s brain in camp.
“Obviously Schwarzer is the dominant number one,” Ryan told reporters in Melbourne on Monday.
“I’m looking to just do well in training and see what I can learn off ‘Schwarz’. He’s been at the top of the game for quite some time and I’m just looking to learn as much as I can.
“This is the first time I’ve actually met him in person. I would love to get to the stage he is playing football at later on in my career so anything I can learn off him, I’ll listen.”
Ryan, who described being selected in the squad as a ‘dream come true’, is hopeful that his experience in camp with the country’s elite footballers will be the first of many.
“I’ve come in (for) a bit of learning experience,” he said.
“Hopefully I get a number of call-ups later on in my career so this is just stage one of that. (I will just) see what I can learn in these initial couple of days in this first camp.”
The shot-stopper is grateful for the opportunity to get a unique feel for what is required to make it at the highest level, with Ryan keen to move onto Europe in the coming years.
“One day I want to go onto bigger and better things and these players provide that insight. These players are another class above the A-League. These are arguably the best players Australia have ever produced.
“I’m happy playing in the A-League. I have another year left on my contract and I suppose I’ll just re-assess at the end of that. Hopefully in a couple of years I’ll be at a European club.”
Ryan said he would not hesitate contacting former Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Mitch Langerak about moving to Europe although he will wait until he ‘starts looking into it more’.
For now though the teenager is concerned about doing his best for club and country.
Playing for the Mariners on Sunday, Ryan was involved in an altercation with Melbourne Heart’s Aziz Behich.
Behich appeared to leave his foot in when challenging for a ball and Ryan – who was in camp with the left-sided player for the Under 23s – shoved him to the ground angrily after being caught by his opponent’s trailing boot.
Both players received a yellow card for their part in the incident but the goalkeeper laughed it off a day later.
“At half-time he (Aziz) came up and apologised. I don’t know what I did to deserve that, we were team-mates a couple of days ago. Probably something in it… a bit of state rivalry.”
“The New South Wales boys were always in competition with the Melbourne boys and we were always getting the last laugh. I don’t know maybe he felt like a bit of payback!”
