Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Michael Theoklitos is eyeing off his first Socceroos’ cap after his matchwinning performance in goal during Saturday night’s Hyundai A-League grand final.
Theoklitos was overlooked in favour of Adelaide’s Eugene Galekovic in the Socceroos’ first Asian Cup qualifier in Indonesia in January but the Melbourne custodian is hoping his chance might finally come in Australia’s next Asian Cup outing against Kuwait in Canberra on Thursday night.
The 28-year-old is one of six Melbourne players who will have to cut short their premiership celebrations to join the rest of the Socceroos’ squad in camp on Monday night.
Theoklitos says not even a hip injury, which he admitted on Monday he has carried for months, will prevent him from putting his hand up to make his long-awaited national debut on Thursday night.
“I will have an arthoscope in the off season but I will be fine and ready to go (for Thursday night),” Theoklitos said.
“I have been carrying it for three or four months now and it hasn’t bothered me too much so I am looking forward to getting into the (Socceroos’) camp this evening.”
Theoklitos is hoping his vital save in Saturday night’s grand final – when he denied Adelaide’s Scott Jamieson from close range with a superb reflex save with his feet just minutes before Melbourne scored the winning goal through Tom Pondeljak – will be enough to convince national coach Pim Verbeek that he is now ready to play in goal for the Socceroos.
“Our past five games we have had clean sheets so I am very happy with my form and the boys in front of me have done a tremendous job through the year,” he said.
As for his memorable save from Jamieson on Saturday night, Theoklitos says it turned out to be even more important than he realised at the time.
“I saw it quite late and it was only six or seven yards out so again it-s just a reaction save and fortunately enough I got my foot to it and kept it out,” he said.
“But then Tommy scored for us five minutes later and we got the 1-0 win and I was just really rapt for the boys after the tremendous year we have had.”
Theoklitos is one of just four Melbourne Victory players unsigned for next year amidst speculation he could seek a move to an overseas club in a bid to bolster his national ambitions.
But the man who has now played an integral role in two Melbourne Victory championship successes was non-committal on Monday when asked about his future plans.
“At the moment I am just happy to be involved (with Melbourne) and soaking in the atmosphere after all that we have achieved this year,” he said.
