Socceroos hopeful Matthew Spiranovic is confident strong performances for Western Sydney will lead to a place for him in Australia’s World Cup squad.
Socceroos hopeful Matthew Spiranovic is confident strong performances for Western Sydney will lead to a place for him in Australia’s World Cup squad.
The Hyundai A-League premiers confirmed the signing of Spiranovic, 25, on Tuesday as he returned home after several years abroad.
Spiranovic left the Melbourne Victory for Nuremberg in October 2006 before spells at Urawa Reds and Al-Arabi.
Capped 16 times, Spiranovic last played for Australia in a 2-1 win over Iraq in a World Cup qualifier in October last year.
But with a chance to impress in the A-League and the AFC Champions League, Spiranovic believes he can regain his spot in time for Brazil 2014.
“The A-League is a tough league with the quality of players here,” Spiranovic said on Wednesday.
“The Wanderers now qualified for the ACL and I’m sure if I’m good enough to perform here then I’ll be ready for the World Cup next year.
“(It’ll come) from my performances on the field and being fit and healthy. That’ll be the right steps to making that squad.”
Spiranovic’s first task will be breaking into last season’s strongest defence and finding a place ahead of captain Michael Beauchamp or Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
The Geelong-born central defender welcomed the fight for a place and said the Wanderers would need a strong squad heading into continental competition.
“Last season the defence was great,” Spiranovic said of a Western Sydney defence which conceded just 21 goals in 27 regular-season games.
“Like any top team or any team that wants to be successful you need that competition for spots and that depth.
“With the Asian Champions League next year as well, I’m sure we’ll need a good squad.”
Spiranovic trained with Tony Popovic’s men for several weeks before a move from Qatari outfit Al-Arabi was sorted.
Socceroos coach Holger Osieck has raised concerns about the standard in the Middle East, but Spiranovic said the region deserved more credit.
“The 12 months I spent in the Middle East I think it was a great experience. It was a different culture, a different lifestyle,” he said.
“Football-wise, I think it doesn’t get the credit it deserves.
“There are a lot of top-quality players playing over there. As a defender, coming up against the likes of (former Real Madrid star and Al-Sadd striker) Raul and those guys, it’s always a challenge.”
