Sterjovski likely to miss key World Cup qualifiers

Socceroos midfielder Mile Sterjovski looks set to miss two World Cup qualifiers in the Middle East next month to be with his wife for the birth of their child.

The 28-year-old said today his wife was due in the first week of June, which would probably rule him out of the matches against Iraq in Dubai on June 7 and Qatar in Doha on June 14.

Sterjovski is also no certainty to line up against Iraq at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on June 1 - the first of four crucial qualifiers over 22 days in what is being dubbed “Super June”.

“Hopefully I can get one game in before the baby arrives but we’ll see how it works out,” said Sterjovski, one of four Socceroos whose partners are due in early June.

Defender Lucas Neill, striker Josh Kennedy and midfielder Jacob Burns could all become unavailable because of the baby boom.

Sterjovski will still be available for the friendly with Ghana at the SFS on Friday week after being named in coach Pim Verbeek’s experimental Socceroos squad, made up of 10 A-League players.

“I’m yet to be in a camp with (Verbeek) so I’m really looking forward to meeting up with him on Monday and having a few sessions with him,” added Sterjovski.

“So far from what I’ve seen he’s a great coach and very good with man management. I think he’s doing very well to keep the players happy.”

On his club future, Sterjovski said he was content to play English Championship football with Derby next season, despite the club being branded the worst in the history of the Premier League after being relegated with the lowest ever points tally.

“Those sort of labels don’t worry me at all. I’ve signed there for two years and I’d like to honour my contract,” said Sterjovski, who joined Derby from Turkish side Genclerbirligi in the January transfer window.

“I would have loved to win some games in the premiership but that hasn’t happened but now the main goal is to get qualification back into the premiership.”

Sterjovski also confirmed he would like to end his career in the A-League one day, but could see himself playing in Europe for another three or four seasons.

“As long as I’m enjoying it and may family’s happy, I’ll probably stay (in Europe) another three or four years,” he said.

“But I’d like to come back to Australia and play a few good years here while I’ve still got something in the tank and still give something back to football in Australia.”

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