The Roar
The Roar

Advertisement

Birighitti's Socceroo call-up helps European dream

Roar Guru
17th May, 2016
1

One-time Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Birighitti has put his long-awaited recall down to increased maturity, and hopes it will boost his ambition to secure a contract in Europe.

Birighitti has replaced the injured Mitch Langerak in the Socceroos’ squad to face England on May 27 at Sunderland’s Stadium of Light, and is also included for June’s double-header with Greece in Australia.

“I was a little bit surprised but it’s reward for the season I’ve had,” Birighitti told AAP.

“I have to thank everyone involved at the club for believing in me.”

The returned Newcastle gloveman earned his first and only international cap in 2013, selected by ex-coach Holger Osieck to play China in the East Asian Cup.

He was also picked in Ange Postecoglou’s train-on squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, however had fallen off the Socceroos’ radar since.

A horrid 2014-15 season ensued, when Birighitti lost his No.1 spot at the in-turmoil Jets and endured a disappointing loan spell with Italian Serie B side AS Varese.

But the Perth-born 25-year-old’s return to Newcastle this A-League campaign brought about a remarkable rediscovery of his form, so impressive he swept the club’s awards.

Advertisement

“From the World Cup, it kind of went downhill – I got too carried away,” Birighitti told AAP.

“Going to Italy helped me a lot. I came back a more mature person on and off the field.

“And coming back to Australia, there was only one thing on my mind: to get back into the form I was in a couple of years ago.

“One good year doesn’t make you as a footballer, it’s going to get a lot tougher and there’ll be a lot more expectations.

“But I want to make sure that with this call-up, I have a regular spot in the national team, that it’s not just a one-off.”

That’s not all Birighitti is pushing for, with his Europe-based agents working to finalise his playing future somewhere on the continent.

His move has become a formality, having at least for now declined to negotiate a new deal with the Jets and receiving “quite a bit of interest” from European clubs.

Advertisement

“Getting called up will definitely help my European aspirations,” Birighitti said.

“Ideally, I want to go to a league where I have a good chance of playing.

“My agents Vince Grella and Frank Trimboli are based in Europe – one’s in London and the other in Italy.

“They’re working in a few countries. There’s nothing concrete at the moment but they’re working hard to find me the best club possible where I can excel in my playing career.”

close