He played for Ireland at under-17 and under-21 level, but Shane Lowry couldn’t be more excited to be called up for Pim Verbeek’s Socceroos squad to face the Netherlands and Oman.
“I am ecstatic,” said Perth-born Lowry, 20, who has spent most of his career in England.
“It’s the country I was born in and I grew up there. To be recognised on the international stage is a big honour for me.”
The defender only committed his international future to Australia last month.
And he is the only new face in the 24-man squad named by coach Verbeek for home fixtures against the Netherlands in Sydney on Saturday week and Oman in Melbourne on October 14.
Now Lowry, on loan at English championship club Plymouth Argyle from Premier League team Aston Villa, says he can’t wait to possibly make his debut in the next 11 days.
Verbeek has praised Lowry for forgoing his Irish representations to commit to Australia, in similar fashion to former Welsh under-21 player Rhys Williams.
Williams, a good friend of Lowry and also born in Perth, has now represented Australia twice and is also in the latest Socceroos squad which is building toward next year’s World Cup.
“I played for the Ireland under-21s but then Australia came along,” Lowry told AAP through his club.
“I was born and bred in Australia and I just had a change of heart, and I’m looking forward to meeting up with the squad.
“Ireland showed an interest in me as a youngster and it was good opportunity to play international football, and I was happy doing that, but I have always seen myself as an Australian.”
Just like Williams, Verbeek says Lowry will have to prove himself worth of a spot when he joins the squad next week but Lowry is keeping things in perspective.
“I hope to do well for Plymouth, and anything else that comes is a bonus,” he said.
stephen durose
Guest
I would like the FFA to look at individual cases RE: youth players being allowed to go to the UK, My son has been offered a scholarship with Nottingham Forest but because of his age he is not allowed to go which included an education they offered to wait till he is 17 which is in November any later and all is lost this is all to do with the protection of minors law stateing you have to be 18 we are talking about 1yr, He would live in Nottinghams complex i have ancestral ties in the UK.I have been told that if i relocate everything would be ok what a joke when you look at the state things are like over there, There s enough people out of work with out me adding to the burden, Lets face it there are only 10 teams in the A-League what happens to the rest that have talent I hear how soccer in Australia is going ahead in laeps and bounds hard to believe when our youth are not encouraged, I think the law is wrong especially when an education is on offer, To be able to go abroad play and some day if the chance arises return and play for your country thats what it is all about, By the way my son is a Goal keeper