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An “older, wiser” Simon Colosimo says he’s determined not to let a World Cup chance slip away.
Recalled to the Socceroos after a two year absence, Sydney FC star Colosimo aims to seize the opportunity to make up for past disappointments.
A decade ago it would have seemed highly unlikely that Colosimo would not have been to a World Cup with the Socceroos by 2010.
The then 19-year-old was one of Australian football’s brightest prospects and appeared to have the world at his feet with European heavyweights such as Bayern Munich and Panathinaikos following his progress.
But Colosimo’s world came crashing down while playing for Australia in a friendly against Manchester United in Sydney in 1999 when he suffered damage to both the anterior cruciate and medial ligaments in his left knee in an ugly challenge from United striker Andy Cole.
The knee was so badly damaged he couldn’t kick a ball for six months and the overseas interest in him cooled.
A string of subsequent injuries continued to stall his dreams, leaving Colosimo only a fringe player on the international scene.
But, following a successful transition from midfielder to defender this season, Colisimo was called up by Pim Verbeek for Australia’s Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait on January 6 and the 30-year-old says there is only one aim for his Middle East adventure.
“The chance has always been there to go to a World Cup, I just haven’t taken it. Bottom line,” Colosimo told AAP.
“Now I’m a bit older, bit wiser, physically and mentally ready so it’s all sort of there for me to go and give it a good crack.
“My main objective is to go there and prove I’m not only a player that can be selected for these odd games, I’m a player who wants to go to the World Cup.
“That’s why I’m going there, to show I want to go to the World Cup and I can go to the World Cup.”
Aside from enjoying a rare injury-free run, Colosimo says most of the credit for his successful switch to a central defensive role should go to Sydney FC assistant coach and former Socceroos defender Tony Popovic.
“Injuries have always been a concern, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.
“I made the switch to the back, the coaching staff have been great, but to be honest being able to bounce things off Tony Popovic has made that transition, not that it’s been easy, but a lot easier.
“He’s done it, he’s been to a World Cup, he’s played in the English Premier League so it’s all there. His influence has just been priceless to be honest.”
As to seeking a move overseas to boost his World Cup quest as Verbeek has advocated for Australian-based players, Colosimo said it was not something he would actively pursue.
“One of my main aims at the start of the season was not worry about anything that was out of my control,” he said.
“I’m going to be doing the same here. That’s completely out of my control, whether a club comes in, whether the club lets me go, whether we’re in finals or not in finals, all of that isn’t in my control.
“All that’s in my control is playing well on weekends and what comes, comes.”
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