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In the cut-throat world of football, chances don’t come along too often so Socceroo defender Jon McKain aims to make the most of the one likely to come his way this weekend.
The retirement of veteran Craig Moore after South Africa’s World Cup in June has left a gaping hole in the centre of Australia’s defence.
Injury to Lucas Neill has widened that hole to something you could drive a bus through this week, and McKain is tipped to help fill the breach against Paraguay in Sydney on Saturday.
McKain, now playing his club football with Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia, is vying with A-Leaguers Michael Thwaite of Gold Coast and Jade North of Wellington Phoenix for the two central defensive spots.
And with January’s Asian Cup just around the corner, McKain knows how much is at stake in Saturday’s friendly, Australia’s first home match since the World Cup.
“I’m wary enough to know that, particularly in our sport, you get one chance, maybe two chances, but you don’t get more than that,” he said on Thursday.
“So you have got to perform.”
McKain is anxious to add to his 13 caps and make an early impression on Australia’s new German coach Holger Osieck.
“It’s pleasing to get a chance so early in a new coach’s reign,” he said. “So hopefully I can make the most of it.”
Thwaite, who looks likely to start the match alongside McKain, agreed, saying: “With Lucas dropping out through injury, it’s a massive opportunity for one of us to step up.”
Playing in the heat of the Middle East week in, week out is one thing that could tip the scales in McKain’s favour when Osieck gets around to selecting his Asian Cup squad.
The Socceroos have found in previous Asian campaigns how difficult it is to acclimatise to Asian conditions.
“It definitely will help me,” McKain said.
“Not too many of the boys can play in 40-42 degree heat with 85 per cent humidity.
“It’s something you can’t get used to in a short period of time, so it will put me in good stead.”
Midfielder Jason Culina, like most of the Socceroos squad, has welcomed Osieck’s new attacking style, with twin strikers expected to play against World Cup quarter-finalists Paraguay.
Osieck has a wealth to choose from – Josh Kennedy and Scott McDonald are the out and out strikers but Richard Garcia, Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell could also come into the picture.
But Culina doesn’t expect his own defensive midfield role to change greatly.
“You still need that controlling role in midfield, that’s still very important, so I doubt that will mean a great change for me,” he said.
German Bundesliga player Dario Vidosic is happy to play anywhere – in attack, left or right midfield, or even at right back, where he has played for Nurnberg – as long as he gets a game.
“I want to give my best in every game and I’ll treat it like my debut,” Vidosic said.
“I think of it as my last game every time I go out for the Socceroos.
“There’s no better scenario – we haven’t played at home for a long time, we’ve got great opposition and hopefully we’ll have a great crowd.”
Australian squad: Alex Brosque (Sydney FC), Tim Cahill (Everton, England), David Carney (Blackpool, England), Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United), Richard Garcia (Hull City, England), Mile Jedinak (Genclerbirligi, Turkey), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus, Japan), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, Turkey), Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough, England), Jon McKain (Al Nassr, Saudi Arabia), Matthew McKay (Brisbane Roar), Jade North (Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham, England), Michael Thwaite (Gold Coast), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo Calcio, Italy), Dario Vidosic (Nurnberg, Germany), Luke Wilkshire (Dinamo Moscow, Russia).
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