Lucas Neill says the speculation has dragged on too long.
But he insists he’s not hurt, or disrespected, by conjecture that he’s about to be stripped of the Socceroos’ captaincy.
“It’s not hurtful,” Neill told reporters in Sydney on Friday.
“I think it has gone on a little bit too long.
“But it’s a big topic in our sport and I guess the one thing we can say is that football has made more headlines in the last couple of months than perhaps a couple of years ago.”
Neill is uncertain when new Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou will decide the captaincy ahead of Tuesday night’s friendly against Costa Rica in Sydney.
But he reiterated he will fight to keep the leadership, and hadn’t taken offence at teammates Tim Cahill and Mark Bresciano saying they want the captaincy.
“Any player who gets asked if they want to be the captain of Australia should answer ‘it’s a dream come true, it’s an honour’,” Neill said.
“But it’s not a game. The captaincy is not something you can just hand around. It’s not something that we should just try and vote for. You have got to earn it and somebody has got to give it to you.”
Neill, who has led Australia 60 times, said the debate about his future wasn’t disrespectful.
“I can only continue to carry myself the way I always have,” he said.
“I’m very proud to be Australian. Whether I’m captain or not a captain, I’m still a Socceroo – always have been, always will be.
“I have achieved things in my career that I’m always going to be proud of. Whether people respect that or not, I cannot control other people.
“You cannot like and please all the people all the time.”
The 35-year-old said his primary focus was keeping his spot in the team.
“Obviously we all want to go to the World Cup and the manager will decide on his leader when he feels he has picked his team, and from that time I’m sure he will pick his leader,” he said.
“Every manager is different and he has his own style.
“And with that, it also brings a fresh change which gives everybody that attitude that “I have a chance to impress the new guy’ so the intensity he been very good in training.
“Everybody feels like they’re on trial and trying to impress, which is great, it raises the standard of performance.
“I have never taken my position for granted and I’m sure none of the boys in the team will tell you anything different.
“My dream, like everybody elses, is to be in that last 23 that goes to (next year’s World Cup in) Brazil.”
Johan
Guest
Lucas is history. A good player by Australian standards- mediocre by international standards. Certainly can't be captain after his comments re younger players lacking fight. The socceroos should probably go with bresciano - the last player of some quality since Schwartzer retired. This World Cup is a right off- might win the Asian cup though as standard is not as high and Australia is at home.
whiskeymac
Guest
Agree.
fadida
Guest
Agree RF
The Bear
Guest
First, let him prove himself to be a starting player. I trust AP will make the best selection possible. Couldn't say the same for the foreign appointments the FFA have made recently.
Andyroo
Guest
If Ange wants him to play on then I support him 100%. Who knows though, we could see Neil subbed off in the second half to a round of applause with tears in his eyes. -- Comment from The Roar's iPhone app.
Matthew Skellett
Guest
Mr Neil should get his thumb out of his gob and stop throwing a tantrum and grow TFU before he gets publicly spanked :-)
realfootball
Guest
Clearly it won't happen, but the best scenario for all concerned is for Lucas to announce his retirement before the Costa Rica game, and to treat that game as his farewell. I simply fail to understand how he can't see that time has caught up with him. He deserves our gratitude and respect, and he's willfully trashing this legacy.
fadida
Guest
I still have great affection and respect for him. Over a decade of brilliant service. I do wish he'd call it a day though and get a farewell game at home before the word cup. Perhaps start the game and be subbed off after 15 minutes
whiskeymac
Guest
He didn't say please.
Michael
Guest
It's going to be very interesting and possibly tragic how this plays out. While no one can call into question Neill's commitment and past contribution to the national team, at some point he will stop playing for the team. That's inevitable. How that happens is what will be interesting, how Ange handles it and how Lucas handles it. Neill will probably handle his eventual capitulation with the same motherhood and media pleasing statements that he has done for so long, and I hope that's as far as it goes. If he's lucky enough to get a last match (either as captain or player), that would be respectful too.
realfootball
Guest
This is playing out as a minor key tragedy. Neill, by any measure, should have retired several years ago. Now he is trashing his reputation by grimly hanging on in spite of overwhelming objective evidence that he is simply too old and slow to play at this level. He should have gone out as one of the greats of our game, and what do we see now? A veritable tsunami of hostility coming his way from the football public who once held him with such respect and affection. Instead of the send off he should have had, all he will be greeted by now on his retirement is overwhelming relief to see him go out the door.