A chance to revive his Premier League playing career at the ripe old age of 42 convinced Mark Schwarzer to swap league leaders Chelsea for last-placed Leicester City.
The Socceroos legend on Tuesday officially completed the move, signing an 18-month contract that could lead to him becoming the oldest player in Premier League history.
Having warmed the bench for much of the past two seasons at Chelsea under Jose Mourinho, Schwarzer appears set to go straight into the Leicester first team with first-choice goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel out injured with a broken foot.
Schwarzer said the chance to link up with Leicester manager and former Middlesbrough teammate Nigel Pearson was key to the move but the biggest incentive was the realistic prospect of adding to his 508 Premier League appearances.
“At Chelsea over the last 18 months I didn’t play a lot of football, which I kind of knew would be the case,” Schwarzer, who was the third-choice gloveman behind Thibaut Courtois and Petr Cech at Stamford Bridge, told Leicester City’s official website.
“This last six months has probably been the toughest part, where I haven’t been (in the squad) at all at times.
“So the opportunity to be around the boys and hopefully play some games is something that was very enticing for me.
“You’ve got to perform on the training pitch first and foremost but I believe in my own ability and I believe with the experience I have I can bring something to the team as well.”
Schwarzer already holds the record for most Premier League appearances by a foreigner and sits equal seventh on the all-time appearances list.
One of Australia’s finest football exports holds a string of records for club and country and could conceivably surpass Englishman John Burridge (43 years 162 days) as the league’s oldest ever player should Leicester survive relegation and he plays beyond March next season.
Leicester are currently bottom of the table, four points from safety, but Schwarzer is confident they can survive the cut.
“As soon as I arrived I got a great buzz and a great feel about the club,” said Schwarzer, who trained for the first time with his new teammates on Tuesday and could start against Aston Villa this weekend.
“We’re in touching distance with the teams above us, so it can turn on its head very quickly and I believe we’re good enough.”
Mourinho publicly paid tribute to Schwarzer in announcing his departure from Chelsea last week, hailing him as an “amazing guy” and a consummate professional.
Schwarzer, who had lengthy stints with Middlesbrough and Fulham before joining the Blues, was capped a record 109 times for Australia before retiring from international football in November 2013.
He remains one of only a handful of Australians plying their trade in arguably the world’s top league.
“You’re a long time retired and you want to try and make the most of the time of being a player and that’s what I’m trying to do,” Schwarzer said.
Most Premier League appearances
Ryan Giggs 632
Frank Lampard 592
David James 572
Gareth Barry 549
Gary Speed 534
Emile Heskey 516
Jamie Carragher 508
Mark Schwarzer 508
Phil Neville 505
Sol Campbell 503
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