Sydney FC midfielder Nick Carle says he never gave up hope of a Socceroos recall during a frustrating two-year exile from the national team.
Carle on Tuesday earned his first call-up under Holger Osieck as he was included in a strong 19-man squad for next week’s World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne.
It puts the 30-year-old in line for his first international appearance in more than two years, with his last cap coming in a 2-2 draw away to Kuwait in January, 2010.
Carle also featured in former coach Pim Verbeek’s squad just prior to the 2010 World Cup but was one of three players cut before the team headed to South Africa.
Given limited opportunities by Verbeek, and former coaches Graham Arnold and Frank Farina, an injury-marred first campaign in 2010/11 with Sydney could have spelled the end of Carle’s stop-start international career.
But a return to fitness and form with the Sky Blues this season has prompted German Osieck to given Carle perhaps a final chance to show his worth.
“I always felt if I kept my head down and worked as hard as I could, I hoped there’d still be a chance,” Carle said on Tuesday.
“After a very disappointing season last year, I think this season I’ve sorted out all my injury problems … and I feel like personally I’ve done quite well.
“… I’m glad a lot of the hard work has paid off. It’s a pleasant surprise.”
Carle, who joined Sydney after four years abroad playing in Turkey and England, could be in line to start against Saudi Arabia in the absence of regular midfielders including Tim Cahill, Mile Jedinak, Carl Valeri and Neil Kilkenny.
And he hopes to make the most his opportunity, feeling Osieck’s attacking mentality could fit his game perfectly.
“I’m excited to work under him for the first time and hopefully my style of football suits what he likes,” he said.
Osieck said he had been impressed by Carle’s determination and work ethic in the A-League this season, bluntly proclaiming they were traits he felt several younger players in the competition were missing.
“I really appreciate his commitment, the way he fought for the team,” Osieck said of Carle.
“On the other hand, I don’t want to give you any names, but there were a couple of younger players that I was not really convinced.
“They have the talent, but when you see them, at times you don’t really feel the desire to be there.
“They just rely on some stuff in the game, the odd action and you don’t see them for 20 minutes, then they have one situation where everybody says `Oh, did you see that?
“I look at the situation as a whole and I don’t like it.”
