English top-flight begins with lowest quota of Socceroos in two decades.
Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak insists he is happy to fly the flag for Australia in his debut season in the Premier League.
When the English top-flight opens its doors on Saturday it will house the lowest number of Socceroos in over two decades, with Jedinak set to play his first game in the division when Palace host Tottenham at Selhurst Park.
What is worrying from a Down Under point of view is that the 29-year-old will be the only certain starter out of the six others plying their trade in the division – a far cry from the 13 Aussies, including Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell, that lit up the English shores in 2005/06.
And former Central Coast Mariners star Jedinak admits he is at a loss to explain the dearth of Australian’s in the Premier League given the success of others, but feels the situation will eventually improve.
“There’s no reason why in a few year’s time there’s not going to be more Aussies in the teams,” he said to Fox Sports. “We know what my fellow countrymen, some of my teammates, have done in the past over here.
”(However) for the time being you’ve got to accept what it is and I’ll have to fly the flag for the Aussies.”
Veteran goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is unlikely to displace Petr Cech as number one at Chelsea next season, while fellow shot-stopper Brad Jones finds himself as Liverpool’s reserve option once again. The uncapped Chris Herd is also destined for third successive term as back-up to the Aston Villa first team.
Meanwhihle, the young trio of Curtis Good (Newcastle United), Ryan Williams (Fulham) and Dylan Tombides (West Ham) will harbour the modest ambition of just making it onto the first-team bench and possibly a couple of brief substitute appearances scattered amongst the campaign.
COMMENTS