Socceroos captain Mat Ryan is unsure where he will be playing his club football next season

Socceroos captain Mat Ryan’s future at club level beyond this season is yet to be finalised.

Socceroos captain Mat Ryan is grateful for the face mask that has allowed him to take part in the Asian Cup. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Socceroos captain Mat Ryan is “excited” about his uncertain playing future beyond this season.

The 31-year-old goalkeeper has entered the final six months of his contract with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar and admits he’s unsure where he will be playing next season.

“As things currently stand, I’m off contract at the end of the season, so what the future has in store I’m not too sure,” Ryan said from Doha, where he hopes to win the Asian Cup for a second time with the Socceroos,

“That uncertainty is exciting also, but I’m just taking one day at a time and each day as it comes, and just trying to do the best I can do and see where it takes me.

“That’s the approach I feel that I’ve had my whole career and I know if I’m doing the best that I can each day, then I trust my journey through life and things will take care of themselves.

“I’m enjoying my football and being here with the Socceroos first and foremost, and when I get back over there (the Netherlands), I’ll continue to do the best I can and see where I can help Alkmaar finish this season and the rest will sort itself out.”

Socceroos goalkeeper and captain Mat Ryan has been working hard on the training paddock at the Asian Cup. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Ryan joined his current club in January last year after disappointing stints at Real Sociedad (Spain) and FC Copenhagen (Denmark), where he failed to secure constant first-team football.

“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time thus far in Holland, playing regular football again,” the former Central Coast Mariners gloveman said.

However, not so enjoyable was the fractured cheekbone he suffered last month during an Alkmaar training session.

The injury one stage threatened his participation in the Asian Cup.

Ryan missed the Socceroos’ 2-0 tournament warm-up win over Bahrain, but with the aid of a face mask, was deemed fit enough to resume his long-time position between the posts in time for start of Australia’s Cup campaign.

“I was confident from the first game,” he said.

“I got back into training and after having gone through the rehab and speaking with the surgeon, I was confident that I could make the tournament.

“I’ve eased back in terms of the physicality aspect. I haven’t felt too different. The only difference has been wearing a mask, and if that allows me to do what I love doing in playing football, then it’s an easy adjustment.”

Ryan was confident the Socceroos could add to their Asian Cup triumph of nine years ago.

“We’re an ambitious group. We have a tremendous amount of self-belief and self-confidence that we can be successful as a football team and this tournament is no different,” he said.

“We set the goal long before coming here that we want to come and win this tournament, just like we did in 2015.

“We’re all buying into that and doing what we can and leaving no stone unturned in making sure that we give ourselves the best possible chance in order to go out and do that.”

Originally published as Socceroos captain Mat Ryan is unsure where he will be playing his club football next season