Socceroos striker Jamie Maclaren keen to tap into Suncorp magic
Jamie Maclaren knows the perfect remedy to his nagging back problem — a maiden Socceroos goal at his happy hunting ground Suncorp Stadium.
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Jamie Maclaren knows the perfect remedy to his nagging back problem — his maiden Socceroos goal on his field of dreams, Suncorp Stadium.
The former Brisbane Roar predator is back in Queensland and itching to start for Australia against South Korea on his old home ground on Saturday night.
In 29 A-League appearances at Suncorp Stadium, Maclaren — now plying his trade for Scottish club Hibernian — scored 20 times.
He yesterday admitted to getting “goose bumps” returning to the site of so many of his goals, and can’t think of a better place to break his Socceroos duck.
“I’ve scored so many goals here and the most special one would be for your country,” Maclaren told The Courier-Mail.
“I’ve got some fantastic memories here and you think ‘I’ve had some great moments here, why don’t I add more’.
“That’s the mentality I had when I was at Brisbane. Every time there was a home game, I knew the boys would create chances for me.
“It’s definitely a fantastic stadium which I do miss. Looking at the pitch now from the stands, I’m visioning some of the goals I scored here.”
But whether or not he scores this weekend, Maclaren is just happy to be back with the Socceroos after missing Australia’s 4-0 win over Kuwait last month with a back injury that is still causing him angst.
“I wasn’t feeling right … so I went to have a scan and it turned out that I had a stress response in the lower back, which is the stage before a stress fracture,” he said.
“It’s frustrating. I’m still feeling a little bit of pain, but that’s expected. It’s not just going to go away overnight, or in a couple of weeks.”
Maclaren now wears orthotics to keep his hips level, which alleviates the problem of his right foot being smaller that his left foot.
“I’m on the mend, but it’s definitely something that I need to manage. I don’t take for granted being out on the field. I missed five weeks and every day you’re in that gym, you miss being out on the grass, the smell of the grass, you miss the ball … so it’s just about getting myself right.
“I thrive off adversity … I’m buzzing now I’m in camp.”
Should Maclaren play on Saturday night, it could be alongside his fellow Hibs forward Martin Boyle, the Scotland-born winger eligible to represent the Socceroos courtesy of his Australian father.
Maclaren likens his attacking partnership with Boyle to the connection he had at the Roar with Brandon Borrello, now on the books of German outfit Freiburg
“If Boyley beats his man, all of his thought process is to get the ball in the box, and that’s what Borrello did for me with Brisbane,” Maclaren said.
“Nine times of his 10 Boyley will beat his fullback and whip it across the face of goal, and it’s up to me in the box.
“He’ll bring something great to the Socceroos, and Scotland will miss a good player that’s for sure.”
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