Socceroos defender Milos Degenek focused on Asian Cup ahead of potential club switch

Milos Degenek isn’t willing to discuss his potential club move to Saudi Arabia, but the Socceroos defender is happy to talk about winning the Asian Cup.

Degenek, wisely, has only one thing on his mind right now. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

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Milos Degenek isn’t willing to discuss his potential club move to Saudi Arabia, but the Socceroos defender is happy to talk the talk about winning the Asian Cup.

Degenek, who’s been in superb form in his six months with Red Star Belgrade, didn’t deny his links to Al Hilal, who are in the market and reportedly have the riches to trigger his buyout clause.

Graham Arnold last week intimated he’d prefer he stay in Europe, where he’s been playing Champions League and would continue to reap the benefits of high-quality football.

Asked about his situation, the 24-year-old only said he had national-team business to take care of in the United Arab Emirates and boldly declared Australia, so far off to an ignominious start, would defend their 2015 trophy.

Degenek, wisely, has only one thing on his mind right now. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)

“The thing that’s happening is I’m with Australia at an Asian Cup, I’m focused on this and I’m looking forward to lifting the trophy at the end of this month,” Degenek said.

“I don’t know if I do (have a decision to make), I’ll see after the tournament what happens.

“To be honest, I’m not focused on that at all. If I was back at home or in my club I would be worried and thinking ‘what am I going to do?’.

“But at this point I’m here with the national team, I’m here to win a trophy — my first major trophy with the country — and I’m not going to be focused on what to do about the club or where am I going to play and where am I going to continue my football?

“It’s intelligent not to talk about things, not to worry about those things, and leave all that outside the pitch.”

The defender is confident Australia will bounce back. (Karim Sahib / AFP)

On the pitch, Degenek played 90 minutes in the 1-0 Jordan loss alongside central defensive partner Trent Sainsbury, courtesy of Mark Milligan’s shift to midfield.

He branded the game nothing more than a “minor setback” on the road to glory, a symptom of rivals playing up against the reigning champions.

“I don’t think there’s pressure, and you don’t have to prove anything,” he said.

“We all know why we’re here. There’s no need to put pressure on for no reason. We know what’s expected of us, what we have to do in the next two games.

“Then after that we have four more games until the final. That’s what we want to do, go on a roll now and win every game into the final, and even win that. It’s a little setback in a long journey.”

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