Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak pens Asian Cup reflection in Crystal Palace match program

MILE Jedinak wasn’t fit to play for Crystal Palace but he used his captain’s column in the club’s matchday program to reflect on the Asian Cup.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 01: Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak holds aloft the Asian Cup during celebrations at Westfield Sydney on February 1, 2015, after the Socceroos won the 2015 Asian Cup last night, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

SOCCEROOS skipper Mile Jedinak wan’t fit enough to face Newcastle United in the Premier League for Crystal Palace on Thursday (EDT).

But the midfielder used his captain’s column in the club’s matchday program to tell his club fans about what the Asian Cup triumph meant to him.

Ahead of tonight's game with @NUFC read the thoughts of Mile Jedinak in his Captain's Column: http://t.co/Lt8z2Sa8lS pic.twitter.com/1MkQTVkswg

— Crystal Palace FC (@CPFC) February 11, 2015

Here’s his reflection on the Asian Cup success, read by Palace fans ahead of the 1-1 draw with Newcastle United:

“Just participating in the Asian Cup in my home country was a brilliant experience, but to win it makes it even more special.

Being at home and seeing how much everyone got behind not only us, but the whole tournament in itself, was really something special. When the final whistle blew after 120 exhausting minutes in the final against South Korea I was overwhelmed about what we had achieved.

I’m trying to compare it to the play-off final and finding a lot of similarities in how I felt - it was something really special. It’s got to be right up there in all the things I’ve achieved in my career and to be a part of history achieving something for our country is really amazing. With it being on home soil, in Sydney, in front of a lot of our family and friends, it goes right to the top of that list.

Mile Jedinak back in Sydney.

Hopefully we can use this success to take interest in football up to to the next level in Australia where it needs to be and where it deserves to go. Hopefully we can use it as a springboard to help us grow the game over there.

We had a little bit of time to soak it up and enjoy our success but we haven’t been stupid about it. I was lucky enough to spend a little bit of time with my family which I really appreciated but now after flying back to London it’s back to business as usual at Palace.

After playing so many games in a short space of time I feel OK, there’s a slight bit of fatigue so I’m just managing that and seeing when I’ll be re-introduced to the squad. I picked up an ankle injury in the opening game of the tournament and it’s a little bit of a slight issue but we’ll try and work through that.

I managed to keep track of how Palace were getting on fairly easily over in Australia. They show all the games however, even though I didn’t get up in all hours in the morning to watch them live, I was quick to check my phone when I woke up in the morning and I was pleased to see that everyone here has been doing their job and doing really well which is encouraging. When I found out each good result that helped me start the day in one of my better moods!

Since we’ve been away we’ve obviously announced our new manager in Alan Pardew. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times and we exchanged text messages and well wishes throughout the Asian Cup, but I’m looking forward to getting back down to business in Beckenham and working with him.

Tonight is a big game for the manager for obvious reasons, but taking that out of the equation hopefully we can give it a really good go tonight against a quality opposition that is Newcastle and get a positive result this evening.”

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Originally published as Socceroos captain Mile Jedinak pens Asian Cup reflection in Crystal Palace match program