Melbourne City’s star recruit Ivan Franjic ready to hit top gear after horror injury run

A RELIEVED Ivan Franjic has declared that he is ready to play 90 minutes for Melbourne City and has targeted the March World Cup qualifiers for a Socceroos return.

New Melbourne City player Ivan Franjic gets a feel for his new strip, Melbourne. 3rd June 2015. Picture: Colleen Petch.

A RELIEVED Ivan Franjic has declared that he is ready to play 90 minutes for Melbourne City and is confident of hitting his straps by January.

Franjic has targeted the March World Cup qualifiers for a Socceroos return after making his first official appearance since Australia’s 2-1 win away to Kyrgyzstan five months ago.

The right-back was lively in a 32-minute City debut after recovering from a quad injury that he aggravated when he was on the verge of returning in September, and was looking forward to a home debut in his home city.

“I’ll put my hand up to start, but it’s up to the coaches and medical (staff) to see where I’m at. I believe I could (last 90 minutes) yes,’’ Franjic said.

“I’ll go out there, I won’t put limits on, once you step over that white line, you’re fit and there’s no excuses. I’m looking forward to it, Melbourne’s where I grew up.

“The first game back you’re running on adrenaline so it’s not really there but coming through training there’s periods where you doubt yourself and think it might go again.

“But you just have to push through it and it’s about knowing your body and knowing your limits, and I’m not getting any younger.

“My main focus is getting a run of games for Melbourne City now and getting my body back to where it was a couple of years ago and once that happens hopefully win a championship or two here.

“To get back to 100 per cent I’m probably four-to-six good weeks away. It’s just games.’’

TV networks played overlay footage of Franjic’s crunching tackle of Thomas Broich after John Aloisi’s stinging “anti football” sentiments.

Ivan Franjic earns a yellow card for a crunching tackle on Thomas Broich. Picture: Jono Searle.

But Franjic defended his challenge and revealed that he got the thumbs up from his former teammate.

“Every coach is entitled to their opinion and that was his. I didn’t think it was a yellow and Broich came up afterwards and said great tackle, but Beathy (referee Chris Beath) saw it different,’’ he said.

“We had a chat and I disagreed with Beathy but you move on.’’

Franjic, who’s been the no. 1 option at right-back in the Ange Postecoglou era, hoped to win his Socceroos spot back after Ryan McGowan, Tarek Elrich and Josh Risdon were tried there.

“Definitely. Obviously I have to start performing each week in the A-League then it’s up to the boss Ange if he trunk I’m good enough to get back in there,’’ Franjic said.

“But I’ll work hard, do everything right and keep performing and hopefully it’s good enough to get me back in there.

“Ange, especially through this phase wants to establish depth in the Socceroo line up so we don’t just rely on 20 player but 40, so he’s giving everyone a great opportunity.’’

Franjic said it had been frustrating watching the first six rounds from the sidelines but planned to make an impact.

“You always want to be out there trying to help. We need to get some consistency behind our performances. We’ve got a lot of key players coming back in the next few weeks and there’s going to be competition for places, which is important,’’ he said.

Originally published as Melbourne City’s star recruit Ivan Franjic ready to hit top gear after horror injury run