Michael Zullo desperate to overcome long-term injury and return to the field

Michael Zullo’s time at Sydney FC is over, but he is determined to continue playing provided he overcomes his long-term calf injury.

Michael Zullo has parted ways with Sydney FC. Picture: AAP Image/Steve Christo

Former Socceroo Michael Zullo wants to finish football on his own terms – preferably as a Brisbane Roar player – rather than be forced to retire because of a long-term calf injury that has ended his Sydney FC career.

The 33-year-old left back has parted ways with the Sky Blues after making just one A-League appearance in the past two seasons.

It’s not the way Zullo – who earnt the most recent of his 10 Socceroos caps in 2013 and was part of three A-League championship-winning squads with Sydney – wants his career to end, and he remains determined to do everything possible to fix his calf and play again.

“The uncertainty has been the hardest thing,” he said.

“Just thinking that I was just a few weeks away from playing or even closer … and then unfortunately the calf never felt quite right.

“Every day I was going to war with myself because I refused to let myself give up and let this thing beat me.

“I would like to find a solution because I’m still young enough to play football, and I still want to have a really active lifestyle, even if I wasn’t able to play football again.”

Michael Zullo’s time as a Sydney FC player has ended. Picture: AAP Image/Steve Christo

Queenslander Zullo will soon return home to Brisbane with his young family to continue his rehabilitation and hopefully his career.

“I’ve still got the desire to play, and I feel like I’ve got some unfinished business in football because I wasn’t able to leave Sydney on my own terms,” he said.

“I had to leave Sydney without getting a last game – I don’t want that to be the way I finish football.”

Having started his A-League career with the Roar as an 18-year-old in 2007 before leaving in 2010 in a package deal with Tommy Oar and Adam Sarota to join Dutch outfit FC Utrecht, Zullo said there would be a nice “symmetry” if he was to end his career with the Brisbane club.

“It was always a dream of mine to go back to Brisbane at some stage and finish my career there,” he admitted.

“My family are still all fans of the Roar and still go to all the games.”

It’s understood that Roar coach Warren Moon – who is on a scouting mission in Europe in a bid to strengthen his underachieving squad for next season – is interested in signing Zullo if he shakes off his calf problems.

“If my calf comes good, that’s something we could explore down the track,” Zullo said.

“It all hinges on me being fit – that’s the priority.”