Muscat relishing national team opportunity

Melbourne Victory captain Kevin Muscat is relishing the opportunity to reignite his international career and is determined to make the most of the week long camp in preparation for the opening 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Melbourne.

Melbourne Victory captain Kevin Muscat is relishing the opportunity to reignite his international career and is determined to make the most of the week long camp in preparation for the opening 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Qatar in Melbourne.

Muscat and his Victory teammates, Archie Thompson and Rod Vargas, were the first players into camp, with the rest of the Hyundai A-League contingent, plus overseas-based trio Jacob Burns, Michael Thwaite (both Wisla Krakow) and Newcastle United-s James Troisi also coming a week earlier than the other overseas-based players named.

For Muscat, making the training squad provides another opportunity to play international football, after last playing against Kuwait 18 months ago in an Asian Cup qualifier.

“I look at this as something fresh, and an opportunity I am looking forward to. This week-s going to be tough, but gives us (the Hyundai A-League players) another opportunity to impress.”

The Victory captain would like to think that a predominantly A-League based team could do the business against Qatar.

“I-d like to think so,” he said. “I personally know that if I-m called upon I can do the job.

“What we-ve really got to focus on is that we (A-League players) have an opportunity this week. We-ve got a full week of training and maybe twice a day to impress the boss. He has always maintained that if anybody is good enough they will be selected and time will tell.

“The last game that I was involved in was against Kuwait, where it was an all-Australian based team and we got a great result that night. Circumstances are a little bit different this time, in that it-s a World Cup qualifier and dare I say the opposition is a little bit better.

“I would say is what we have seen with Pim, he is leaving his options open; he-s maintained that he will pick a team that is going to get the result and will win the game. Whether that has a number of A-League players or all A-League players, we-ll have to wait and see.”

The match is on February 6 at Melbourne-s Telstra Dome, with still just under 4,000 tickets still available for the match. Tickets can be purchased on-line at www.ticketmaster.com.au

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