holicman
09-25-2006, 05:21 AM
He's back in town, he's back in form.
Now Melbourne Victory's Archie Thompson wants to be back in the Socceroos' expected full-strength squad for next month's home internationals against Paraguay and Bahrain.
Thompson was part of Australia's World Cup squad but saw no game time in Germany despite being used extensively by former coach Guus Hiddink in the lead-up and the World Cup playoffs against Uruguay.
Thompson admitted he had been sluggish going into the World Cup campaign thanks to a lack of match practice during his loan move to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, in which he played in only two league matches in four months.
But Thompson, who returned to Australia after the World Cup to rejoin A-League side Melbourne, showed he had rediscovered his goalscoring mojo in the Victory's 3-0 whipping of New Zealand last weekend.
The win kept Melbourne unbeaten in three matches and top of the table going into Sunday's clash with Central Coast at Olympic Park.
"I'm so eager to perform now and cement a place in the upcoming two games for the Socceroos," Thompson told AAP.
"Definitely the fitness wasn't where I wanted it to be when I first got back."
"But working with (Victory strength and conditioning coach and Athens Olympics sprinter) Adam Basil, I'm getting to where I want to be and I can only keep improving."
"I was a bit slow the first two weeks against Adelaide and Sydney, but I'm so determined to do well and make future Socceroo squads and step up another level."
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold couldn't have helped but be impressed with Thompson's vintage performance against New Zealand, in which he scored a stunner from an impossible angle and played a large part in a sweeping move for another Victory goal.
Arnold is likely to pick a near full-strength side for the October 7 friendly against Paraguay in Brisbane and the Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain in Sydney on October 11.
And 27-year-old Thompson is confident he can produce another performance against Central Coast on Sunday to press his claims to remain an integral part of the Socceroos' 2007 Asian Cup and 2010 World Cup build-up.
Melbourne's Brazilian defender Alessandro has returned from a hip injury and will slot straight back into the starting 11 against the Mariners.
Central Coast is a bogey team for Melbourne, with the Victory only beating the Mariners once in five regular season and pre-season matches and never at home.
Now Melbourne Victory's Archie Thompson wants to be back in the Socceroos' expected full-strength squad for next month's home internationals against Paraguay and Bahrain.
Thompson was part of Australia's World Cup squad but saw no game time in Germany despite being used extensively by former coach Guus Hiddink in the lead-up and the World Cup playoffs against Uruguay.
Thompson admitted he had been sluggish going into the World Cup campaign thanks to a lack of match practice during his loan move to Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, in which he played in only two league matches in four months.
But Thompson, who returned to Australia after the World Cup to rejoin A-League side Melbourne, showed he had rediscovered his goalscoring mojo in the Victory's 3-0 whipping of New Zealand last weekend.
The win kept Melbourne unbeaten in three matches and top of the table going into Sunday's clash with Central Coast at Olympic Park.
"I'm so eager to perform now and cement a place in the upcoming two games for the Socceroos," Thompson told AAP.
"Definitely the fitness wasn't where I wanted it to be when I first got back."
"But working with (Victory strength and conditioning coach and Athens Olympics sprinter) Adam Basil, I'm getting to where I want to be and I can only keep improving."
"I was a bit slow the first two weeks against Adelaide and Sydney, but I'm so determined to do well and make future Socceroo squads and step up another level."
Socceroos coach Graham Arnold couldn't have helped but be impressed with Thompson's vintage performance against New Zealand, in which he scored a stunner from an impossible angle and played a large part in a sweeping move for another Victory goal.
Arnold is likely to pick a near full-strength side for the October 7 friendly against Paraguay in Brisbane and the Asian Cup qualifier against Bahrain in Sydney on October 11.
And 27-year-old Thompson is confident he can produce another performance against Central Coast on Sunday to press his claims to remain an integral part of the Socceroos' 2007 Asian Cup and 2010 World Cup build-up.
Melbourne's Brazilian defender Alessandro has returned from a hip injury and will slot straight back into the starting 11 against the Mariners.
Central Coast is a bogey team for Melbourne, with the Victory only beating the Mariners once in five regular season and pre-season matches and never at home.