Socceroo_06
September 12th, 2006, 10:14 AM
Viduka commits to Socceroos (http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,20396821-2883,00.html)
MIDDLESBROUGH striker Mark Viduka will keep playing for Australia after considering retiring from international football.
Viduka, 30, who captained the Socceroos at this year's World Cups, missed the 2-0 AFC Asia Cup defeat by Kuwait last week.
But after talks with caretaker boss Graham Arnold, he will continue to make himself available, although perhaps not for every game.
Viduka said on the Middlesbrough website: "It is a big commitment playing for Australia because there is such a lot of travelling and it means being away from the family and not being able to able to concentrate fully on playing for your club.
"I have come to an agreement with Graham because my wife is pregnant and we are by ourselves here, so I want to be with her at this time.
"I do not know if I will play in the next game either - we have already qualified anyway.''
Viduka admitted he was not the only Socceroo to consider calling it a day on the international stage after his side's heartbreaking second-round defeat by eventual winner Italy.
"A lot of us were thinking when we got to those sort of highs, is it going to get any better than this? Will it all be downhill from here?'' he said.
''Also, the next World Cup is in four years and I don't know if I'll still be playing - maybe I will, maybe not.''
MIDDLESBROUGH striker Mark Viduka will keep playing for Australia after considering retiring from international football.
Viduka, 30, who captained the Socceroos at this year's World Cups, missed the 2-0 AFC Asia Cup defeat by Kuwait last week.
But after talks with caretaker boss Graham Arnold, he will continue to make himself available, although perhaps not for every game.
Viduka said on the Middlesbrough website: "It is a big commitment playing for Australia because there is such a lot of travelling and it means being away from the family and not being able to able to concentrate fully on playing for your club.
"I have come to an agreement with Graham because my wife is pregnant and we are by ourselves here, so I want to be with her at this time.
"I do not know if I will play in the next game either - we have already qualified anyway.''
Viduka admitted he was not the only Socceroo to consider calling it a day on the international stage after his side's heartbreaking second-round defeat by eventual winner Italy.
"A lot of us were thinking when we got to those sort of highs, is it going to get any better than this? Will it all be downhill from here?'' he said.
''Also, the next World Cup is in four years and I don't know if I'll still be playing - maybe I will, maybe not.''