Ajdin Hrustic: We're ready to go and we're hungry
CommBank Socceroos creative midfielder Ajdin Hrustic expressed his pride in being back in camp for the first time since November 2024 ahead of the upcoming Soccer Ashes series.
The 29-year-old gave some insights into his last twelve months of club football, revealed the advice that he has given to the potential debutants in the squad, and said that the upcoming friendlies against New Zealand would be anything but.
How he feels to be back in camp
I’m happy to be back, happy to be in Canberra, and I’m ready to go.
I can’t wait [to get started]. A few new faces, looking forward to meeting the young boys, and also some familiar faces back. We’re ready to go, we’re hungry, and we’ll take the first game here at home and the second one back over there.
Move to Heracles Almelo in the Netherlands
I signed for a new club, went back to Heracles. I’m enjoying my football, enjoying my daily life again. I’m very happy to be back there.
I had a short stint in January until the summer at Salernitana [in Serie B] and I enjoyed my time there, working with the staff and the players. I came back, I got a call. I thought about it for a few days and I thought it was the perfect moment and the right moment to take a step back to Heracles, obviously looking forward to the World Cup.
Earning his place back
That’s the thing – [it’s about] game time, minutes, and performance. There are a lot of boys who are hungry and ready to go. I’m just trying to make sure I’m fit, and healthy, and always ready.
On the Socceroos' World Cup qualification moment in June
I watched that game actually [against Japan], and I saw Aziz [Behich] sprinting [after he scored the match winner]. I’ve never seen him sprint that quickly - I think he hit 35 kmh on the GPS!
No, it was amazing. Very happy for the boys, but also for the staff, because I know the work they've put in. It was a big step.
Advice for the younger generation
First thing is they have to know what it means to wear the green and gold, how important it is for the country, for the nation, and what it means. But I'm sure they're going to pick it up very quickly.
Competitive nature of the games
It’s definitely not a friendly. You see the squad – there’s a lot of young, hungry boys that want to show themselves. I definitely don’t think it will be a friendly game. And when you put on the green and gold, you can’t see that as a friendly.
New Zealand is a good side, a good country. They've got some very good players and they qualified for the World Cup, so they're going to be ready to go. I don't think they'll take it as a friendly either.