Awer Mabil: It’s amazing to be back with the boys
After returning to the Subway Socceroos squad for the first time since October 2023, Awer Mabil is excited for the challenges ahead and determined to make an impact.
The Subway Socceroos begin Round Three of their FIFA World Cup 2026™ Qualifying campaign this Thursday against Bahrain at Robina Stadium.
- READ MORE: How to watch Australia vs Bahrain
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Mabil, who moved to Swiss record champions Grasshopper Club Zürich in August 2023, has made a fine start to the season, including an eye-catching display in the Swiss Cup where he notched eight goal contributions (five assists, three goals) in a 9-0 win over FC Regensdorf.
The 28-year-old, who has 32 caps and nine goals for his country, will be hoping to take that early-season form into this international window, with AFC Asian Qualifiers against Bahrain and Indonesia on the horizon.
This is what Mabil had to say when he faced the media yesterday, here on the Gold Coast.
On returning to the Socceroos squad...
It's amazing to be back with the boys. I've missed it a lot, but I've been following the boys and it makes me happy to see what they have been doing. I'm happy to be back here and am just enjoying the time. It’s been a couple of years of learning for me, so I'm going to do whatever I can to help the team. That's what I'm focused on. I will not look at the last couple years as something that I would change, but more like something that I use as a motivation to continue, to enjoy the process, the hard and the good times. So I really look forward to what's to come.
Mentally, I'm stronger, and I've also learned to enjoy the process. That's been the biggest thing, especially after my injury. Now I'm more appreciative of my health, and, of course, not taking things for granted. So, that's the biggest lesson. I'm just being present as much as I can - I’m more present now than I was before.
On why he opted to move to Grasshopper Club Zürich and how he’s finding the league...
The club called me, called my agent, and we had several clubs also interested. And there I was in LaLiga, and I was also doubting whether I should leave LaLiga. But I needed, especially after the World Cup, something to work towards. And when I spoke with the club, their ambitions were to get back to where they belong. I'm sure a lot of people know their history. So for me that was a motivation and that's something that I get up every day to try to do the best that I can, to try to play my part, to get the club one step closer to where it was before.
It's a very back and forth league. A lot of running which probably suits me a lot. It’s a very competitive league, because the bottom teams can beat the top team. So that’s nice. It's not just dominated by one team all the time. So that’s fun, and it's not boring for the fans, because if one team just wins all the time, then it doesn’t really show much.
On whether he thought about returning home or if he had his heart set on Europe...
I've been in Europe now for almost 10 years. Time flies. But, when I first got to Europe, I had ambitions of playing in the Champions League and then playing the top five leagues in the world. And I was lucky enough to accomplish that. So I needed new goals and one of them was to try to help a club that wants to get back to where it was before. And I would love to come back to the A-League one day, but I have some unfinished business in Europe. So I'm motivated to achieve some more things there, and then I will come home also to achieve some things, hopefully with my lovely club. Everybody knows who that is…
On the challenges that await us in qualifying including Saudi Arabia and Japan...
It's interesting. We always get Saudi Arabia and we always get Japan. But for us, we just focus on ourselves. The last Qualifying campaign was a little bit stressful, the way we had to do it, but we always find a way to do it. So our biggest target now is to do it directly, and that's what we focus on. So we don't care about the opponent - every game that we play we have to win and want to win these games.
On competition for places in the squad...
It’s beautiful - I love the competition, and it's credit to Arnie [Graham Arnold] and the coaching staff - they've put together a lot of players. So this is what I love. I love the competition because it makes you better, and in the end, it makes the whole team better. So the more players we have for every position, the better the team will be. Everybody has to be on top of their game. Whenever they're called up and whenever they play, or whenever you get your chance, you have to do the best you can for your country. So this is credit to the coaches, and then also credit to the players that are pushing a lot.
On Nestory Irankunda’s rise...
It's been amazing. He's from Adelaide, like me, and to watch his growth in the last year has been amazing, but we also have to continue to let him grow. He will make mistakes, but we just have to be there to give him a hand. So I've talked to him. I saw him maybe two weeks ago in Munich, when my club played against his. We had a nice chat and now it's just up to him to take this great opportunity that he has and I'm sure he's going to do that. So we just have to allow him to be himself and then continue to express his talent.
On any advice that he’s offered Irankunda...
Look around you, and you've got everything here. You're training with some of the best players in the world. Put your head down. Just work hard and try to pick their brains on what you can learn from every single player. Everybody your age would do anything in the world to be in your shoes. So just put your head down and just keep working. That's what I try to say to him. He's my little brother, so I try to give him the best advice that I can.
On that incredible Swiss Cup game where Mabil bagged eight goal contributions...
It was good - I was enjoying myself! It just seemed like everything I was touching was going to goals or assists. So, it was nice. And then it was also nicer to see one of my boys across in Europe - Nestory. That was a good week.
On Arnie picking more wingers in this squad...
We trust whatever the coach’s plan is, and our job is to be ready to play whenever we’re called up to play. I think it's great for Australian football in general. The wingers that we have now. Craig [Goodwin] is doing well. I'm starting to get to where I want to be, and I'm sure you're going to see a lot of me one day, so I'm really excited to see the flare that the wingers also bring to the fans.
On what Mabil has added to his game since we last saw him in a Socceroos jersey...
I try to be as complete as I can. So normally I'm just a fast winger, one against one, but I try to work on my interplays, combination plays. I've been working really hard at that. And at my club, they allow me to take up this kind of role where I move around, so I've developed that side of my game a little bit more. So I'm happy with that. And there's a few things that I want to develop even further, and I'm currently working on them. So I will show them one day on the pitch. You just have to wait for those days to come.
MATCH DETAILS
Subway Socceroos v Bahrain
Thursday, 5 September 2024
Robina Stadium, Gold Coast
Kick-off: 8.00pm AEST
Tickets: Start from $15 Child, $20 Concession, $29 Adult, and $58 Family. Tickets from Ticketmaster.
Broadcast: 10 (Bold in Perth), 10 Play and Paramount+
Indonesia v Subway Socceroos
Tuesday 10 September 2024
Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta
Kick-off: 7.00pm local / 10.00pm AEST
Broadcast: Paramount+