Determined Degenek still aspires to be part of Europe's elite

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Milos Degenek doesn’t mind being called the ‘grandpa’ of the Subway Socceroos team, but the 29-year-old still has ambitions of playing at the highest level in the world.

Degenek is an important part of the current Socceroos squad, making 44 appearances since his debut in 2016. 

His club career is also impressive, featuring in Serbia, Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the United States. 

But he has played most of his football with Serbian powerhouses FK Crvena zvezda (Red Star Belgrade), now into this third stint with the club. 

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The record nine-time Serbian SuperLiga winners are preparing for a mammoth clash with reigning UEFA Champions League winners Manchester City in a couple of weeks.

The side have been dealt a tricky group with top German side RB Leipzig and Switzerland's BSC Young Boys, the other opposition.

Degenek is relishing the challenge, citing it as one of the main reasons he returned to Belgrade. 

"It's a tough draw for the Champions League but one that we're looking forward to," he said. 

"It's going to be a hell of a challenge [Manchester City], but it's exciting times for the club in general. It's exciting times for all of us as players.

"It's one of those games where we, as a club and as people, won't take a backward step. We're not going to go in headfirst; we need to be intelligent, but we're not going to go in and sit back and wait for them to do what they want to do."

Degenek is desperate to tackle these sorts of challenges every week.

 

Milos Degenek

 

The versatile defender explained that he has not had the rub of the green that would have seen him step onto the pitch regularly for a team in Europe’s elite competitions. 

“I think I haven’t had the best treatment in my career,” Degenek said.  

“I believe I could have been playing in Italy, Spain, Germany, England, wherever it be, but I haven’t had that luck and fortune like many others have.

“I’m not saying I could be playing for Arsenal or Man City, but I know I could be playing at a club that’s in and around the midtable in one of the top five leagues in the world.

“I’ve never quit or let that affect me. Wherever I've played, I’ve given my best, I’ve left my heart on the pitch, but I’ve seen myself and what I can do.” 

He said that he has been willing to go to great lengths to secure the contract of his dreams and that he would be left disappointed if he never gets there. 

“I’ve said many times I’ve gotten on the phone to agents, to clubs,” Degenek said.  

“I’ve said I’m more than happy to come play half a year for free. I don’t need to get paid, I just want to show what I can do.

“I don’t want to look back 10 years from now, finishing my career and being able to say I haven’t played in the top five leagues in the world. 

“I think I would let myself down if that happens.”

Degenek still thinks he has plenty of football left in the tank, aiming to play for the next seven or eight years and eager to still be around the Socceroos squad for the 2030 World Cup. 

For now, he is focussing on putting his best foot forward ahead of the 2023 AFC Asian Cup Qatar, which was behind his decision to move back to Zvezda for this season. 

Degenek started four of the side’s first six matches that sees them a point off the top in second place. 

 

 

In his squad announcement press conference, Graham Arnold explained that players have missed out on this window because their leagues weren’t yet up and running for this season. 

With the SuperLiga’s hiatus not coming until late December, Degenek’s team will be playing football right up until the start of the Qatar competition. 

“I had a few conversations with Arnie, and the club wanted me to come back, so I took the opportunity with both hands,” he said.

“Being able to push the season into December to give myself the best chance to be fit and healthy for the Asian Cup in January.”

Defender Degenek will get a vital chance to impress Arnold in the United States against Mexico on Sunday, a place where he could play for the Socceroos again in three years. 

He said there was some important learning for the squad following the Ecuador matches in March, which saw Australia win 3-1 before going down 2-1 a few days later. 

Milos Degenek


Degenek started both matches, saying that the team lacked ‘street knowledge’, but that Sunday posed a different challenge for Australia. 

“There will be 60-70 thousand Mexican supporters in the stadium, and it’s going to be very important we shut ourselves out from the stadium and focus on the football,” he said. 

“It’s very important we go through these games as a learning curve. But also as a challenge to see how far we’ve come and what we can do to play our role in the world of football, where we come up against teams whose stadium will be against us. 

“So that we get used to these moments, get used to playing these games because we don’t want to be just participating in these games and then coming out saying ‘oh it was difficult’. 

“You’ve got to go and implement your game. Don’t worry about the crowd. Learn from our mistakes from the past and to be better in this game.”

International Friendly

Mexico vs Australia
Date: Sunday, 10 September 2023
Venue: AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas
Time: 12:00pm AEST, (9:00pm Saturday, 9 September local time)
Broadcast: Live on Network 10, 10 Play and Paramount+