Ryan: I'll focus on what I can control

CommBank Socceroos captain Maty Ryan said that he would be focusing on what he can control as the team prepares for the FIFA Series 2026™.

The experienced shot-stopper mused about positions for places and the challenges and joys of life as a new father while being a professional footballer.

He also spoke about his leadership style and how he wanted to emulate the greats on the biggest stage.

Looking ahead and being a leader at the World Cup

Any opportunity you get as a footballer to live your dream - not only playing as a professional player, but playing for your country - I think there's motivation enough in that alone. I'm just very grateful to be here, obviously selected again in camp, and trying to do all I can to put my best foot forward to be selected in the World Cup, and first and foremost, for the game Friday night. We'll do the best we can, in front of hopefully what's going to be a bumper crowd, andthe second last game before we head off over there. So lots to be excited about.

It will be my fourth if selected. All of who we are as people today are from our journey through life. I'm trying to learn from all my experiences in these types of scenarios, preparing for these tournaments in the past, playing football at the highest level against some of the greatest players and teams and all that, trying to use all that in order to try to be a winner. I live to win in this industry, and so I'm trying to put everything I can together to help the team that are representing win. Whether that's communicating or sharing opinions with someone about certain moments - first and foremost, I need to make sure that I'm delivering from a performance perspective from my own side, because actions always speak louder than words. People can always talk, but demonstrating out on the pitch, and a great form of leadership is a player that is able to produce for their team in a moment, perhaps when things are up against them.

You talk about Timmy Cahill in the moments that he stepped up, the goals he scored in pivotal moments. You're thinking that it's not going to go our way and then all of a sudden he pops up and does something. Mark Schwartzer in the 2006 [qualification] penalty shootout can obviously go either way. He's able to step up and perform for the nation, and in the team in that moment, and we get through.

So at the end of the day, I try and keep it simple. I have confidence in the work that I'm doing. I've got my instincts and reflexes all honed in. When I get it on the pitch, I try not to think. I try and just let my instincts and reactions do their thing, and reflexes do their thing, and I believe in that approach. There's so many details that go into it all, but at the end of the day, when I go out on that pitch, one message I'm trying to say to myself is that - ain't nobody scoring against me today. I just try to keep it that no matter how I achieve it, I'll just try and go with that approach.

Club football

Prior to signing, I was predicting it to be a challenging season. They all are for different reasons. Respectfully, of course, to Levante and the circumstance in which I was coming, being recently promoted and not having competitive wage structures like other teams in the league, I knew it was going to be a difficult challenge. But being an optimist and being positive and really being excited about the opportunity to be at a club where you're playing at the highest level again and competing and all that, has been something that I've always thrived and enjoyed doing, and so I really enjoy it. It's my third time in Spain as well. The two previous times I hadn't really locked down a starting berth, and I'm so happy to have strung quite a few games together now. We're there or thereabouts, competing to achieve our goals for the season, which is to stay up and doing all I can to help the cause.

Competition for goalkeeping spots

Advice from when I was a youngster that my Mum and other people that were helping me throughout my career used to feed me is just focusing on things that you can control. 

So obviously, welcoming the competition. Competition is what makes us the strongest team that we can be. It always brings the best out of one another, and it's a healthy thing to have within the side. So always welcoming it. At the same time, there's no doubt that every player in here is disappointed when they're not selected, but the way in which they use that disappointment is the key thing in terms of motivating them to work even better and work even harder, while still putting the team first and supporting whoever is playing in that moment.

Tony [Popovic, Head Coach] does a great job at creating that environment that there's no hierarchy. Just because someone is senior or more experienced, or someone is younger and less experienced, it doesn't meaan thatthat this player is the number one for that position, or this player is the number two. Tony showed in his selection for games throughout his career as national team coach so far, that if he perceives someone to be ready, then he puts them in and gives them an opportunity, and then it's down to the player to take those opportunities. So I'm just trying to do the same every opportunity I get, try and make the most of it, and that's what the jersey and the badge in our country deserves.

You've got to be playing at your best level to warrant being selected every time you get to take that field. So I'm really just enjoying that environment that we have in here around that, and just trying to do my best to put my first foot forward.

Life as a father

I had a former Socceroos teammate, James Holland. He always used to tell me that anytime he had a teammate that had just recently had a child, their form always seem to improve. I feel like I'm doing pretty well this season on a personal level, and obviously trying to help the team. It really helps in recognising that there's all of a sudden something more important in the world than sport or other aspects of your life. It takes the edge off a little bit. So I'm thriving being a father and thriving being a footballer who's recently become a father. It's an amazing feeling, and I think it's something you only really understand once you become it yourself. I'm trying to make a great team with my partner, Chloe, and provide for the little man the best we can and give him, hopefully, what can be his best life and enjoying everything along the way.

I was unfortunately not able to be there at [Preston, his son's] birth and the first two months of his life. I'd only saw him for probably 30 hours, flying in and out. Testament to my partner again, in how she managed that with her family. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and all those types of things. You try to take advantage of the moments you do have together. Thankfully, we're living permanently together now and enjoying all that it means to be parents together to our little Preston, and trying to learn to keep the adversities as minimal as possible moving forward.

MATCH DETAILS

CommBank Socceroos v Cameroon

Date: Friday, 27 March
Kick-off: 8.10pm AEDT
Venue: Accor Stadium
Broadcast:  Network 10 and Paramount+
Tickets: Available on Ticketmaster

CommBank Socceroos v Curaçao
Date: Tuesday, 31 March
Kick-off: 8.10pm AEDT
Venue: AAMI Park
Broadcast:  Network 10 and Paramount+
Tickets: Available on Ticketek