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ESPNsoccernet: Australia |
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Thursday, July 12, 2012
Mark Milligan eyes Socceroo return
Returning Socceroo Mark Milligan believes the A-League will be a help rather than a hindrance to his national team ambitions.After a successful loan period at Melbourne Victory last season, Milligan has quit Japanese club JEF United to sign a permanent three-year deal with the A-League side.Central to his thinking was the chance to link with new coach Ange Postecoglou, and to keep at the forefront of Socceroos boss Holger Osieck's mind during the 2014 World Cup qualifiers."That's a compliment to the (A-League) and the way it's heading as well, when players like Matty McKay and Archie (Thompson) come in and are doing very well with the national team from the A-League," Milligan said."A few years ago if you were in the A-League it was obviously very tough to get into the Socceroos squad."It's just a sign of times changing."The 26-year-old, who has played 12 times for his country, trained with his Victory teammates on Thursday and adds to a strong Victory squad assembled by Postecoglou for next season.Already the Victory have signed ex-Adelaide playmaker Marcos Flores, as well as ex-Gold Coast fullback Adama Traore, Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Finkler and Mauritian international Jonathan Bru.Milligan starred for Victory in central defence and as a defensive midfielder late last season under former coach Jim Magilton.