Despite his hopes for a transfer to a major English club, Mark Schwarzer acknowledges that participating in January’s Asian Cup in Qatar may hinder his prospects.
After not reaching an agreement with powerhouse Arsenal during the transfer window in August, he has yet to commit to Fulham.
Arsenal did not present sufficient funds to convince the officials at Craven Cottage, and Fulham’s manager Mark Hughes is making efforts to secure Schwarzer with a new contract.
The Australian goalkeeper mentions that his club situation remains uncertain ahead of the upcoming transfer window in the New Year.
“I feel flattered by my manager (Hughes) expressing his wish for me to stay at the club, and discussions will take place in the coming weeks,” he remarked.
“What the outcome will be…who knows?”
One possible hurdle for any club looking to sign Schwarzer in January is that his commitments to the Asian Cup could keep him unavailable for that entire month.
Acquiring a new player who might be absent for a month in the midst of the season poses an unattractive scenario for potential interested clubs.
“I aim to represent Australia as much as I can, and the Asian Cup is a significant tournament in January.
“If an opportunity arises, it will need to be dealt with at that moment.
“The (Australian) manager is focused on assembling the strongest team possible, and if I’m among those selected, then there’s no doubt (I’ll play for Australia).”
Following the disappointment of missing out on a transfer to north London, the 38-year-old has consistently performed well for Fulham.
Currently sitting 16th in the EPL standings, the Cottagers are merely one victory away from breaking into the top half of the tightly packed table.
The allure of participating in the Champions League is still an enticing idea for Australia’s goalkeeper from the last two World Cups.
“When you have a squad engaged in Champions League play and striving for major titles, that is something at this stage of my career that I find hard to overlook,” he shared.
“The club (Fulham) has been incredibly understanding, and the support from fans has been remarkable, which I appreciate greatly.”
At Schwarzer’s age, he was always expected to be a temporary solution for the Gunners, and it seems his opportunity might have passed.
Lukasz Fabianski has shown solid performance, aside from a recent poor outing against Newcastle, while 20-year-old Wojciech Szczesny is seen as a viable long-term choice.
Even with uncertainties surrounding his club career, Schwarzer’s status in the national team remains strong.
He is on the verge of matching Alex Tobin’s record of 87 appearances for the Socceroos.
If he maintains his fitness and Australia excels at the Asian Cup, the former Middlesbrough player could achieve this milestone by the semi-finals of the tournament in late January.
“Achieving a record like that would mean a lot, but it’s not the driving force behind my desire to keep playing,” he stated.
“My passion is playing, and I will continue as long as I’m deservedly selected.”
