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Leckie ready to step up for Socceroos

24 August 2012-SBS EXCLUSIVE

Australian striker Mathew Leckie is unveiled by German 2.Bundesliga club FSV Frankfurt

Talent... Australian striker Mathew Leckie is unveiled by German 2.Bundesliga club FSV Frankfurt. (Getty)

Australian striker Mathew Leckie said he is ready to replicate his strong club form for his country should he be given an opportunity by Socceroos coach Holger Osieck.

Leckie has scored in successive games for 2. Bundesliga club FSV Frankfurt and is hoping to be among the names in Osieck's 23-man squad for the international match against Lebanon on 6 September and the 2014 World Cup qualifier against Jordan in Amman five days later.

An air of intrigue remains over who Osieck will name on 29 August, after a succession of sub-par performances from the Socceroos in which concerns have arisen over the team's inability to create chances and score goals - Australia has scored twice in its last four matches.

Leckie has made a compelling case for selection, having secured a starting berth at the club he joined on loan this season from Bundesliga team Borussia Monchengladbach.

“I feel I am ready mentally and physically if that chance comes," Leckie said. “If I can help the team qualify for the next World Cup, I’d love to be able to.

"I don’t expect anything but if it happens I’ll be ready. I think you are seeing already that Holger is giving the younger players their opportunities.

“He’s a good coach and he knows what he’s doing and the next generation will get their opportunities at various camps and hopefully I can be among that group which breaks through.

“I just need to make an impression when the chance comes, so I can stay in the squad. But I have to get their first.

“I definitely want to be in the national team as soon as I can.

“At Gladbach I wasn’t playing much and it’s been good to make the move and be scoring a few goals. Hopefully I can keep that up for the rest of the season,” Leckie said.

“The level isn’t the same as the Bundesliga. It’s more of a battle in games whereas in the Bundesliga it’s more about technique and tactics.”

Leckie's rich vein of form includes the winning goal in FSV Frankfurt's 2-1 defeat of Sonnenhoft Grossaspach in Germany's DFB Pokal, and a decisive goal in the 3-1 league win over Hertha Berlin.

Watch Leckie's goal for FSV Frankfurt v Hertha Berlin

“It’s a great place for me to be right now," Leckie said. "I am on loan for a year at Frankfurt and the plan is to then go back.

“There will be talks between myself and the club before that and we will see what happens.”

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