Asian odyssey revs up Millsy

Milligan is part of Australia’s 27-member squad preparing for next Wednesday’s 2011 Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia in Brisbane.

But the versatile Sydneysider, who as a 21-year-old rookie shot to national fame by helping Sydney FC win the first A-League title and being picked in Guus Hiddink’s 2006 World Cup squad, is looking beyond the Suncorp showdown.

He is hellbent on becoming the youngest Australian player to be picked in two World Cup finals squads.

After his exploits for club and country, it was only a matter of time before the A-League would lose another promising player to a foreign club yet his decision to quit Australia in January 2009 still raised many eyebrows.

Milligan signed a three-year deal with Chinese Super League side Shanghai Shenhua, where he made 25 appearances, before joining Japanese second division side JEF United on another three-year deal last month.

Many Australian pundits thought he went away too soon last year but 'Millsy' is adamant he made the right career move.

“There were several reasons I went to Asia and I do not need to justify why I went away,” Milligan said after Socceroos training on the Gold Coast.

“But being away from Australia and the media pressure was not necessarily a bad thing for me.

“I was able to get away from it all and quietly go about my business. I did what I had to do and my decision to go to Asia got me back in the national team picture.

“I'm doing well there and over the last six months I have been called up regularly by Pim.”

Milligan said he was looking forward to a fresh challenge with JEF United, who hail from the Chiba prefecture in the Greater Tokyo area.

“JEF are a big club and last season was the first time they had been relegated but I’m confident we will go straight up to the first division,” he said.

“It was time for me to leave China. I’ve got a family now and a baby on the way and it would have been hard for us to live in China the way we would like to.

“I was not unhappy in Shanghai but China is culturally very different to Australia.

"By going to Japan I looked after myself contract-wise, too.”

Milligan said he hoped he would start against the Indonesians in his favourite central defensive role, which he conceded gave him the best chance of getting to South Africa.

Milligan can also play competently as a holding midfielder but it’s at the back where he usually excels and that’s where he would like to play for Australia.

“The centre-back role is the one I enjoy most,” he explained.

“That’s where I have played for most of my rep career and that’s the spot I’m aiming for in terms of South Africa.

“I obviously do not know if I’ll start against Indonesia but if I am selected I will be putting my best foot forward. If I get the chance I will make sure that I take it.”

Australia need only a draw against Indonesia to reach the Asian Cup finals in Qatar next January.