Spiranovic credits honest Osieck

Spiranovic on Tuesday was selected for next week's 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne.

The gifted 23-year-old, who plays his club football for J.League giant Urawa Red Diamonds, has steadily come into his own for Australia and has started the last three internationals to take his appearances tally to 12.

There was a time, especially after missing out on a spot in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, when the Geelong-born player was not sure what the future held for his Socceroos aspirations.

But with the arrival of Osieck, Spiranovic's luck changed dramatically.

”As a player you cannot ask for more than your coach being very honest and straightforward with you,” Spiranovic said from Japan, where he is undergoing the final phase of pre-season training before Urawa's first league match away to Hiroshima on 10 March.

”Holger has given me a lot of confidence and because of his openness he's been able to get the best out of individual players and the team as a whole.

”In the last 12 to 18 months I've been working very hard and whenever I got the opportunity to play for the national team I made sure I was ready and fit.

”I had to be patient because I knew all along that my chance would come and it was always going to be up to me if I would take it.

”Holger definitely has brought the best out of me because he has given me the freedom to express myself.”

Osieck was glowing in his praise for Spiranovic when he announced his squad for the Saudi Arabia match.

”Spira made a good development in the second part of our qualifying campaign and he played very solidly and I am very happy with him,” Osieck said.

”You look at his age and number of game he has played already, then I think down the road he is going to be one of our regulars.”

Spiranovic is expected to partner captain Lucas Neill in the centre of Australia's defence at AAMI Park, although Korea Republic-based Sasa Ognenovski is also in the reckoning.

”I've been part of a lot of camps since I was 18 years old,” Spiranovic said.

”But you can never take anything for granted with all the competition for places, which is a good thing.

”It's nice to know that Holger believes in me.”

Spiranovic is eagerly awaiting the draw for the final phase of qualifying that will determine if Australia plays in its fourth and third straight World Cup.

”To be honest I have not looked too much into the teams left in the reckoning,” Spiranovic said.

”I know that there will be some good teams and our group will obviously be tougher than the last one (featuring Saudi, Oman and Thailand) so as a team we will have to be prepared.

”Just recently at club level we have played a few South Korean teams and there is no doubt that they are a very strong footballing country.

”But in saying that there are other countries like Uzbekistan, Iran and Iraq who will be pushing for a spot in Brazil.”