Qatari interest in Spiranovic

Just 48 hour after fellow Socceroos defender Sasa Ognenovski ended his nearly four years in the Korea Republic by switching from Seongnam Ilhwa to Umm Salal, pending a medical, Al-Sailiya intensified efforts to bring out-of-favour Urawa Red Diamonds centre-back Spiranovic to the Persian Gulf.

Already ensconced in the region is United Arab Emirates-based Socceroos midfielder Mark Bresciano at Al Nasr while national team skipper Lucas Neill is seeking a new contract with a Middle East club after Al Jazira declined to offer him a contract extension after a season in the UAE Pro League.

Spiranovic, who has already been linked with Crystal Palace in a proposed $600,000 switch, appears likely to be leaving Japan after a challenging year with Urawa Reds where Serbian coach Mihailo Petrovic has not picked him in five weeks.

The cultured defender has made only seven appearances this season – his third year with the Reds after his switch from Nurnberg – and is out of contract at the end of the J-League campaign.

Spiranovic's situation is complicated by the solid form of Japan's best supported club, which currently lies fifth on the ladder – five points behind leader Vegalta Sendai – after enduring a horror 2010-2011 campaign.

Should he elect to join the Persian Gulf influx the 24-year old could find the experience more than just financially rewarding, according to Adelaide United's John McKain.

"The standard of football in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and around the Gulf is pretty good," the Reds defender/midfielder, who spent the 2010-2011 season with Saudi giant Al Nassr, told The World Game.

"As a defender you are up against some top quality strikers and you need to be on top of your game to survive.

"There are some amazing players from South America and Europe there, who may not have heard of but who are quick, strong, skilful and very destructive if you give them a half a chance.

"The pace of the games is slower than the A-League, largely because of the heat. Even though games kick off quite late you can get the temperatures in the 40s.

"Obviously it won't be as quick either as the J-League should Spira move or the K-League, where Sasa has been playing, and the weather takes a lot of getting used to.

"Technically the players you come up against are very, very good, from the goalkeeper to the centre forward.

"It's a different style of football there. It's played at a different tempo and you can become a better player there. The challenges are different and it provides a unique test.

"If Spira was to go I think it would be short term switch for him probably. I know he wants to get back to Europe and I know he's more than good enough to accomplish that goal.

"The important thing for him, like all the Socceroos boys, is to be playing regularly whether in the Gulf, Asia, Europe or here in the A-League."