The 28-year-old joined the Wanderers on a two-year deal from League One outfit Gillingham in July.
A product of the Aston Villa Academy, which he joined at the tender age of 15, Herd made 36 appearances in the Premier League for Aston Villa before being sent out on several loan spells in the Championship and League One during his 12 years in England.
He made his Wanderers debut against Arsenal last month and will be hoping to be back in action against Victorian National Premier League side Bentleigh Greens in the FFA Cup round of 16 on Tuesday.
Herd, who joined Perth Glory last year only to terminate his contract after three months, said a return to Australia and the A-League was the perfect move to get his career back on track.
“At the end of last season I was at a point where I realised I wasn’t where I wanted to be, and that is playing good football,” he said.
“I wouldn’t say I was losing it, I just felt it was the right time for a change. I didn’t leave Aston Villa on the right terms, I had a bad knee injury and it meant I had to drop down from playing in the Premier League to League One.
“I thought I would only be there (in League One) for a year but it ended up being two. At that point I felt I had to move on and give my career a bit of a kick-start.”
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Herd signs for Wanderers
A return to the Socceroos fold is another driving force for Herd, who has not featured for the national team since injury forced him out of the 2015 Asian Cup squad.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to represent my country in the past and it’s something that I think most players strive to achieve,” he said.
“While my main focus is playing well for the Wanderers, I think if I perform well in the A-League then I would definitely be a chance of returning to the Socceroos’ squad.”
Described as a utility player for his ability to cover a variety of positions in defence and midfield, Herd believes Wanderers coach Tony Popovic is the man to unlock his potential.
“I’m 28 now but I feel I have a lot of room to improve and the Wanderers are the right club for me to achieve that,” Herd said.
“Tony is a great coach and I’m confident that he will be able to help me become a better player.
“Even though the club has signed me from playing in England I will still have to earn my right to play in the team. Hopefully by the time the season comes around I will be reaching full fitness and able to lock down a position in the side."
Herd is hoping he gets the chance to prove himself against Bentleigh Greens in the FFA Cup.
“The FFA Cup is a great opportunity to test the squad in competitive matches ahead of the regular season,” he said.
“Even though it is still our preseason our goal is to win the cup.
“Coming up against an NPL club will be a real test because they will want to prove themselves against A-League opposition.
“It will be a tough match but we are confident we can get a good result and progress to the quarter-finals.”
