Hibs digging for victory with battle-hardened Aussies on the front line against Rangers at Ibrox
World Cup hopeful making hard yards - and racking up air miles - in pursuit of dream
Jack Iredale calls it the “Aussie digger spirit.” And, yes, he sees why a term first coined to describe soldiers in the First World War would fit neatly with what he calls the “trenches” of Scottish football.
Whatever name you put on the mental toughness, mateship and doggedness that has come to characterise Australian sports people, with the current Ashes series a case in point, it’s clearly based on something real. Ask Iredale about being dragged halfway across the world only to warm the bench for the Socceroos, then, and you won’t find him whingeing about his treatment.
The centre-half, called into the senior international squad but yet to earn a single minute of game time under World Cup-bound gaffer Tony Popovic, feels like he’s currently bang in the middle of the most enjoyable stage of his career. Yet he’s still striving to improve on his lot – for club and country.
Iredale, whose desire to follow the cricket is being undermined by the time difference at the moment, recognises the stereotypes that have grown around the average Australian athlete, pointing out: “When I've been involved in national teams growing up, that's definitely one of the things that you do pride yourselves on, that Aussie digger spirit really. You see a lot of Aussies that come away from home and I think a lot of people would say that Aussie players that they've encountered have similar mentality characteristics as well.
“Oh yeah, in the trenches in Scotland when the weather gets rubbish? Ideal!
“I think growing up in Australia, you always think the pinnacle of football is playing on the other side of the world. I was preparing myself to leave home at a young age, knowing that you want to get yourself over to Europe and play. I think it's something you do think about growing up.
Hibs providing perfect environment for defender
“I think I've learned so many lessons from every club and each manager that I've played under, but I find myself in a really good spot here and still trying to get better every day as well. I think the environment that we've got here has allowed me to do that.
“Yeah, playing well. Feeling that trust from the management team, I think is really, really important for me. The changing room we've got in there, we're all really close. Life off the pitch is good as well.
“My missus is from Glasgow as well, so being back up in Scotland, it makes the whole equation really work. But at the same time, the size of the club, the fans that travel to all the away games, the ones that come to the home games as well, the way that the season ended last year and the experience that we've had this season, it's just been a really, really enjoyable part of my career.
“And one that, when you're playing, you feel a lot more part of it as well. And to be able to play so many games consecutively, just feeling really like an important part of the team.”
Making it into the Australia squad destined to take on the USA, Paraguay and an unnamed European qualifier would be a bonus, of course, Iredale confessing: “Yeah, that is the dream, isn't it? I've been saying that for so many years now.
“Still not managed to get a cap yet. I've been involved in a few camps and that is also definitely right at the top of my goals list that I set myself to represent my country.
“Just being involved in the camp was a privilege. Being recognised that you're doing well at the club, come in and have the opportunity to train and to learn about the environment. Obviously, the next step for me is to be able to step on that pitch.
“I think I've managed to get myself involved in three camps now. I must be doing something right. They're obviously watching. I've just got to keep doing what I'm doing, keep improving, keep working on what they've told me to work on.
“There's another camp in March. It's a lot of football between now and then. Now full focus is on Hibs and if I'm doing well here then I'll get recognised there.”
Victory at Ibrox may sway Socceroos boss Popovic
A win at Ibrox tomorrow night wouldn’t hurt when it comes to catching the eye of Popovic. After losing to Rangers in Govan in the Premier Sports Cup earlier in the season, and then ending up on the wrong end of a narrow one-goal game at home, Hibs should at least be prepared for whatever Danny Rohl’s men throw at them.
“I think we can take confidence from what we know we do well,” said Iredale. “I think with the change in manager, one thing I did notice last time we played them at ours was I thought defensively they were a lot more solid, but I haven't watched too much of them since.
“We're getting all the information from the coaches on the training pitch, looking at ways that we can hurt them. In terms of what we've learned, we've learned that we need to be good to get what we want to get out of the game.”