Elder has decision to make if he’s to be picked for Australia
CALLUM Elder is facing up to a big decision in his career as the Hull City defender prepares to return from his summer holidays for the start of pre-season training on Monday.
Elder had hoped to be involved in Australia’s World Cup play-off fixtures this month which saw Graham Arnold’s Socceroos beat Peru in a penalty shootout on Monday which sealed qualification for this winter’s competition in Qatar, but instead, the 27-year-old former Leicester City defender was recovering from his break in Ibiza.
The Tigers defender, who earned a first cap for his country in
September last year, has seen his hopes of featuring in the Gulf before Christmas cut significantly after losing his place in the City starting XI to homegrown star Brandon Fleming.
Under former boss Grant Mccann, Elder was a regular and played 44 times in the League One promotionwinning side.
After the arrival of Arveladze in mid-january, Elder found his opportunities severely limited and was restricted to a bit-part role at the MKM in the second half of the season, and as a consequence, was not considered by Arnold for the World Cup eliminators.
Elder’s contract was due to expire at the end of this month and though City have activated his year option, it’s understood the club are happy to let him move on elsewhere this summer.
If he’s to have any hope of forcing his way back into Arnold’s plans for the winter, then regular football is a must.
Barring any bad luck for Fleming ahead of the new season start late next month, he will start the campaign as Arveladze’s number one left-back, leaving Elder with a decision to make.
Does he persist with the Tigers in a bid to win back the place he made his own under Mccann, or does he cut his losses and seek regular minutes elsewhere?
The chance to play in a World Cup is an opportunity that few footballers get in their career, and speaking to the Mail in the closing stages of the campaign, Elder reiterated his desire to be involved in the games with UAE and Peru, and no doubt it will have hurt him as he watched on from the other side of the world.
“They don’t come any bigger and for so many factors, you’ve got to be one of those countries who qualify for the World Cup,” he said. “On so many levels it’s just an incredible thing. The last World Cup campaign was the route Australia went down to qualify and from memory, they had to beat Honduras over two legs to get to the World Cup, so we’re no stranger to going down this route.
“The World Cup is the biggest international tournament in the world of sport, I’d argue.
“It’s really exciting and I hope that I can be a part of that, and between now and the end of the season I do as well as I can for Hull when called upon because I know our coaching staff (with the national team) watch all of our games so that’s something I’ll be looking to do.”
Along with other members of Arveladze’s squad, Elder will return to Cottingham on Monday with a degree of doubt surrounding his future, but knowing if he’s to force his way back into World Cup contention then time is running out.