Belgium-bound Socceroo Aiden O’Neill is keen to rekindle his European membership profession after turning into a “better player” and a “better person” throughout his five-year A-League spell.
O’Neill, who turns 25 subsequent week, has signed a four-year contract with Belgian Pro League membership Standard Liege.
It would be the stylish midfielder’s second spell overseas after enjoying within the English Premier League for Burnley as an 18-year-old in 2016.
During his time at Burnley, O’Neill was additionally loaned out to decrease league golf equipment Oldham and Fleetwood Town.
The Queenslander returned to Australia in 2018 for additional mortgage spells with the Central Coast Mariners and Brisbane Roar earlier than signing a three-year deal in 2020 with Melbourne City, the place he gained an A-League championship and three premierships.
“I always said that I was coming back to Australia to improve as a player and then head back over to Europe with a lot more experience and as a better player and a better person as well with more life skills,” O’Neill mentioned.
“I feel I’ve done that. I’ve won championships, I’ve won trophies and now I’m raring to go and ready to make that move and stay there.
“I had a couple of hiccups along the way, which everyone does, but I think it’s worked out perfectly in terms of timing.”
O’Neill had been linked with a transfer to French membership Troyes, who’re coached by his former Melbourne City mentor Patrick Kisnorbo.
However, Troyes’ relegation to the second-tier of French soccer led to a change in O’Neill’s vacation spot.
“I was still speaking to ‘PK’, and then the opportunity came up with Standard Liege, and it really felt like the one for me,” he mentioned.
“We were talking for a while, and I think it’s a great club and a great opportunity for me to take the next step, move back to Europe and play consistent football over there.”
The transfer to Belgium was additionally backed by nationwide coach Graham Arnold, who gave O’Neill his Socceroos debut in Australia’s two-game sequence in opposition to Ecuador in March.
“He was happy for me. I spoke to him about a week prior to finalising it all, and he gave me the go ahead and was excited about the opportunity,” O’Neill mentioned.
“He spent some time playing in Belgium as well, and we talked about the place, the league, the city and all the fans, and that now it was up to me to prove myself over there and stay in the Socceroos team.”
O”Neill mentioned it was an “unbelievable” expertise enjoying for Australia in opposition to world champions Argentina in China earlier this month regardless of the Socceroos dropping 2-0.
“It against showed a lot of us boys that we can compete at that level,” he mentioned.
O’Neil additionally backed his former membership City to bounce again from its embarrassing 6-1 A-League grand closing loss to the Mariners.
“It’s a tough to know what exactly went wrong that night, but City are such a well-run club that they will continue to have success,” he mentioned.
Originally printed as Socceroos midfielder Aiden O’Neill prepared for one more shot at European soccer
Source: www.dailytelegraph.com.au
