The arrival of Jarrod Basger and Toby Seeto from the UK has completed the Futsalroos’ FIFA World Cup contingent as the squad arrived in Bucaramanga ahead of a ten-day lead-in to the opening group match against Mozambique on 11 September.
After a gruelling 30 hour plus journey, Basger and Seeto joined the group at the team’s base in Colombia, having flown in from England.
For Basger and Seeto, who play professionally in Europe, linking up with the Fustalroos for their second FIFA Futsal World Cup campaign is an incredible feeling.
“It’s been six months since I last saw all the boys in Uzbekistan and we didn’t really get to spend much time together after winning the game to qualify, so to see them again and get back into the big tournament mindset and prepare for my second World Cup is great,” Basger said.
“The last World Cup was an incredible tournament, especially the win against Mexico, but I think personally I probably wasn’t at a level that I was happy with as an international player.
"I am hoping for a bit of an improvement this year. We are definitely looking for another win from the group and if we make it through that will be an extra bonus.”
“My leadership has definitely improved, as has my patience. My understanding of the game has also improved significantly having played for Australia numerous times and now playing in England for a professional side.”
It’s a similar tale for Seeto, one of the stars of Australia’s 2012 campaign in Thailand who plays for the same Baku United club in London.
“I think moving to England certainly has given me more focus,” he said. “It has made me have to prove myself again to people.
“I have been taken out of my comfort zone and have a new coach and new team mates and an environment I wasn’t as comfortable with, so on a personal level it has made me strive to improve my own game and I hope that I can perform at a good level in Colombia.
“Not having been training with the group I haven’t felt the same sensations that they would have during the build-up, but it you have a look at the list of players that are here, their CV speaks for themselves and we have a strong group of players.”
Seeto’s goals for the tournament remain firm as the Australian side seek to create history and become the first team to progress from the group stages at FIFA’s premier event.
“We are all here for one reason,” Seeto confirmed. “Australia has never gotten out of the Group Stage of a World Cup before and I think that is what I would like to achieve and I am almost certain that is the main objective for the fourteen players here and all the support staff.
“I think it’s going to be very tough, and we will need to perform to the best of our abilities, but if we do that we have a chance of progressing. Obviously it’s a huge honour to be here with the national team again and you never want to take any game for Australia for granted.
“Whatever we can do to improve our level in the next nine or ten days, that’s what we need to do, all with the focus of arriving at that first game at 100 per cent.”
The Futsalroos’ FIFA Futsal World Cup preparation continues in Colombia with friendly matches against Costa Rica (3rd September) and Kazakhstan (5th September).