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Socceroo Mile Jedinak eyes Wembley final appearance as Crystal Palace prepare for League Cup semi-final against Cardiff City
The Eagles midfielder will have a key role to play in Tuesday's return leg against the Bluebirds, while he also discussed with Goal.com his first eight months in London
Jan 24, 2012 1:00:00 AM
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EXCLUSIVE
By Ben Somerford | Asian Football Editor
Crystal Palace's Australia international Mile Jedinak says the prospect of playing at the famous Wembley Stadium in the League Cup final is something he can barely imagine.
The 27-year-old midfielder is looming as a key figure for the Eagles who go to Cardiff City on Tuesday in the League Cup semi-final second leg with the winner to face either Manchester City or Liverpool in the decider at Wembley on February 26.
Jedinak, who provided the assist for Anthony Gardner's winner in the 1-0 first-leg win, told Goal.com that the Eagles would go out looking to win despite a draw being enough to progress to the final.
“From experience I think you should always go out to win,” Jedinak said. “Any football game you want to go out and win, we've got that slender lead, but you can't rest on that.
“Cardiff are a strong team and we know they've got a lot of attacking threats and we're going to have to be on our game to get over the line.”
And Jedinak knows if they do get over the line, an opportunity to play at Wembley beckons for the Sydney-born man who revealed he'd never played at the venue.
“I've never played there, I have actually been there but never played there,” he said.
“All I can say is what a fantastic stadium. I didn't go there for a football game but I can only imagine what it'd be like in the atmosphere of a football game. It's something you have to see to believe.”
Jedinak's telling contribution in the first leg came from a set piece, when he bolted into the box and beat Cardiff keeper Thomas Heaton to Darren Ambrose's cross, nodding on for Gardner to convert from close range.
The Australian said the goal was part of a new setplay introduced by manager Dougie Freedman only days prior to the game, although bizarrely he revealed he hadn't practiced the move after missing training prior to the game due to a virus.
“The coaches had it in mind but I wasn't at the training the day before because I was a little bit crook. I found out the plan just before the game but it worked to a tee,” Jedinak laughed.
“It helps when the delivery is so good, so when you know the ball's going to be on the money, it's up to you to make the decision to run in. It came off my shoulder in the end, and was fortunate enough to beat the keeper to set up Anthony for the goal.”
Despite his first-leg heroics, Jedinak isn't known for his attacking side with Palace. The Australian, who joined the London club from Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi prior to this season, has settled into a defensive midfield role aimed at breaking up opposition play at Palace.
“It's not always the prettiest job and the prettiest position to play in, but somebody has got to do it,” he said. “That's someone is me in our team, so whatever has to be done to get us over the line, protect our lead, start up our plays, I'll be doing that, I'll be fighting to make that happen.”
The former Central Coast Mariners man has made 23 appearances for his new club this season and added he believed his transition into English football - after two-and-a-half years in Turkey - has been reasonably smooth.
“Obviously it's a different style of game. In the Championship you've got to be switched on for the whole game. The games are fast and frantic. They go non-stop for 90 minutes,” he said.
“A lot of the coaching I've received here compared to Turkey is different. How they manage players on an individual basis, and that's something I've thrived in and really liked as it's made me a better player.”
On his reasons for moving to England, he added: “I'd been in Turkey for two-and-a-half years. I had a really, really good time there, met some great people, played some good football, made some good friends. But I thought it was the time for me to move on, another chapter another challenge. I always had an ambition to play over here. When this came about I jumped at it.”
Former Socceroos defender Tony Popovic, who is currently working as an assistant manager at Palace, played a big part in bringing Jedinak to Selhurst Park along with Inspire Sports Management who facilitated the switch.
Jedinak said he'd enjoyed working under Popovic, who he'd known for a long time, and was full of positives for the young Australian coach.
“Poppa's been great. The boys all respect him and rate him highly,” Jedinak said. “I can see with him, Dougie and the coaching staff, they're very hungry. They want to win things, they've got high aspirations for us. So it's no real fluke we've made it this far (in the League Cup).”
As for international matters, Jedinak said he was happy to put his hand up for next month's World Cup qualifier 'dead rubber' against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne.
And the 27-year-old, who has become a regular feature for Australia in the past 12 months, added he felt his midfield partnership alongside Carl Valeri was constantly improving despite criticism from some media commentators.
“It's coming along good. We've played a number of games now together from the Asian Cup at the start of last year,” he said.
“It's continued and we've built momentum on from there. Hopefully we're both fit and in good form and we can put in the performance which gets the national team the results we're trying to achieve.”
Jedinak added he felt Australia had done well to negotiate the third round of World Cup qualifying in Asia and was confident the team could continue on when the final round begins in June.
“I don't think it's been a walk in the park. I'd never say that. We know the next stage is the ultimate, that's where you need to put your performances in no matter what,” he said.
“But we've done well. There were a lot of good games we played, some encouraging results and performances. There were also some performances where we didn't win the prettiest or we just lost. But that happens in football.
“We've just got to take everything which has happened in the last year and try build on it. The main target is to get to Brazil and hopefully we can achieve that.”
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Follow Goal.com Asia onand 
By Ben Somerford | Asian Football Editor
Crystal Palace's Australia international Mile Jedinak says the prospect of playing at the famous Wembley Stadium in the League Cup final is something he can barely imagine.
The 27-year-old midfielder is looming as a key figure for the Eagles who go to Cardiff City on Tuesday in the League Cup semi-final second leg with the winner to face either Manchester City or Liverpool in the decider at Wembley on February 26.
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Jedinak, who provided the assist for Anthony Gardner's winner in the 1-0 first-leg win, told Goal.com that the Eagles would go out looking to win despite a draw being enough to progress to the final.
“From experience I think you should always go out to win,” Jedinak said. “Any football game you want to go out and win, we've got that slender lead, but you can't rest on that.
“Cardiff are a strong team and we know they've got a lot of attacking threats and we're going to have to be on our game to get over the line.”
And Jedinak knows if they do get over the line, an opportunity to play at Wembley beckons for the Sydney-born man who revealed he'd never played at the venue.
“I've never played there, I have actually been there but never played there,” he said.
“All I can say is what a fantastic stadium. I didn't go there for a football game but I can only imagine what it'd be like in the atmosphere of a football game. It's something you have to see to believe.”
Palace's midfield Jedi | "It's not the prettiest job but somebody's got to do it"
Jedinak's telling contribution in the first leg came from a set piece, when he bolted into the box and beat Cardiff keeper Thomas Heaton to Darren Ambrose's cross, nodding on for Gardner to convert from close range.
The Australian said the goal was part of a new setplay introduced by manager Dougie Freedman only days prior to the game, although bizarrely he revealed he hadn't practiced the move after missing training prior to the game due to a virus.
“The coaches had it in mind but I wasn't at the training the day before because I was a little bit crook. I found out the plan just before the game but it worked to a tee,” Jedinak laughed.
“It helps when the delivery is so good, so when you know the ball's going to be on the money, it's up to you to make the decision to run in. It came off my shoulder in the end, and was fortunate enough to beat the keeper to set up Anthony for the goal.”
Despite his first-leg heroics, Jedinak isn't known for his attacking side with Palace. The Australian, who joined the London club from Turkish outfit Genclerbirligi prior to this season, has settled into a defensive midfield role aimed at breaking up opposition play at Palace.
“It's not always the prettiest job and the prettiest position to play in, but somebody has got to do it,” he said. “That's someone is me in our team, so whatever has to be done to get us over the line, protect our lead, start up our plays, I'll be doing that, I'll be fighting to make that happen.”
The former Central Coast Mariners man has made 23 appearances for his new club this season and added he believed his transition into English football - after two-and-a-half years in Turkey - has been reasonably smooth.
“Obviously it's a different style of game. In the Championship you've got to be switched on for the whole game. The games are fast and frantic. They go non-stop for 90 minutes,” he said.
| "A lot of the coaching here compared to Turkey is different. How they manage players on an individual basis, that's something I've thrived in as it's made me a better player" - Mile Jedinak
|
 |
“A lot of the coaching I've received here compared to Turkey is different. How they manage players on an individual basis, and that's something I've thrived in and really liked as it's made me a better player.”
On his reasons for moving to England, he added: “I'd been in Turkey for two-and-a-half years. I had a really, really good time there, met some great people, played some good football, made some good friends. But I thought it was the time for me to move on, another chapter another challenge. I always had an ambition to play over here. When this came about I jumped at it.”
Former Socceroos defender Tony Popovic, who is currently working as an assistant manager at Palace, played a big part in bringing Jedinak to Selhurst Park along with Inspire Sports Management who facilitated the switch.
Jedinak said he'd enjoyed working under Popovic, who he'd known for a long time, and was full of positives for the young Australian coach.
“Poppa's been great. The boys all respect him and rate him highly,” Jedinak said. “I can see with him, Dougie and the coaching staff, they're very hungry. They want to win things, they've got high aspirations for us. So it's no real fluke we've made it this far (in the League Cup).”
As for international matters, Jedinak said he was happy to put his hand up for next month's World Cup qualifier 'dead rubber' against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne.
Roo beauty | Jedinak says his midfield combo with Carl Valeri is improving
And the 27-year-old, who has become a regular feature for Australia in the past 12 months, added he felt his midfield partnership alongside Carl Valeri was constantly improving despite criticism from some media commentators.
“It's coming along good. We've played a number of games now together from the Asian Cup at the start of last year,” he said.
“It's continued and we've built momentum on from there. Hopefully we're both fit and in good form and we can put in the performance which gets the national team the results we're trying to achieve.”
Jedinak added he felt Australia had done well to negotiate the third round of World Cup qualifying in Asia and was confident the team could continue on when the final round begins in June.
“I don't think it's been a walk in the park. I'd never say that. We know the next stage is the ultimate, that's where you need to put your performances in no matter what,” he said.
“But we've done well. There were a lot of good games we played, some encouraging results and performances. There were also some performances where we didn't win the prettiest or we just lost. But that happens in football.
“We've just got to take everything which has happened in the last year and try build on it. The main target is to get to Brazil and hopefully we can achieve that.”
Follow Ben Somerford on
Follow Goal.com Asia on
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