Socceroo skipper honoured by FFA award

​Socceroo skipper Mile Jedinak says 2014 was a year to remember as he was presented with the award for FFA’s top male footballer of 2014 in Melbourne today.

Jedinak and Westfield Matilda star Katrina Gorry were today named the FFA’s top Male and Female Footballers of the Year for 2014, adding to their recent awards at the Asian Football Confederation Awards night, where Jedinak was also named the AFC’s International Player of the year.

After being presented with the trophy at today’s press conference by former national team midfielder Josip Skoko, the Socceroo and Crystal Palace skipper said 2014 had been full of highlights.

"One highlight? There's been a few… it's been a huge rollercoaster. So many positive things.

“Going to a World Cup, captaining your country is right up there. Retaining your status in the Premier League.

“Massive year for myself and my football career. I'm very honoured to receive the award.”

Jedinak and Gorry named FFA Footballers of the Year

The next challenge in Jedinak’s career is to lead the national team in the Asian Cup.

Next Friday night the tournament kicks off with an opening ceremony before the Socceroos face a potential banana-skin against Kuwait.

Today the full squad trained as the team’s preparations ramped up. 

But Jedinak was again taking things easy with a session of walking and stretching following his arrival in camp on Wednesday.

And the skipper isn’t thinking too far ahead in terms of the latter stages of the Cup.

“The boss [Ange Postecoglou] will have his expectations but I like to take it day by day.

“I’ve never been one to get too carried away because I know what may or may not be potentially waiting around the corner.

“We’ve just got to prepare let’s get to that one first, do well in that and then we go from there.”

But the former Hyundai A-League star did feel the blend in this Socceroo squad was the right mix and that the torrid 2014 schedule of 10 games on foreign soil had steeled this group to peak this month.

"I think 100 percent we've got the right blend. We know what’s happened in the last year in terms of the games and it's all been built up towards this point.

“It's great to be in amongst it, you can see the buzz around the group and the camp. The boys are looking to get out there and the preparations have been put in place for a very long time," he said. 

“But now it’s finally here the squad is the 23 that hopefully will do the job. We’re here and ready to go.” 

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