Vidmar given all clear to play

Socceroos defender Tony Vidmar has been cleared to play again by doctors and rather than end his international career, he says he wants to force his way back into the national team.

Socceroos defender Tony Vidmar has been cleared to play again by doctors and rather than end his international career, he says he wants to force his way back into the national team.

Vidmar was given the all clear last week to continue his playing career, after a successful operation to keep a narrow artery to his heart open, using a spring mechanism. His condition was only picked up after routine tests by FIFA on potential World Cup players were carried out at his club NAC Breda.

Vidmar told The Sunday Telegraph that he wants to continue with his international career after the disappointment of missing out on the 2006 World Cup.

"Once I am fit, then wherever I am playing I am definitely not retiring from the international scene," Vidmar told News Limited newspapers. "Having missed out, I am hungrier than ever."

But uppermost in his mind first, is finding a club and he hasn-t ruled out a possibility of playing in the Hyundai A-League, although he admits it might be too late to find a club.

“I definitely want to keep playing,” he said. “I-m still thinking about the A-League, though I-m also seeing what-s available in Europe.

“But I think maybe it would be more difficult as most of the (Hyundai A-League) teams have their squad roster done by now.”