MILE JEDINAK

But if you can't relish playing in big games like this then it's not worth it.

To captain your team to promotion in one of the most gruelling leagues in the world is right up there, it goes very high on my list. It's something I'm immensely proud of - I don't think it quite sinks in.

It's a massive step up, from working in an office to playing in the Premier League.

I've experienced it a few times at club level, when a manager goes. It doesn't become any easier, but it's part and parcel.

Every manager deserves a part of whatever success you have. They build squads, and particularly at this football club they build the style of play.

After much deliberation I have made the decision to retire from playing international football.

As a young boy growing up it was my dream to play for Australia and to pull on the famous green and gold shirt to represent my country. To have been given the opportunity to not only fulfil that dream, but to have done it 79 times, and many of which as captain, makes me incredibly proud and thankful.

I was a young boy from Western Australia with a dream to play professional football.

Maybe it's genetics, I've been lucky enough to grow some facial hair. A bit of oil here and there and a trim up, but there's not a lot to it.

If you understand the magnitude of how big a football club Aston Villa is, there's a lot to be excited about.

I don't have to prove anything to anybody. Anyone who knows me in the football industry knows what I'm about.

I know these away legs are always going to be tricky playing in front of 30,000 people.

Turkey was a great experience for me, both personally and professionally. I met some really good people and had an excellent time on and off the pitch. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and it was great to experience a new culture.

I'm a Palace player. I've not been told otherwise by anybody and until then you remain committed.

It's very exciting, everyone wants to see Aston Villa back in the Premier League and kicking on from there. It's great to see this club with such a rich history of being in the top flight, it's an exciting prospect.

I'd like to offer my knowledge and experience. Hopefully that will put the club in a better place. It's no guarantee but I've done well in the past and I'm still determined to keep doing that.

As a group we must make sure we're all in sync with each other. We need to be connected through each other's actions.

I do remember those days really well, when I was working at my uncle's office in Sydney. I never even thought about the future to be honest, it was all about getting work done and then my head was focused on the Mariners.

It's the play-offs, the end of the season, the big games, if that doesn't excite you as a team or a player then you shouldn't be playing.

When you spend five years somewhere, and go through pretty much everything you can with a football club, it was special.

You give your all to the task and hopefully that's enough but sometimes things get taken out of your hands and one way or another you have to accept it and get on with it and focus on the task at hand.

Managers are driving the ship, so to speak, without actually being on the pitch, so every manager I've worked under here definitely deserves credit.

I want to thank all the clubs I represented for allowing me the opportunity to do so.

I was able to start a family in London and so on. It's a very dear place to my heart and will continue to be.

The feeling of captaining our country to Asian Cup glory in 2015, and to have been able to contribute to achieving success for Australia, will stay with me forever.