Fulham’s Leijer prepared to stick it out for first team chance

Fulham defender Adrian Leijer has done the hard-yards in England since making the quantum leap to the English Premier League.

The former Melbourne Victory man is currently back on home soil for the Cottagers pre-season tour and although he is enjoying his time in Australia, knows that the hard work he ednured when he first landed in England has to continue if he is to break into Fulham’s first team.

"When you get over there to England, you are thrown in at the deep end. It's a good place to be able to play your football, but when you are not playing you drop a bit in confidence," he said.

"You do have to look at yourself though and realise how lucky you are to have that opportunity because there are a lot of people out there who would do anything to be in your place.

"Sometimes when I am down in the dumps, I think I want to come home, but when I talk to the people I respect the most (including Victory captain Kevin Muscat, with whom he remains in touch) they tell me to stick it out and wait for my break to come.

“I have set my sights on staying here for quite some time, and hopefully something happens. If it doesn't, maybe a move home could be for the best, but I would like to at least try for a while longer. I knew that when I signed there it would be very difficult to break through.

“The first year I really enjoyed it and made some good progress. But that's football and elite sport. It's made me grow up a lot. You have to accept the situation, do your best and move on."