Adelaide United FC defender Scott Jamieson has attributed a change of mentality and improved work ethic over the past month, as a key factor to his selection in the Qantas Socceroos squad to face Kuwait in an AFC Asian Cup Qualifier on January 6, 2010.

After taking the Hyundai A-League by storm in his debut season last year, which saw him named the Hyundai A-League Rising Star, Jamieson has, by his own high standards, had a more subdued second domestic campaign.

Possibly in the comfort zone as he played every minute for the Reds in the opening 14 rounds, Jamieson received a shock to the system as he was relegated to the bench in Round 15, before he made a nine minute cameo as a substitute the following week.

However since then, Jamieson has forced his way back into the starting line up with his determination and hard work on the track, which has resulted in once again attracting the attention of Qantas Socceroos Coach Pim Verbeek.

Jamieson says the setback of losing his starting berth made him take a step back and reflect on the way he was going about his football, and he admits following his breakthrough season, he had started taking his spot in the team and his form for granted.

"I think the best thing for me was getting dropped. I had to work as hard as ever…and hopefully it has done the right thing for me," Jamieson said.

"The first half of the season wasn't the best. I didn't play bad, I just wasn't hitting my straps but I feel like I've been getting into some good nick, and hopefully I can keep on going."

"I feel with this season it has been a little bit difficult, obviously with the team, and my performances haven't been up to scratch, but I feel lately in the last two or three weeks that I've been starting to be a bit sharper and get into a rhythm, so it coincides that I was pretty lucky to have this game coming up on January 6, and I was just starting to creep into some good form, so hopefully I can carry that into it, and use it as a big springboard to a big second half of the season."

Getting the attention of Verbeek and the other national coaches was a major reason Jamieson left English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers and decided to return to Australia, and the move worked as the 21 year old was firstly included in an extended Socceroos squad for a World Cup Qualifier against Qatar in October 2008, before receiving his first senior cap in February in match against Indonesia.

Now, after weathering a couple of tough weeks form wise, Jamieson is starting to get back to his best, and he is grateful to Verbeek for being given another opportunity to be in the mix for the national team, particularly with the World Cup just around the corner.

"Definitely," Jamieson answered when questioned if Verbeek had shown faith in naming him in the squad.

"It has been an up and down year and I think he (Verbeek) has come out and said that I probably haven't done as well as I could have, but to have the faith and the positive things he says about me, I'll hold and use it as motivation."

"To play for your country at a time with the World cup coming up, if you put your good foot forward anything can happen, so to be in the mind of the national team is something I've always dreamt of."

Jamieson is joined by goalkeeper Eugene Galekovic as Adelaide United's other representative in Australia's squad for the match in Kuwait.

While Galekovic is hopeful of being handed the duties between the posts against Kuwait and continuing to push his case for a place in Australia's World Cup squad, he just wants to concentrate on taking each game as it comes, starting with Sunday's Hyundai A-League match against Sydney FC.