MASSIMO Luongo felt a call-up to the Australian national side has been just around the corner for the best part of a year but that hasn’t dampened his delight at being summoned to the Socceroos squad for the clash against Ecuador next week.

Luongo revealed to the local media this lunchtime that he can got wind of a possible call-up around the time he joined Swindon Town on a loan deal last March but the midfielder has had to wait almost 12 months for his country to follow through and select him for national service.

With the Brazil World Cup just four months away, the timing could hardly be better for Luongo but right now the former Tottenham man is trying to focus his mind on the weekend trip to Crewe Alexandra and the prospect of his international debut at The New Den on Wednesday.

“Maybe I was due for a call-up at some level, that was the only anticipation I had for it. My name was floating about maybe a year ago building up to this, when I first came on loan to Swindon, and it was playing the waiting game,” he said.

“I was keen on getting a call-up and it’s something that maybe rewards me for playing a full season.

“Early on in the season, when the team was doing well as well, we were getting points and in the play-off positions, maybe that got me noticed. We haven’t been in the right form as a team lately so maybe it’s dropped off a bit.

“People are already saying ‘I hope you go to the World Cup’ but I’m more worried about playing my first game. I don’t know what’s going to happen. In the back of my mind the World Cup would be brilliant but I’m just focusing first and foremost on Saturday for Swindon and then Wednesday.“