Williams out to join Socceroos' EFL army
Australian export Ryan Williams is aiming to persuade national team coach Ange Postecoglou to conscript him into his army of Championship-based Socceroos.
While Mile Jedinak (Aston Villa), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield), Massimo Luongo (QPR), Jackson Irvine (Burton) and Bailey Wright (Bristol City) are all green and gold staples, uncapped Williams, 23, is the odd one out at newly promoted Barnsley.
But, after casting aside the considerable setback of two years plagued by groin problems, the pacy attacker is making inroads for the mid table Tykes.
And with his contract winding down, he is aiming to put himself in the spotlight in Sunday's (AEDT) Yorkshire derby live on beIN SPORTS at home to promotion hunting Leeds United.
The fixture could mark Williams's eighth league appearance of the season, and he admits to being a player on a mission.
"If I can play every week in the Championship then I don't see why Ange Postecoglou wouldn't take a look at me," said Williams, whose brothers Rhys and Aryn are both on the books of Perth Glory.
"There are five others playing in this division each week who are part of the squad and I would be quite hurt if I wasn't also given that chance, so long as I am playing regularly.
"If I start performing people are going to take notice - and the one I want to notice the most is the Socceroos coach."
Williams, who has been capped at youth level and is also playing for a contract extension with Barnsley, has been involved in several preliminary Socceroos squads without making the breakthrough.
"It's always been a dream of mine to play for the Socceroos," he said.
"I think I might have been involved before but for the injuries.
"I am on the road to being a regular Championship player and the next step is being an international player."
He knows an eye catching performance against Leeds will benefit him on both fronts.
"It would be a great occasion to show people what I can do," he said. "I am off contract at the end of the season but the club have the option to extend it by a further year and hopefully they will do that."
"If not we'll just have to wait and see what happens."
Williams, who is currently playing as an attacking midfielder, can also play out wide and even in a deeper midfield role.
And he is in the UK for the long-haul, with the Premier League at the end of the rainbow.
"I have never planned to go back to Australia until I am 30-plus and that's still my goal," he said.
"I want to get to the highest level possible here ... and that's the Premier League."
