Schwarzer Questions Jones' Ability To Perform Week After Week!

Last updated : 13 March 2009 By Boro Mad

If Schwarzer lines up for Australia in the World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan in Sydney on April 1, it will be 15 years and 244 days since the 36-year-old made his international debut against Canada on July 31, 1993.

He will break the record held by Tony Vidmar, while if he keeps a clean sheet for 71 minutes, Australia will set a new national record for the longest period of time without conceding in World Cup qualifiers.

Schwarzer credits his move to west London from Middlesbrough for helping to reinvigorate his career and is confident that even at 36, he can still continue to improve.

Mark Schwarzer: "Brad Jones has the talent to become a star for Middlesbrough.

"But it's one thing having the ability and the next thing is going out there and performing week-in, week-out.

"If he can overcome the mental side of things he's going to give a great shout of becoming a very good goalkeeper and staking his claim to be Australia's number one."

"I haven't really put a timeframe on my career, I'm just going to take it as it comes.

"My main aim is to qualify for the World Cup and then go to the World Cup and have a successful tournament again like we did in 2006.

"I'd like to set ourselves a goal to even better that.

"It's one thing saying it and another thing doing it, but you've got to set yourself high standards and I believe that we can achieve those goals.

"First, let's get there and once we get there we can talk about what the future holds for us as a team or for me as an individual.

"We know how important it is to get the points as quickly as possible and make sure our place in the World Cup is assured.

"The sooner we can do that the better, so Uzbekistan at home is a massive game for us."