Jason Cummings has a reputation as a joker but he is getting down to serious business, not least because he's attending a fan day at a club that was ravaged by the autumn floods in Brisbane. But, in the searing September head Down Under, the Australia national team new boy is taking it in his stride, complete with Socceroos tracksuit, as everyone wants to have a chat with him.
The 27-year-old enjoys a laugh with the locals. He has always has enjoyed a laugh - sometimes too much, which has landed him in trouble before. In fact, that is the very reason he ended up leaving Scotland for Down Under after carving out a decent career on both sides of the border.
Cummings appeared on stage, dressed as The Joker, at the Hydro during an Open Goal event before a game with Dundee and was sent home from training by James McPake the following day. Cummings protests he did nothing wrong to this day. Whatever the truth, the fact is Cummings never played for Dundee again and ended up moving to Australia in January. To Gosford and the Central Coast Mariners. With an Australian-born mum, he was free to enter.
The striker, who started out at Hibs and had a loan spell at Rangers, is already in double figures and is a cult hero with the fans and and has been included in the national team for the first time. Signing autographs and sharing a laugh with the people of Mitchelton FC, smiling again after floods ruined their club in March. Cummings has never been one to shy away from the limelight and is lapping up the attention. When asked if he’s just trying to blend in like a nervy new boy, Socceroos manager Graham Arnold, standing nearby, bursts out laughing.
“Blend in? Blend in!” Arnold laughs. Cummings isn’t one to just blend in. He plays the way he lives. Never dull. His exploits in 2022 with Central Coast, 10 goals and endless energy, meant a growing chorus calling for inclusion in the Socceroos games in March and then the squad for June’s World Cup playoffs.
Arnold left him out both times, with Mitch Duke, Jamie Maclaren and Adam Taggart preferred. Place assured in Qatar, this week is the only time left to assess anyone on the periphery, so Arnold called Cummings into this week’s camps in New Zealand, well aware of his lively reputation.
“Arnie and I have had a few chats,” Cummings says. “Said just do the same as you do for the Mariners, and enjoy it. I can’t change my character! Had a few good managers, few bad ones over the years. Some managers like who I am, my character and style. I’ve heard that my whole career, you know. Especially in Scotland - it’s not as bad over here, in Scotland it’s 10 times worse for that. I think a lot of people in Scotland forgot me as a player,” he said.
“I’m more remembered about my personality and things, from interviews or whatever. My main focus, really, was to come to Australia and do the talking on the pitch. I’ve come over here and started again, a clean slate, I’ve reinvented myself in Australia and the A-League, and I’ve been rewarded with this call-up. To be fair, when you do the talking on the pitch, you can do the talking off the pitch as well. That’s just me. I’ve always been like that, I’ve never changed.”
Cummings is known to talk in the third person, using his nickname, ahem, ‘Cumdog’, at every chance. The name came about when a Scottish wrestler visited his club, Hibernian, and Cummings put on a show by stepping down to his underpants with his nickname written across his chest. Just another day Jason Cummings refused boredom.
With mild trepidation, Socceroos staff gave Cummings an Instagram live session on day one of camp in Brisbane, the majority of which was spent by Cummings trying to dismantle his thick Scottish accent with ockerism. Despite tweaking Cumdog to ‘Cumdingo’ and various other twisted vowels, it failed.
Still, there was time for a nice little sledge of his teammate from junior days in Edinburgh, and another Scot turned Socceroo, Martin Boyle. “Last time I saw him he was going bald, now he’s got a full head of hair, so he’s spending his money well,” Cummings told those who logged on.
Boyle is due to arrive into Brisbane and the team hotel will be a fun time with Cummings and his little mate. Old heads within the Socceroos have immediately taken to Cummings.
“He’s a legend,” laughs returning goalkeeper Mitch Langerak. Guys like him and Boyley, with a strong accent but playing for Australia, love it! Definitely brings out a good atmosphere and a good vibe within the team.”
Cummings added: “Scotland never qualify for World Cups. I always had in the back of my head, coming to Australia and playing for the national team. I actually remember speaking to Boyler about it, years and years ago - we used to speak of it all the time. It was good to get a couple of caps for Scotland, obviously that was an honour for me as well. But it’s kind of not worked out for me in Scotland.
“I love Australia. It’s an honour to be here. Obviously, with my mum being born here and stuff, and my brother being here, we’ve always had a nice soft spot for Australia. Even my mum’s house is full of Australia merchandise. It’s a big part of our family.”
Cummings is not in the Socceroos squad because the team is making a Netflix comedy special. “I like to have a laugh,” he says. "But when it’s time to be serious, it’s time to be serious.”
The frontman burst onto the scene at Easter Road under Terry Butcher and netted 55 times in 114 appearances for Hibs. And of the Australian-eligible players in the A-League Men’s last season, only Jamie Maclaren scored more. Cummings offers differences to Arnold’s other options upfront for the World Cup. Mitch Duke is known for his power, Jamie Maclaren for his prowess in the 18-year box, while Adam Taggart is a sharp finisher and crisp mover of the ball in the final third. Cummings has an eye for goal, but can drop off and link with midfielders and provide.
His initial chats with Arnold this week haven’t changed how he will go about trying to impress in the games against New Zealand. “I want to be confident on the ball,” Cummings says. "I’ve scored goals my whole career so that won’t change, as long as there’s a ball and a goal I’ll put it in the back of the net. Excited, man.”
And why shouldn’t he be. Career revived, personality unhindered, Cummings is relishing a new lease of life in new surroundings.
“It’s amazing, so grateful. Good hotel, good food, the boys are different class which makes it so much easier, enjoying every moment. It’s going to be a good week.”
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