Time-zone traveller Keanu Baccus insists his long-haul flights to Australia are worth every air mile – as he bids to jet-propel St Mirren to a top-six Premiership finish.
The Australian star has been a sensation for Buddies since joining from Western Sydney at the start of the season.
And he’s sure to play a huge part in the dogfight to secure that coveted top six place – and open up the mouthwatering potential of playing in Europe.
Buds haven’t qualified for Europe since the 1980s but Stephen Robinson’s men have a real chance of doing so this season.
The big push starts today as they bid to leapfrog Livingston. Baccus revealed he has not had the ideal preparation for the crunch home Premiership clash after returning from a tiring trip home on international duty.
But the dedication he has shown to the club has been impressive, especially after so many whirlwind trips back and forth to the other side of the world. Speeding through so many different time zones can be exhausting for the 24-year-old.
And Baccus admitted it was “tough” to get used to the first time he went away with the squad.
He said: “I got back on Thursday. We missed the connecting flight because we had to run for our bags in London. But it’s all fine.
“The first time I did the trip was tough, very tough, especially going to Sydney as it was my first camp. I didn’t know what to expect and it really hit me that time.
“Now I’ve been called into a few squads and travelled a lot I’m getting used to it. There’s nothing better than being out on the pitch. You don’t want to be watching from the sidelines as a player.
“You realise as you get older your career can get away from you. You just want to be out there as much as possible, healthy, happy, fit and if selected do the best you can. I rest during the week or when we get the day off. I want to play in every game possible.”
The defensive midfielder has played a huge part in a Saints team that has found results against the Old Firm.
From winning against Celtic and ending a streak that dated back 364 days to then getting a draw against Rangers which brought an end to Ibrox legend Giovanni van Bronckhurst’s time as gaffer in Govan, Robbo’s men have risen to the big occasion.
And Baccus has more game time than any other, with the Buddies playmaker having notched over 2,000 minutes already.
He has been a hugely calming influence as Robbo’s men continue to press for a seat in the top half of the Premiership table.
This will be the first time that the midfielder will have experienced the split, and he reckons Australian football should follow Scotland’s lead by introducing one of their own. But Baccus remains focused on St Mirren – insisting his international experience can only be a help to the Buddies, as he gears up to take on a stubborn Livi side.
He said: “It’s my first experience of the split. We want to be in the top six and fighting for Europe. So I can’t wait for Saturday and the rest of the season. I feel massively refreshed.
“In the A-League we have 12 teams as well and I think in the future they might look at something like the split as well. It’s really exciting. I can’t wait to get cracking on and see where we end up.
“This is a big game. But they all are. The rest of the season we’re going to look at important games, maybe even cup finals, because the season we’ve had it would be very disappointing not to make that. But we have to work hard for it. It doesn’t come easy.”
And it is not only the league structure that seems to be catching the attention of Australian football with Aussie coach Graham Arnold revealing that he is looking to add more Scottish-born players to his squad.
The Aussies have already bolstered their squad with stars like Jason Cummings and Harry Souttar, who got a move to Leicester City for his performances in the World Cup and Hibernian’s Martin Boyle.
However, Baccus says that he is happy for more players to be added as long as it provides the best squad possible for Australia and it shows that the Scottish league is getting recognised for its competitiveness.
He explained: “We want to have the best Australia squad we can. Whoever is available out there we want to recruit to help us be the best we can in every tournament.
“Whether that’s from Scotland or other countries, Arnie seems to pick a lot of Scottish boys just now because everyone has done so well. It’s a competitive league and it’s credit to the Scottish game as well.”
Looking at Souttar’s rise from being in the national team squad, Baccus said: “The last 12 months for Harry has been amazing. I’m super happy that we can grow on what we’ve done and have a lot more to prove.
“Whoever is playing well who has some sort of Australian blood are going to watch. If they’re in good form they’ll get their chance. They have to want to play for Australia as well.”
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