Football
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Ivan Franjic eyes treble with Melbourne City and wants Socceroos spot

Melbourne City right-back Ivan Franjic has a vision for where he might be in six months that's driving him and his A-League club to new heights.

Fit and firing after a heart-related issue that delayed his start to the season, Franjic is close to peak condition once more.

His superb FFA Cup final display was evidence of that, helping bring the first of three club trophies on offer this season to City.

Franjic now wants the rest -- as a gateway to a national team recall.

"I want to play each and every league game and win the treble with City," Franjic said.

"That'd be a big achievement.

"And if we do that hopefully I'm in a good vein of form that will break me back into the Socceroos squad."

An international recall for Franjic seems increasingly likely given his improved form and fortunes.

Franjic held down the troublesome right-back position for the 2015 Asian Cup success, but hasn't been called up since June last year.

During that time coach Ange Postecoglou has picked no fewer than six players -- Tarek Elrich, Ryan McGowan, Josh Risdon, Jason Geria, Milos Degenek and Mark Milligan -- in the role.

There's certainly an opportunity there for someone to make the position their own, and Franjic hopes it can be him.

"It's up to them to decide and they pick on form," he said.

"My main focus is playing week in and week out and putting in performances to get there. Ange watches the league every week so it's most important just to keep playing and show I'm over my injuries.

"I want to give the credit to [City's] backroom staff for working extremely hard for me and getting me closer to peak.

"I'm not 100 percent match fit just yet but hopefully in coming weeks it comes."

Franjic said he wouldn't be joining the ranks of people criticising the national team, which has taken three draws in their past three World Cup qualifiers to sit outside the automatic qualification places.

"They haven't lost in their group yet. I've thought they played well and it's not easy to go to a lot of these countries," he said.

"They've got big results over there and teams now have to come to Australia and we've got a great record down here."

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