A full year of tough love from coach Tony Popovic has Western Sydney striker Tomi Juric feeling like a new player and ready to make the most of a huge Socceroos opportunity.
Juric could get the chance to test himself against some top-class defenders when Australia face Belgium in Liege on Thursday (Friday morning AEST).
The 23-year-old represented Australia at last year's East Asian Cup but his first call-up to a near-full strength Socceroos squad follows a breakout A-League season with the Wanderers and recent hot form in the Asian Champions League.
Juric has been touted as a potential long-term Socceroos striking option for some time and believes Popovic has helped take him to a new level this year.
"A year ago, I really thought I knew what it meant to train and what a footballer is meant to be," Juric told AAP.
"Now I can really see that I have improved a lot since then and I'm a completely different player to what I was last year.
"Sometimes it can be really difficult with him (Popovic) in the sense of him pushing you to your limits ... but in the long run you really see the big picture."
Juric looks likely to get game time in the friendly matches against Belgium and Saudi Arabia (in London on Monday) in a squad lacking genuine striking options with Josh Kennedy and Adam Taggart missing.
Tim Cahill is expected to lead the attack from the start against Belgium and Juric is relishing a chance to train alongside the Socceroos legend.
Should he get on the pitch at Stade Maurice Dufrasne, Juric is also hungry to test himself against a Belgian backline marshalled by one of the world's best, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.
"I haven't played against a player of that level but it's something I want to do," Juric said.
"There's going to be a bit of fear but a bit of excitement as well and this is all very much a big experience and something I'm looking to learn a lot of from.
"I'll try and do my best to impress the coaching staff and the players around here and show that I'm capable of doing a job for Australia."
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