Unable to secure a January move away from Leicester City, Socceroos centre-back Harry Souttar has committed to putting in the work to try and get his stuttering club career back on track.
The towering defender has been out of favour at the English Championship leaders for months, rarely sighted on the bench, let alone on the pitch.
Souttar, 25, was linked to deadline day moves to Everton, Sheffield United and Leeds United, but none eventuated.
"Obviously, I read a few things. I was sitting in the social room thinking, 'well, they've got that wrong'. So yeah, it was funny to read," Souttar said after the Socceroos' Asian Cup exit.
"But obviously go back to Leicester now. Maybe I'm not in immediate plans, but all I can do is go into training every day and work hard.
"I talked about it before about how important the group is within teams. Not necessarily the starting XI, it's the players that aren't starting and maybe not in the matchday squad, how important they are.
"That's been my job in the club season, going in there and giving 100 per cent every day in training and supporting the boys that are playing. That's all I can do.
"All my focus is to try and get over this disappointment. Then I'll be getting back to Leicester and going into training on Monday with a smile on my face, seeing the boys and getting ready for the next game."
But if Souttar doesn't break in again at Leicester, it could make for a tricky situation for Graham Arnold, ahead of World Cup qualifiers resuming in March against Lebanon.
The Socceroos boss has continued to pick Souttar, who excelled in Qatar, despite his lack of club minutes - but both parties know that delicate situation cannot continue.
"I know obviously to continue to be in the national team, I've got to be playing club football - but we'll cross that bridge when it comes," Souttar told AAP earlier in the tournament.
Arnold has also made it clear the current situation isn't sustainable - for Souttar's sake.
"He's got to sort out his club career, he really does," Arnold told AAP during the tournament.
"This can't go on forever.
"When I spoke to him in September and around his position at Leicester, it was 'we've got an Asian Cup coming up as well, we're playing England, we've got the World Cup qualifiers, so you'll get some games. It's not like you won't get any games.'
"But for his own mental health and for himself, he has to sort out his club career."
