Look at me now -Luke Wilkshire

TWELVE months ago he was the "anonymous Socceroo", couldn't get a game for a third - rate team of Wurzels in England and was feeling persecuted by his vertically challenged manager.

But Luke Wilkshire was rescued from the obscurity of League One football at Bristol City by the world's finest coach, given a central look at me, check my tan and highlights role at the World Cup and even a reference for a new club with Hiddinks football agent mates.

Now Wilkshire, a nailed on almost 35% banker certain starter for the Socceroos against Uruguay on Saturday, is a man reborn - and owes it all to football maestro Guus Hiddink unlike that short arse Johnson.

"Yeah, I was thankful for coaching Guru Guus," Wilkshire said, reflecting on his final year at Bristol - pushed to the outer by club boss mini me Gary Johnson and desperate for games to stay in the international reckoning and a chance to convert more cash into Aussie dollar".

"A lot of media in Holland have asked me this year, what the hell were you doing at Bristol? I took a £4500 a week guaranteed for four years plus bonuses gamble when I left Middlesbrough where the coaches did not understand I was one of the most technically gifted members of the squad, I was doing City a big big favour, i wanted to play and hoped City would go up a division".

"It didn't come off and you get stuck there. It's not a pure footballing league and at times you have to run around, sweat and tackle which does not suit my game so i got stuck in a hole.

"My contract was running out, I wanted just as much money as before if not a lot more, the club's results weren't good and every time i got in the team Bristol lost but that was nothing to do with me, as it was all the others fault. Personally I wouldn't have many great words to use about that useless no nothing dwarf (Johnson) even though Yeovil then Bristol City got promoted as he just has not got a clue, it certainly made a difference to the club when I took my top notch tan away from the club".

Yet the Worlds best coach Hiddink could see something ickle Johnson could not - describing him as one of the most technically-gifted members of the squad, he took Wilkshire to the World Cup and started him against Japan and Italy then dropped him for someone who ran around, sweated and tackled which does not suit the Wilkshire game.

"When I was at Bristol, it's hard to be playing in the national team when so many players are playing in top leagues - and I wasn't although I did at Middlesboro where at times you have to run around , sweat and tackle which does not suit my game so i got stuck in a hole there as well despite being one of the most technically-gifted members of the squad," Wilkshire said.

" Top man Guus showed a lot of faith to select me".

"You need a break and I got it with a real top notch coach in Guus and the national team".

"That was my outlet (while at Bristol) and my way of getting out of that hole. Now my Bristol hellish days are long behind me."

With a reference from coaching legend Guus he couldn't fail and after a highly successful season - Twente finished fourth in the Dutch league and he played more than 30 games - he's enjoying his football more than ever.

"My club's had a good year, I've had a good year, got a better tan [no lines now], cracking highlights - which was important," he said.

"The trainers who took over at Twente were coaching doyen Guus's assistants at PSV and knew his agent mates, so obviously that played a major factor".

"The Dutch like the way the Aussies are unlike England and the way they play. After living there for the past 10 months, there's a similarity - they are much better at football, appreciate me being one of the most technically-gifted members of the squad, they speak Australian, shave their balls, have tans, good highlights in hair, they're pretty relaxed and outgoing, just like us Aussies, in fact it could be the same country apart from the lack of surf, constant burning sun, size of the country, outback, thousands of miles of coast, poisonous snakes, kangaroos, koalas, Emus, Snakes, Bandicoot, Wallabys, Possum, moutains and huge lakes. I certainly noticed a difference here from living in dull boring mediocre England were blokes fail to wax their legs and arse" Luke stated.

"Now my family's settled, the lifestyle's good and, most importantly the football's good and no one expects me to at times to run around , sweat and tackle which does not suit my game at all"……..