Raith keeper Aaron Lennox admits he is determined to put his Olympic heartbreak behind him and work his way into the full Australian national team.
The 23-year-old who is on loan from Aberdeen at Stark’s Park, made his full Rovers debut on Saturday in the 3-1 win over St Mirren, coming in for the injured Kevin Cuthbert.
Lennox was part of the Australian Under-23 side that narrowly missed out on qualifying for the Rio Olympics earlier this year and now he is hoping that if he continues to do well for Raith, he can fulfil his lifelong ambition and play for the Socceroos.
Lennox said: “I was with the Under-23 Australian team for a couple of years.
“We had a tournament in January where we were trying to qualify for the Olympics.
“Unfortunately, we got knocked out in the group stage after a 0-0 draw with Jordan.
“It was really, really disappointing. We had been together as a group of players for a long time.
“I had been at the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) and grew up with them.
“So it was heart-breaking to get knocked out at that stage.
“Now, my massive ambition is to make the jump up to the Socceroos.
“The only way I am going to do that is to play games week in, week out getting that experience and working hard.
“It has been a lifelong ambition to play for them.”
Lennox has had to wait patiently for his chance with Raith which duly arrived as Cuthbert was only fit enough to take his place on the bench against St Mirren because of a dead leg.
Lennox admits he really enjoys working with his keeper colleague on a daily basis and as fully paid up members of the goalie “union”, they always look out for one another.
Lennox added: “Every keeper knows the pain of another keeper when they see them make a mistake.
“There is that union we have as we all know what other goalkeepers have to go through.
“It is a unique position on the field that outfield players rarely understand . . . what it’s like not to be in the headlines for the right reasons all the time.
“If you lose 2-1, very rarely does the keeper have an amazing game.
“When the opportunities come, you have to take them.
“You work on things, day in, day out to make that save, to make that difference in a game.”
