Socceroos striker Tomi Juric insists his best is yet to come as he prepares to take a senior role in the Graham Arnold era.
The 27-year-old has fast become one of the Socceroos' elder statesmen following the international retirements of Tim Cahill and Mile Jedinak.
His 38 international caps is the fifth most in Arnold's 24-man squad currently training in Dubai ahead of Tuesday's friendly with Kuwait.
And he will likely be relied upon to lead an inexperienced squad that has 13 players with less than 10 appearances in the green-and-gold -- five of them uncapped.
"Unfortunately I am one of the more senior players now," Juric said on Wednesday.
"I remember my first few camps, I just had to keep my head down, work hard, and make sure I was doing what I was doing at my club.
"That's the best advice you can give to the youngsters: Just keep doing what they're doing at their clubs, that's why they've been selected to come here."
Juric enters the Kuwait clash with little game time since Australia's World Cup campaign, with knee and hamstring injuries limiting him to just two matches for club side FC Luzern.
And ahead of Australia's Asian Cup defence in January, held in the United Arab Emirates, he is adamant Socceroos fans have yet to see the best of him.
"I'm definitely looking forward to going into the next tournament, this Asian Cup here in the U.A.E., to make sure we make a big impact and go all the way into the final," Juric said.
"[In the] final, you never know what can happen but that's definitely our goal, and mine personally as well.
"I still definitely think there's a lot more for me to give in the future. Hopefully I can build on what I've been doing at my club, and see where it takes me."
Juric's lack of match fitness pales in comparison to fullback Alex Gersbach, who is buoyed by the prospect of reuniting with his former Sydney FC mentor in Arnold.
Gersbach played 31 games for the Sky Blues before joining Rosenborg in Norway, where he has featured in six matches in the past three weeks.
"It's really nice coming into camp and being around familiar faces," Gersbach said.
"Obviously Arnie played a massive role in my development as a 17, 18-year-old at Sydney FC, so to be able to work with him again is fantastic. I couldn't ask for anything more."