After earning call-up to Australian national team, O’s goalkeeper reflects on his honour, coming back to the club and the Newport match

Leyton Orient goalkeeper Alex Cisak has admitted it is a great honour to be called up to the Australian national squad, but is focused on winning promotion from League Two this season.

The 26-year-old will miss O’s league clash at Exeter on September 5 and also the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tie against Luton on September 1 while away on international duty.

He is pleased to have been selected for his country after impressing for Ian Hendon’s men since joining permanently in the summer – keeping two clean sheets.

After shining during his loan spell at Brisbane Road last season, the Aussie didn’t need to be convinced before signing a two-year deal with the E10 outfit after they registered an interest in the stopper.

Cisak said: “It is a great honour for me to be called up to represent Australia. I do want to do well when I go over there, but obviously the most important thing is to do well here and get us promoted.

“That is the most important thing and if I keep helping us get wins than hopefully I get more call ups.

“I didn’t really need to be convinced to come back to the club because the most important thing for me was game time.

“As soon as I found out that they wanted me and I would get some games I took a chance because I am 26 and I need to be playing.

“I love playing football rather than being at a Championship club on the bench or not in the squad at all. Playing is the most important thing for me.”

The Australian has featured in every minute of Orient’s campaign thus far under boss Hendon and helped Orient achieve a 3-2 victory at Newport County on Saturday.

Paul McCallum and Jay Simpson put the O’s in control at Rodney Parade by scoring inside the opening seven minutes, but they conceded twice before half time as the Exiles fought their way back into the contest.

Dean Cox was on hand to score again for the visitors in the 59th minute, though, and it finished that way to keep the east Londoners top of the league table with 12 points.

Cisak added: “The main thing from the gaffer at half time was disappointment after going two nil up and starting well.

“We just took our foot off the pedal and didn’t play the way he wanted us too. We conceded two goals which isn’t good, but we had to dig in and there will be more games like this further on in the season where we will have to dig in again.

“Second half we went out to start well and in the first 15 minutes we were under the cosh. We couldn’t really get out of our half and we scored a goal against the run of play.

“From then onwards we defended reasonably well and obviously didn’t concede which was the most important thing and we could have scored a few on the break.

“I think generally we just needed to finish the game off in the first half because we were two nil up and we at least needed to hold onto a two nil win, but we couldn’t do that. We did get three points, though, so we are happy.”