AFTER 12 months away from the national team setup, Austria-based midfielder James Jeggo is back in the Socceroos mix.

A consistently selected squad member under Ange Postecoglou, the 26-year-old is somehow still yet to see the field for Australia at senior level despite sitting on the bench seven times.

So after his exile was ended by Graham Arnold, we take a look at the career of Australia’s latest - and perhaps unluckiest - bolter.

WHO IS HE?
Born in Vienna, Jeggo moved to Australia and played his youth football in Victoria with Green Gully and the Victorian Institute of Sport, before moving through Melbourne Victory’s youth teams.

He also has a younger brother, Luc, who also spent time at the Victory, but currently plies his trade in Norway with Floro SK.

Amazingly, the midfielder beat leukemia in his teenage years and battled on to forge a pro football career.

“He had leukemia when he was about 16, 17 and that was a solid year,” Luc told The World Game.

“He was obviously in the hospital for a long time and then he worked his way through it. He was training at Melbourne Knights with a bald head and then with Victory youth and worked his way up the ranks with Victory.

“It’s a pretty crazy story. I remember when we were in the hospital it wasn’t even a matter for him, like life or death, it was always just: ‘OK I just need to get through this and then I’m playing football again’.”

FORMED IN THE A-LEAGUE
Like many of Australia’s current crop, Jeggo spent his formative years in the A-League.

The midfielder signed his first professional deal at Melbourne Victory ahead of the 2011-12 season, making his senior debut for the club against the Central Coast Mariners in Round 6 - playing 16 minutes off the bench.

Jeggo went on to rack up nine appearances that campaign, starting the final seven matches. The following season saw him manage just 10 matches in the A-League. The one after that was his last at Victory as he again managed just 10 appearances.

Jeggo then moved to Adelaide United, where he quickly arose as an important part of a strong team, starting all but one of their A-League clashes in 2014-15. Jeggo retained his starting spot for the championship-winning campaign that followed, and snared a championship medal at its conclusion – but he didn’t see out the season with the Reds.

In total he played 50 times for Adelaide, and also nabbed the NAB Young Footballer of the Year award during his time at the club.

MOVE ABROAD
After a strong season and a half in Adelaide, the midfielder signed for Austrian side Sturm Graz in January 2016.

Jeggo suggested his Euro move wouldn’t have been possible without the opportunities afforded to him by the club.

“I loved my time in Adelaide and the opportunity that I now have wouldn’t have been possible without the opportunity that United gave me,” he said when the deal was announced.

“The Reds gave me regular, first-team football and have helped take my game to the next level. For that I’ll always be grateful.”

While then coach Guillermo Amor gave a strong account of the midfielder and wished him luck with his move abroad.

“Jimmy is a good player and a very hard worker, but what is most important is that he is a very good person away from football,” Amor said.

“He is someone that always pushes himself and he has a big future ahead of him in football.

“We wish Jimmy the best for his future in Austria and in Europe and hope he succeeds in this new journey of his.”

Jeggo failed to make an appearance in the Austrian Bundesliga in the back end of the 15-16 season, but established himself as a big contributor the following campaign. He racked up 61 league appearances across the next two seasons and won himself an Australian Cup to boot.

The Aussie was off contract at Graz at the end of last season, and was swiftly snapped up by rival Austrian club FK Austria Wien.

He’s made six league appearances for his new club thus far.

INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
Despite never actually playing for the Socceroos, Jeggo was included in a number of squads during Ange Postecoglou’s time at the helm.

He sat on the bench in seven different matches for Australia between June 2016 and October 2017.

The midfielder was also a member of the Aussie squad that went to the Confederations Cup in Russia.

However, he never got a look in once Bert van Marwijk assumed control of the squad for the World Cup.

Jeggo told The World Game of his disappointment to miss the tournament in Russia, “Under a new gaffer things always change.”

“There would have been a lot of players disappointed to have missed out and there’s a lot of competition for spots.

“Everybody wants to be there and all you can do is perform at club level and hope the people are watching and take notice.

“The Austrian league is a very strong competition and there are now extra European spots to back that up.”