GETHIN Jones has revealed the reason he switched international allegiances from Wales to Australia.

The Wanderers defender had earned Welsh youth and Under-21s caps and was called up by Chris Coleman to the senior squad in 2017 whilst playing for Everton.

He had harboured an ambition to represent the country at senior level – but having been born in Perth, the Australian scouting network tried on numerous occasions to change his course.

When a firm offer arrived earlier this year, Jones recalled the advice of his late mum, Karen, and set about re-registering with football’s governing body, FIFA.

“It has always been in the back of my mind,” he told The Bolton News. “Going through the international set-up with Wales and I’d been in the squad once or twice, I speak the Welsh language, it seemed the obvious thing.

“When I grew up I lived in Australia and we only moved back because my dad took over the family business.

“Obviously, I’m happy we did move because I probably wouldn’t be playing football otherwise but as I got older it is something I have thought about.

“My mum had always said ‘would you not play for Australia?’ She really didn’t want to come back at the time and as I went through the system with Wales she always talked about Australia being an option.

“When I got that call and they asked me, I thought straight away of my mum, she would have been buzzing.”

Australia will be one of the favourites to lift the Asia Cup, alongside the likes of Japan, Saudi Arabia and South Korea.

The competition begins on January 12, with the Socceroos facing India in their first group game 24 hours later.

Jones is under no illusion that he will have to hit the ground running, if called upon.

“I spoke to the manager and the assistant, Rene Meulensteen, and they both want to go out there and win the tournament. It will be a huge experience for me,” he said.

“I know they wanted to call me up to the last camp because we had to get all the papers done with FIFA. As I’d been in the Welsh squad before that took longer than expected but they asked me if I was ready to go straight into a big tournament and I was like: ‘One hundred per cent.’ “It is a different pressure for me. It has been windy and rainy all week and the lads have been telling me: ‘This time next week you’ll be in Qatar’ - and I am sure it will be warmer. But being involved in a top level competition like that is exciting.

“It will be a good experience. Obviously something I haven’t been involved in for about five years now, playing in an international squad, and not since I have played for Bolton. I haven’t left the squad for anything.

“It will be strange not seeing the lads, the gaffer and the staff every day but I want to make a success of it.”

Wanderers will potentially be without their vice-captain for 10 games if Australia reach the final in Lusail on February 10, which was a decision he did not take lightly.

“It was something I have talked to the manager about and because it is a first call-up, so to say ‘no’ and stay with the club would have been a big decision,” he said.

“I know the lads will keep doing brilliantly. I’ll definitely be watching for the results – the time difference might not help, so I expect there will be a few late nights watching the games.

“But I’m 28 now and I might not get the chance again.

“The manager has been brilliant with me and everyone wishes me luck, so I want to go and do my best then come back to help the club get promotion, which remains the number one aim.”

Jones signed off with a win against Fleetwood, and a performance he felt showed the progress that Wanderers have made this season.

The driving wind and rain of Highbury would, in the past, have been a red flag for Evatt’s side and their possession-based football but the result capped off a good year, he added.

“It has been really good. We have had a Wembley trip, a wonderful weekend, now we are second in the table and going into 2024 I think we can keep building.

“I know in my time here that games like this have been difficult to play. We knew it was going to be windy, we knew it would be tough on us, and in the second half we knew it wasn’t going to just go our way but we got the two goals and kept a clean sheet.”