Scottish import Cummings relishing being part of the Socceroos 'family'

MELBOURNE : Wearing a buttoned-up polo shirt and diligently answering media questions, the modern-day Jason Cummings seems a world away from the wayward footballing talent who left Dundee in acrimony just over a year ago.

In many ways, he is.

The 27-year-old striker, now based in Australia's sleepy Central Coast, has become a cult hero for the local Mariners side which has managed to extract his best on the field while still embracing his exuberance.

Australia has also embraced the man who nicknamed himself 'Cumdog' and played two friendlies for Scotland a few years ago before his career, literally, went south.

His form for A-League side Mariners won him a spot on Graham Arnold's World Cup squad in Qatar where he played his second match for Australia off the bench in a 4-1 defeat to France.

A few months on, with a new World Cup qualifying cycle approaching, Cummings hopes to play a bigger part in Arnold's set-up, starting with a pair of friendlies against Ecuador in Sydney on Friday and Melbourne next week.

"Confidence is high. I've been doing well with the club scoring goals. The Mariners, I always love it there, always get chances," he told reporters on Wednesday.

"I'd like to get a bit more game-time (with Australia) but the World Cup was amazing, the best experience of my life.

"I was over the moon just to get on the pitch.

"I feel settled and all the boys are great. It feels like a proper family here."

'THE JOKER'

Born in Edinburgh but eligible for the Socceroos through his mother, who was born in Australia, Cummings headed to the Mariners last year after being released by Scottish club Dundee, where he generated headlines for an unauthorised appearance on a live football show in Glasgow dressed as Batman villain the 'Joker'.