UZBEKISTAN was never among the countries David Carney contemplated as sites to further his career. It could, however, be where the versatile Socceroo finally sheds his unwanted reputation as a club hopper.

While Carney has had many accomplished performances for the national team his club coaches have not shared that faith in him, prompting moves from the A-League in mid-2007 to England to Holland back to England and then to Spain, with the latter in particular undermined by a recurrence of a shoulder injury.

David Carney in action for the Socceroos. Credit:Vince Caligiuri

"It was affecting me a lot, it was constantly coming out. Every time I slide tackled or was doing things it was in the back of my mind that it was going to come out. It was really loose so I had to get a big surgery done. It kept me out for six months because it was my third operation," he said yesterday, while in Melbourne preparing for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia.

Carney's path to Uzbek champion Budyonkor, for which he signed a one-year contract last week, began 13 months ago in the Asian Cup. Carney scored in the 6-0 semi-final thrashing of Uzbekistan. Budyonkor coach Mirjalol Qosimov, who had coached the Uzbek national team a year earlier, was so impressed he recruited him.