EXCLUSIVE | After 16 years playing in Europe, the versatile defender wants to finish his career at home with a title-winning team

Despite having a contract effectively snatched out of his hands already, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff isn't giving up on his dream of playing in the A-League.

The Australian defender is committed to relocating his wife and four sons to his homeland after 16 years playing in Europe.

Having helped Burton Albion to two straight promotions in England, including this season's unprecedented surge into the Championship, Cansdell-Sherriff reckons he has plenty to offer at A-League level.

The 33-year-old was ready to sign a contract recently only for the club to pull out "last minute" but remains in contact with a couple of other A-League outfits.

After being involved in three promotions in the past five years, Cansdell-Sherriff is targeting silverware in Australia.

"I've got used to winning, I want to win now," he told Goal Australia from his home in England.

"I want to win titles and things like that.

"I want to come back. I'd like to play a couple of seasons. I think I'm fit enough to play another two or three seasons, especially back home where they play a lot less games compared to here."

The former Leeds United youth player played a key role in Shrewsbury Town's rise to League One in 2011-12, as well as Burton's League Two title win of 2014-15 and subsequent promotion this season.

But despite having played no fewer than 30 games each season for the past five years, Cansdell-Sherriff has yet to secure an A-League contract.

"I've spoken with a couple of clubs," he said.

"I had something all agreed, terms from both parties only for it to break down last minute for some unknown reason - so I was a little bit disappointed there.

"But there's a couple of other options that I'm exploring at the moment, and it's early doors yet, so we'll see what comes in the future."

Some Australian football fans might turn their noses up at a defender, who has spent the majority of his career in England's third and fourth divisions.

But Cansdell-Sherriff insists he is no 'kick-and-rush' footballer.

"We had a certain style of play at Burton, you know, we were told to get the ball down and play," he said.

"I'm used to that, I'm comfortable with that and I think it's a good way to go forward and it's good for Australian football to adopt that."

Having been born and raised in Sydney, Cansdell-Sherriff concedes it is a long-term goal to call the Harbour City home, but that doesn't mean he's only interested in playing for Sydney FC or Western Sydney Wanderers.

"Anywhere in Australia will feel like home after being so far away," he said.