ANTE Covic has tasted the highest heights Australian football has to offer, and the 43-year-old believes the FFA Cup is the first step to helping more players reach that level.

The former A-League star - who enjoyed an incredible career with Western Sydney Wanderers, Newcastle Jets, Melbourne Victory and Perth Glory - started in goals for NPL side Rockdale City Suns against Sydney FC in the Round of 32 on Wednesday night.

According to the stopper, the competition shapes as a big step forward, but should only be the beginning of a larger overhaul.

Rockdale City Suns FC goalkeeper Ante Covic looks dejected after a Sydney FC goal Source: Getty Images

“For sure, it’s a step forward,” Covic told foxsports.com.au.

“I think it’s a great concept, everyone gets a chance and for these smaller clubs, we are second tier over here, and there’s a lot that needs to be done to get the second tier a little bit stronger.

“There’s always that talk about a national second division, but it gives them that taste. There wasn’t one player that wasn’t up for this game, who didn’t want to be on that field because they knew what it meant.

“You pin yourself against the best in this country and that’s always going to be a buzz. That’s what the FFA Cup brings to the boys, they really enjoy it, they get to experience something and they look forward to it the next season when it comes around.

“It’s not just this Cup that’s a great thing, but overall as a footballing country we need to start taking steps forward where that’s a bit more of a possibility down the track.”

As a prominent Wanderers player, Covic has enjoyed a crosstown rivalry with the Sky Blues, and said getting a victory over his old foe would have been sweet – his team eventually went down 4-2.

“I respect Sydney FC for what they’ve achieved in the last few years, I knew it was going to be tough,” he said.

Covic in action for the Wanderers against Sydney FC Source: News Corp Australia

“Obviously they’ve been my biggest rivals for a number of years at the Wanderers, so this would have been pretty sweet if we could have knocked them over.

“But credit to the boys, I think we put in a decent performance. They’ve obviously got a bit more quality in there, that’s what you get from a professional league but of course it would have been a dream playing at NPL and knocking them off.”

At 43, Covic may have enjoyed his last crack at A-League opposition, but the veteran has no plans to hang up his boots just yet.

“Not necessarily [is this my last year]. Ill weigh it up, I think I’ve been asked that for probably the last six or seven years, but I’ve never said this is going to be the last one or I’ve got an actual date it’s going to be,” the Rockdale star said.

“I’m feeling good, I’m still fit, I still bring quality to the team, bring value to this side. At the age of 43 I’m still going strong. At the end of the season I’ll reassess how my body is feeling, but it’s not over until I feel it in myself. There’s no decision but I know that times going to come soon whether its this year, next year or the year after, I’ll weight it up when the time comes.”