Bruce Djite is officially over his Olympic heartache, and the youngest player in the national squad is determined to help the Socceroos through the final phase of qualifying for the next World Cup.

Djite, 21, was a contentious omission from Graham Arnold's under-23 squad for the Beijing Olympics, but six weeks later he's rebounded at both club and international level, and looms as a potential shock weapon for Pim Verbeek over the course of the World Cup qualifying campaign, starting with tomorrow's [Thursday morning, Sydney time] tricky assignment against Uzbekistan in Tashkent.

The former Adelaide United striker has started well at his new Turkish club, Genclerbirligi, and is focused on translating his recent form onto the international stage.

"I'm ready to do whatever Pim requires of me," he said. "I'm fitter than I've ever been in my life, fingers crossed there's no injuries, and I want to keep improving. That's the most important thing. First and foremost, the goal is to qualify for the World Cup, and help as best I can. Whether Pim needs me, or doesn't need me, I'm always available. I'm not used to sitting on the bench, but then again this is not a club team. You've got 27 world-class players in this squad, I'm still young, the youngest player here, so I'm still learning. As long as I'm there or thereabouts, I'll be happy with my contribution."

Asked whether that meant he was over his Olympic disappointment, Djite initially said he would "let that one pass", before eventually replying: "Look, when I got the call it was the day before I started pre-season training with my new club, so I thought then I can't let this affect me, not even for a week. If I let it get me down, then I'll have missed the Olympics and not started well for my club, and that would have been two losses. So I let it go. I've started well for my club, and I'm back in the national team. I think that proves I'm over it, wouldn't you say?"