The last remaining Socceroo in the Premier League has been at the centre of rumours that his club, Brighton, are looking for a replacement. But when it's not exit talks, says Ryan, it's relegation.
Ryan apparently only heard about rumours in the UK media that Brighton were thinking of replacing him with Arsenal goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez when he turned up to training and his teammates were joking about it.
You can understand why the news would have come out of left-field, the Socceroos goalkeeper has been one of Brighton's best performers since he joined the club and statistically, one of the Premier League's most consistent goalkeepers.
But that's the way it works in the most competitive football league in the world. You only have to look at recent Brighton departure Aaron Mooy - also a sterling performer for the club - to realise how fickle an Aussie's future at the pinnacle can be.
Ryan believes that's why it's so great.
“This league is tough and that’s what makes it so great. It’s those crunch moments in games that make the difference at the end of the day," Ryan told iNews.
“When you get times of reflection you pinch yourself about what you’re doing. You never stop learning. Each day you have to go on with that open mindset, that growth mindset that you keep wanting to get better.
“That’s what I try to do, at the end of the day try and improve and stay at the top of my game. The game is always evolving, technology is always evolving, there’s other aspects in and around the game that are always evolving.
“The better you can stay at the top of all them, and improve in certain areas, the better it’s going to serve you individually and therefore collectively as a team. I’m just trying to immerse myself in the game and do whatever I can to contribute the best I can.”
With Aston Villa reportedly beating Brighton to the punch and securing Martinez' services due to the Arsenal goalkeeper's reluctance to compete with Ryan, the Aussie can begin to focus on the next challenge - avoiding a relegation dogfight that many pundits believe Brighton are set to lose.
“When I look at the teams that finished in and around those places I don’t see them being a whole lot better than we were last season," Ryan says.
“We’re all aware of that and given the changes we underwent last season, and all that adaption and where we finished, we’re now looking to take another step in the right direction to improve as a club and bettering the records we achieved last season.
“We want to attain more points this season and everything that comes with that. That’s definitely the goal this year and we’re looking to build on all the aspects from last year that we created and that foundation we created under the new manager.
“I can’t wait for this one to get underway and see what progress we can make.”
Now 28, Ryan still exhibits the same enthusiasm and sprite of a much younger footballer, despite the fact A-League fans that well remember his baby-faced breakout at Central Coast Mariners are now likely getting on in the tooth somewhat.
In truth, he's not just an in-form EPL stopper, but a veteran of over 100 Premier League appearances. How time flies...
“That’s one of the benefits of being a goalkeeper, your career span is a little bit longer than those guys out there running around me," he continues.
“But experience teaches you that for me now, when you have a game and you’re preparing for it, you’re coming up against 11 individuals on the pitch and you’re just trying to do your best to win the game. It’s a little bit like that now.
“I’m just a super-competitive person and I just want to do the best for whoever I’m representing. Try to contribute to our team to get a result at the end of the day.”
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