Steven Holloway: Time for talented Rojas to find club that fits him

At his best, Marco Rojas is still the top attacking talent in Australasia. Photo / Getty Images

Kiwi star far too good to be sitting on lower league benches.

In the 18 months since Marco Rojas conquered the A-League, little has gone right for the All Whites attacker, and the time is right for him to search for a new club.

As a 23-year-old, Rojas still has his whole career ahead of him, but for the moment it has stalled. He has gone from the Kiwi-Messi to the missing Kiwi.

Rojas dropped back into the Kiwi consciousness this month with glimpses of his dazzling best for the All Whites against China, but his current club situation has the Kiwi football fraternity fretting.

Rojas signed with Bundesliga side Stuttgart last May, but after fracturing his left foot in his second training session at the club, quickly spiralled down from fringe first teamer, to a loanee who now can't get a game in the German second division.

In the three months since he was loaned out to Greuther Furth he has spent more time on the bench than Judge Judy.

Rojas is contracted to Stuttgart for four years, but now must seek a release while his stock is still relatively high, and find a new club that appreciates and needs him.

The good news is that change shouldn't be too hard to negotiate.

Just last year, Rojas pulled twice as many votes as Italian superstar Alessandro Del Piero to win A-League Player of the Year, and at his best, is still the top attacking talent in Australasia.

In full flight, Rojas is a joy to watch. He plays with pace, is unpredictable and is not afraid to take a man on. Last year, I would look forward to tuning in to Melbourne Victory games just to watch Rojas play, and I can't remember ever feeling that way about a Kiwi attacker.

But a move back to the A-League would be a step in the wrong direction. It worked for Kosta Barbarouses, who spent two miserable years in Russia and Greece before making a triumphant return to Australia, but Rojas is a better player, and must aim higher.

Rojas is good enough to make it in Europe, and needs to keep believing he can, but with a new club and probably a new country, too.

Greuther Furth chairman Helmut Hack publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with Rojas this month claiming he has been unable to adjust to their "robust" style of play.

The Bundesliga - populated by Teutonic giants - is not the ideal league for Rojas, who may be encouraged to look Dutch after the success fellow lightweight midfielder Ryan Thomas is enjoying at PEC Zwolle.

Whatever he decides, it needs to happen soon. As a smaller player, more reliant on his pace, Rojas' career might not last as long at the top level, but he should be in his prime over the next four years. He is far too good to be sitting on lower league benches.

Rojas' interests are also synonymous with those of the All Whites. This week coach Anthony Hudson stressed that if New Zealand are to have any chance of qualifying for the World Cup in Russia, his players must be getting first team football.

At this point it's worth remembering that it was only thanks to garden-variety fans that Rojas got his big break into professional football, with Yellow Fever awarding him the "Retro Ricki Youth Scholarship" in 2009.

Would it be expecting too much for well-connected fans to again come to the rescue and plead his case with a few European clubs?