Swindon achieved their highest league position of the 21st century in 2014/15, playing an exciting brand of football under Mark Cooper.

At the forefront of that were midfield duo Massimo Luongo and Kasim, two technically excellent players who made the whole thing tick.

Having enjoyed an especially strong first half of the season, both Luongo and Kasim were selected to play at the Asian Cup, with Australia and Iraq, respectively.

Massimo Luongo playing for Australia at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup (Image: Paul Lakatos/WSG)

Prior to their departure for the tournament in Australia during January, Town were second in the table, but would end up falling away and finishing fourth, eventually losing at Wembley to Preston North End.

Luongo was named the Most Valuable Player of the Asian Cup as Australia won, and Kasim was a big part of Iraq’s run to the semi-finals.

Many have pointed to the Asian Cup as what caused Swindon’s season to come off the rails, and Kasim told The Adver why he felt that happened.

He said: “My issue was that when I came back [from the Asia Cup], I was tired, but I didn’t know it.

“I also think that could have been handled better.

“I thought that I was coming back and I was going to play quickly, and we would get right back to it.

“That was my side, but the other side was, ‘We’re thinking of doing this, we’re continuing to do that, and this is how we are going to go about it.’ Give me the big picture, because our aim was to get to the Championship.

“What should have been dealt with is that two key players have gone away; how do we get them back properly?

“We went deep in the tournament; it wasn’t just one of us, and that needs to be handled.

“When we came back, we were tired physically and mentally.

“Everything had to be handled properly, and the only way to do that is with honesty.

“If I came back and I knew that I wasn’t going to play, because they didn’t think I was ready, but Mass was going to play, why is he ready but I’m not? ‘We have seen this and this, and I think you will take more time.’

“Anything like that, you just need those honest conversations.

“I remember coming back, and it didn’t feel the same; the club didn’t seem to have that spirit. And if you lose that, then the harmony goes.”