Former international Clint Bolton has backed Zeljko Kalac to win the battle for Australia's goalkeeping spot, believing "Spider" is the man to settle the Socceroos' nerves in the World Cup playoff against Uruguay.

The Sydney FC A-League shot-stopper has enjoyed a better view than most to the skirmish between Mark Schwarzer and long-time back-up Kalac for the keeper's position.

Bolton was part of coach Guus Hiddink's first training camp in September and has seen from close-quarters the pair stake their claim for the starting spot.

He is confident Schwarzer could do the job required at the Estadio Centenario on November 12, but believes Kalac would provide a more calming influence for Australia's much-maligned defence.

"I've been in camp a couple of times this year and I can just tell he wants it so much," Bolton said of Kalac.

"I think it's a big mental battle that first game in Uruguay. If you've got players there like Spider, who's attitude and demeanour won't be affected by the crowd or the surroundings, than that's a long way to getting a result there.

"We saw in the last campaign a lot of players didn't rise to the occasion because they were overawed by it.

"He wants it bad. He has that sort of attitude that wins big things. He's a big game player. And I think if he plays in goal that attitude will rub off on everyone else."

Kalac kept a clean sheet in the Socceroos' 5-0 thumping of Jamaica last month, and has started in two of Hiddink's three games in charge.

Schwarzer, however, was injured for the Jamaica game, and with Kalac spending much of his time sitting on the bench for Italian club AC Milan, the Middlesbrough `keeper is the only one of the two playing regular football.

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