JASON DEMETRIOU talks exclusively to Guardian Series Sport about why he has quit Leyton Orient.

The twenty two year-old has turned down a three year contract offer from the club to join AEK Larnaca in Cyprus, where he was unveiled this week.

Demetriou told guardian-series.co.uk he is desperate to play international football and feared his career was stalling at Brisbane Road.

He endured a tough last campaign during which he was often left out or played out of position.

“I was worried I could get stale after last season” he said. “And I didn’t get on with the first boss (Geraint William) which I’m disappointed about.

“Obviously, things change in football.”

But Demetriou insisted he is “gutted” to quit the club he was at since he was a boy.

“I’m gutted to leave Orient, of course you don’t like to leave your home.

“I’ve been there a long time and I enjoyed it so much.

“We could not come to an arrangement, but I would like to thank Leyton Orient for giving me such a massive opportunity.

“I want to come back in the future.”

But not too soon.

Jason now has the prospect of international football for his adopted country.

He racked up three caps in 2009 for Cyprus before they dried up.

It turns out a player should play in the homeland to get considered by national coach, Angelos Anastasiadis.

“There are the Euro qualifiers coming up, and who would not love the chance to play against some of the best players in the world? said Jason.

“This move gets my international career back on track.

“The boss told me I could do it now that I’m playing in Cyprus. That’s how it works out there.”

Demetriou joining AEK Larnaca, newly promoted into the top division, has caused a stir in Cypriot football.

Young English bred professionals are rare.

“They flew my girlfriend and me out there for four days and I met the (club) president, and we were shown round some flats” he said.

“It’s a very different culture over there and I’m one of the few English players to play in the top Cypriot division.

“I had a massive press conference with lots of cameras which I’m not used to and there were things I was ordered to say, but I think I handled it quite well.

“It’s not the sort of thing you get in the lower leagues in England. That’s the Premier League out there and I’ve never experienced anything like it.”

He arrives at a time when the president of the country is warning that spiralling football violence will led to deaths.

But Newham born Jason is focusing on football. He insists it will be no holiday camp for him.

“The Cypriot league has come up so much in the past ten years, and now I think it’s around the same as the mid-championship.

“It’s a new challenge for me and I want to push myself. Hopefully I can progress and play even higher.

“It’s a stepping stone, because you’re not happy unless you’re playing at the top.”

So now all he has to do is learn the language?

“I cant speak a word of it yet!” he confessed.

“But then I won’t know what rival fans are screaming, so they can say what they like.”