But the 57-cap defender isn't worried for Australian football, adamant the Socceroos can "do something special" at the 2027 Asian Cup after the heartbreak of their World Cup exit.
Australia will kick off their preparation for the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia with two friendlies against Brazil in Queensland: on Friday night in Townsville and next Tuesday at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.
The Socceroos will be without Mohamed Toure (Norwich City) and Alexander Robertson (Cardiff City), with the pair withdrawn by their clubs for medical reasons.
National team boss Tony Popovic has only called up one replacement, Nishan Velupillay of German third-tier club Ingolstadt. The winger played during the World Cup.
There are seven potential debutants in Popovic's 25-man squad, with former A-League Men sensations Marcus Younis (Brondby IF) and Eli Adams (Gamba Osaka) earning maiden call ups.
The Socceroos have only won the Asian Cup once, beating South Korea for the 2015 title.
"It's an exciting thing ... for all the new ones and the young faces that we have here," Degenek said of the Brazil friendlies.
"For them, it's a reality check.
"It's very important for the coaches to have a look at the new faces they have in here, to put them through a test, if I may say, where they have to experience 30,000, 40,000 people and play against Brazil.
"For them (it's) to see if these boys are ready for the Asian Cup … but I'm really, really confident that we can do something special."
The Socceroos enjoyed an unprecedented level of player movement after their round-of-32 exit from the World Cup.
Brisbane teenager Lucas Herrington headlined the 11 players who landed moves, with a transfer from MLS club Colorado Rapids to English Premier League team Hull City for a fee understood to be $33 million.
Alessandro Circati (Benfica, Portugal) and Nestory Irankunda (Sporting Lisbon, Portugal) also pulled off money-spinning moves, while Sydney FC youngster Paul Okon-Engstler (1. FC Koln, Germany) was among those transferred from the A-League Men to Europe.
"We're safe. I don't mean that in a way that I'm scared for Australian football. I mean that in, we've got a really good quality group of players," Degenek said.
"We've had post-World Cup 11 transfers, which I think hasn't happened ever before.
"Them being good people is very important because that sets the standards for the future for the next two, three, five, 10 years, that Australian football is in good hands - and good feet."
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