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World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

grazorblade said:
Yeah being aggrieved at a coach is one thing, being aggrieved at a former coach is a bit of an odd reason not to join?
Hope we get them both, apparently it took a while to get circati (heard on twitter from a journalist that involved 18 months of chasing).

Did we have this problem during the gg years? Seems to only happen with our better players and its been a while since we have produced better players....
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Viera, Simunic and Seric were all during our GG but were good enough to be playing for another NT.
 
Keeper66 said:
We were all aggrieved by Arnold at some stage (or all) of his tenure!!! But Arnold is gone, there is a new coach there. Why carry on being aggrieved? I get he is a young player so possibly not very mature, so I think his manager and family should be getting into his ear.

Or, he really is considering playing for another country.
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It could be as simple as Robertson having issues with Arnold, then having issues with paperwork last window, and issues with fitness this window (hence making himself unavailable). Or he's being a primadona. It would be good if the FA could clarify because the speculation isn't helpful.
 
Really really excited to see how Balard does. I'm guessing he's expecting both Bahrain and SA to sit back so it makes Nestory less effective. The Bobertson one I guess maybe he's just had injury after injury the last few years he feels he needs to get a full season under his belt. Which is not the worst thing it will be good for us in the end.
 
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Structure of the squad feels like this:

GK: Joe Gauci, Paul Izzo, Maty Ryan.

LWB: Aziz Behich, Jordy Bos

LCB: Cameron Burgess, Kye Rowles

CB: Hayden Matthews, Harry Souttar.

RCB: Milos Degenek, Jason Geria,

RWB: Rhyan Grant, Lewis Miller

Centre Pivots: Max Balard, Jackson Irvine, Aiden O’Neill, Patrick Yazbek.

Forwards - Front Three: Brandon Borrello, Martin Boyle, Mitchell Duke, Craig Goodwin, Nishan Velupillay, Kusini Yengi, Riley McGree, Anthony Caceres, Ajdin Hrustic

My take

Stoked to see: Balard
Fuming to see: Behich, Grant, Duke
Perplexed to see: Degenek, Borello, Caceres
Fuming not to see: Toure, Irankunda, Strain (if fit)
Wished to see: Iredale, Silvera, Stama, Kalik, Luongo, Robertson, Nisbet

I don't know much about Matthews but like the idea of bringing some young promising players through as depth and an experience.
 
Balard to get 5min at end of Bahrain game. Always annoying exciting newbies don't feature as much as we'd hope. Fear of adding to many new guys but Geria slotted in perfectly.
 
Alternatives for Degenek and Matthews? Stensness must have been locked in.

Deng dropped. Elder can play LCB in a back 3 if needed. JCP? Unlikely Alex Grant?
 
Degenek second highest capped defender after Behich. Shows how experienced he is but also lack of blooding the side at certain times.
 
I just hope phone calls were made to Iredale and Nisbet.

If we're winning, we're happy with whoever. If it goes wrong then we wonder why those who failed keep getting picked.

I fear the return of a lot of these guys will bring back old ways. Popovic has a different system so there should be zero tolerance of the slow transitions and backpassing.
 
Quicky said:
It could be as simple as Robertson having issues with Arnold, then having issues with paperwork last window, and issues with fitness this window (hence making himself unavailable). Or he's being a primadona. It would be good if the FA could clarify because the speculation isn't helpful.
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Or issues with paperwork under Arnold (where he played friendlies) and issues now with Popovic. Tony is not known as a people manager - more a ranter in the same way that Rudan is.
 
grazorblade said:
Another thing is that volpato, robertson and irankunda are all capable of being a bit sooky over selection and circati needed 18 months of pursuing. Is it just the case that the best players tend to be sooky? Haha
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Volpato is not Australian tho. He wants to play for another country. Not sure what you don't get about that. Smoke and mirrors with Robertson now so something is up. Not sure why you put Irankunda in the same bracket as the other 2 he has turned up when selected.
 
Some of these call ups by Popovic are utterly perplexing. First Brattan, and now the return of Grant and Degenek. Archie Thompson and Matt McKay might be a chance for a call up next window. If these decisions were being made by Arnie, we'd be hanging him out to dry. Granted, Geria and Vellupilay (which were equally as unexpected) have worked out for Poppa... at least so fatr. Super frustrated at Nisbet's non-selection again. And as others have said, the central midfield looks real thin and the strikers really uninspiring. Duke is not the answer, and I'm not convinced that Yengi is either.
 
Has there been any official mention on Toure? The iron is hot and the situation is important. It can't be about waiting for the right time when the time is now. We need 6 points this window to put ourselves in a better place.
 
Just watched the press conference and yeah I dunno about this guy. He talks well for the most part but he doesn't strike me as the best communicator when being asked to explain some of his decisions.

And so Gauci isn't the number 1 and Ryan is still the captain?? Really Tony?
 
JS96 said:
Has there been any official mention on Toure? The iron is hot and the situation is important. It can't be about waiting for the right time when the time is now. We need 6 points this window to put ourselves in a better place.
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Honestly the wasted persisting questions about Robertson and Irankunda meant the Toure non-selection didn't even get a mention.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
And no Nisbet continues to irritate. Our most technically skilful player and our most lethal player both left out...
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Respectfully disagree Nisbet is our most technically gifted player. Good player though, and works well with the ball in tight spaces.

That title belongs to Daniel Arzani - by some margin. He might not be as two footed as some, but Arzani's first touch; handling speed; dribbling, using the standard body swerve/ shoulder feint, la Croquetas and reverse Elasticos; plus his constant changes of pace and balance when running with the ball, whilst having his head up; not to mention his ability to pass and move in tight spaces; is extraordinary. Now he can defend too.

Down 0-1, when Arzani ran on the pitch against Macarthur, it was like the Daniel Arzani show, with his 10 less talented Vic teammates as a supporting cast. The entire team lifted as he jogged onto the pitch. Vic scored 2 goals quite quickly, where he was involved in both.

I'm not sure if his attitude is a bit dodgy? And that is why he wasn't selected for Vic?

Also, technically on the ball Hrustic, Silvera and McGree are good, as is O'Neill, but as I've said for some time the much younger Rhys Youlley and Jordi Valadon have exceptional skills too - definitely exceeding Nisbet - already. Jake Hollman and Teague aren't too bad either.

Quicky makes the sage point a number of these players are still unknowns at the highest level of senior football, as opposed to known qualities. A fair point.

But the A L is improving fast, with so many higher calibre young Aussies lifting the standard. The ball circulation is increasing in speed. Not only was Arzani showboating for Melb Vic, but Jordi Valadon was too - after barely playing any regular A L football until just recently.

Posters rave about Robertson. He looked good technically in his cameo for the Socceroos. I might also be very impressed if I watched him play at club level, but we are seeing young underage national Aus team players do things Aussie players haven't been able to do before.

And they are coming on fast - like Hayden Matthews, who I haven't seen a lot of - yet.

It doesn't always mean players playing in the highest leagues have the best technical qualities. Irvine is playing in the Bundesliga, as did Leckie, but their greatest assets are what they do off the ball - not on it. Despite playing UEFA Big Five Bundi football.

Irankunda is a very talented player under the age of 20. So are Rhys Youlley and Hayden Matthews.
 
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JS96 said:
Has there been any official mention on Toure? The iron is hot and the situation is important. It can't be about waiting for the right time when the time is now. We need 6 points this window to put ourselves in a better place.
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I'm surprised about the Toure non-selection too?

He has better close ball skills in tight spaces than Yengi - who needs more space, like a winger.
 
JS96 said:
I just hope phone calls were made to Iredale and Nisbet.

If we're winning, we're happy with whoever. If it goes wrong then we wonder why those who failed keep getting picked.

I fear the return of a lot of these guys will bring back old ways. Popovic has a different system so there should be zero tolerance of the slow transitions and backpassing.
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I hope phone calls were made to those close to being selected too, but weren't.


Back passing and square balls can be in order to patiently induce an opposition player to move into space the Aussies want him to.

Hence, leaving a vacant gap behind, to be filled by a different Socceroo - known as third man runs.
 
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