World Cup Qualification Thread for 2026 - Socceroos/Asia

[huddo]

True.

I've only seen Okon play for the U20s.

I identified good skill sets in Segecic and Valadon in the u23s - which have extrapolated to AL senior football. They had played little senior football at the time. Teague, Triantis and Villupillay too playing U23s - who are now senior Socceroos.

Haven't got the team sheet in front of me, but isn't Okon selected in the current Roos?

I'm told Okon Jr has played for a high level Portuguese senior Div 2 team. Port Div 1 is similar calibre to Dutch and Belgian top leagues. Not sure if there is more depth in their second tier?

I'm sorry, but you can be the greatest scout in the world, you do not choose a untested reserve grade players for a national squad, over a locked Eredivisie player. for christsake the bloke hasn't even played a full half of football.

You do see the juxtaposition in the phrase "high level Portuguese senior Div 2 team", especially noting the reserve team that came 4th.

 

[DandyCasey]

Have no issue with the selection of Okon-Engstler should the kid have comparable talent to his father.

Match fitness is a real worry for some coming into these games and as always with Popa's squads some of the A-league selections are questionable.

Looking at the squad I fear we may be relying on the likes of Arzani and Tillio to create something.

Guess none of us are privy to happenings at the training camp though.

 

[huddo]

Have no issue with the selection of Okon-Engstler should the kid have comparable talent to his father.

Match fitness is a real worry for some coming into these games and as always with Popa's squads some of the A-league selections are questionable.

Looking at the squad I fear we may be relying on the likes of Arzani and Tillio to create something.

Guess none of us are privy to happenings at the training camp though.

And how are they adjudging that he has that talent?

 

[DandyCasey]

And how are they adjudging that he has that talent?

Based on him running rings around everyone at the training camp I would hope.

 

[JS96]

Mate, I've never known you to be happy with Popa/Socceroos in recent times!

You do realise Aus has gone up to second on the table after 1 point from Arnie's first two games in this round?

I'm satisfied with what Popovic has done so far but it's embellished by weak opponents. I feel there's a wide gap between who we're picking and who can be picked and how we're playing.

The rotten injury luck hasn't helped as Souttar and Bos would be mainstays. Good results I'm glad for but also the constant changing of the 11 makes me wonder when we'll have a strong core.

 

[huddo]

Based on him running rings around everyone at the training camp I would hope.

Ah, ok so we've selected a squad off a training camp. What a sound way to select untested senior players for important international matches, what could possibly go wrong.

 

[grazorblade]

That can also apply to intercepts - often a ball won/received in space played by the opposition, through effective reading of play.

yeah so recoveries are when it isn't really an intercept as there wasn't a pass (or a pass was deflected)

 

[JS96]

Socials chatter just airing thoughts but some garbage now about Esposito at risk of Italy U20.

FFS he's just had a week in the UAE and the last thing for him now would be to travel to South America. Too exhausting. A nothing story. Another player stuck at a club who apparently rate him but have so much stock that they don't need to care about satisfying his game time.

 

[grazorblade]

Socials chatter just airing thoughts but some garbage now about Esposito at risk of Italy U20.

FFS he's just had a week in the UAE and the last thing for him now would be to travel to South America. Too exhausting. A nothing story. Another player stuck at a club who apparently rate him but have so much stock that they don't need to care about satisfying his game time.

Haha I'm part of team worry

probably shouldn't be to be fair

 

[Quicky]

Triantis was in the opta (whoscored) which is an stats algorithm mixed with ai to figure out which stats predict results the best. He was also 1 of 3 players nominated in the football writers association for team of the season

he also stands out on wyscout, which is more sophisticated and you need to normally pay for it by a scout has made a lot of it free, albeit a few months out of date usually

He also is the highest or 2nd highest non-celtic/rangers player on a lot of other free stats algorithms like sofa score and fotmob

in this case Triantis turned down selection it seems which is a worry and said he feels mixed about Greece and Australia. We are starting to struggle to keep dual nationals interesting in the Aussie team. A silver lining is he turned down a cap for Greece who, according to the coach of Hibs, selected him for their next 2 games. So at the moment he is turning down call ups from 2 nations

Which makes it feel like Triantis is sorting out some club stuff to me.

 

[grazorblade]

Nectar Triantis withdraws from Australia squad with 'things on his mind'

Nectar Triantis withdraws from Australia squad with 'things on his mind'

www.hibsobserver.co.uk

 

[Cunningstunt]

Ah, ok so we've selected a squad off a training camp. What a sound way to select untested senior players for important international matches, what could possibly go wrong.

From his time at WSW Popa has always placed huge importance on training and doing the right things off the pitch.

From Marco Monteverde


I had initially thought he was included as a talented prospect to get squad experience, given we take 26 instead of 23. I thought he might have competed with Eposito for that place. This seemed like a decent idea for someone there are concerns about losing him to another nation. But those comments indicate he is in contention to play, which would be surprising.

I'm wondering, do people actually believe coaches when they say everyone needs to be playing? Or are we just using it as a reason to get mad about the most recent flavour of the month not being selected? There isn't a coach in international football who doesn't state they need players match fit and then select guys who aren't playing regularly.

 

[huddo]

From his time at WSW Popa has always placed huge importance on training and doing the right things off the pitch.

From Marco Monteverde
View attachment 2002

I had initially thought he was included as a talented prospect to get squad experience, given we take 26 instead of 23. I thought he might have competed with Eposito for that place. This seemed like a decent idea for someone there are concerns about losing him to another nation. But those comments indicate he is in contention to play, which would be surprising.

I'm wondering, do people actually believe coaches when they say everyone needs to be playing? Or are we just using it as a reason to get mad about the most recent flavour of the month not being selected? There isn't a coach in international football who doesn't state they need players match fit and then select guys who aren't playing regularly.

Are you seriously defending the selection of a kid that has never played top tier football in any league? a kid that ha played 110 minutes for a reserve grade team in Portugal over 8 games, but not even 45 minutes this year? It's great he had such a great tournament in the U20s AC, in March, since then he's had less than 50 minutes of game time.

I'm fucken dumbstruck that people are even defending this one. Every youth player or junior player that has be called up in the past has atleast played more than 120 minutes in a year at a top level,

In his presser Popa threw Yengi under the bus for match fitness, but in the same breath praised Okon jr, why? The pricks cronystic.

If Popa wants to put him in the camp, fine, I don't like it, but I could see your point about introducing him to the international setup. But why is he in the playing squad?

All this ignores the fact, that our 1st choice DM isn't even in the team!

 

[Decentric]

From his time at WSW Popa has always placed huge importance on training and doing the right things off the pitch.

From Marco Monteverde
View attachment 2002

I had initially thought he was included as a talented prospect to get squad experience, given we take 26 instead of 23. I thought he might have competed with Eposito for that place. This seemed like a decent idea for someone there are concerns about losing him to another nation. But those comments indicate he is in contention to play, which would be surprising.

I'm wondering, do people actually believe coaches when they say everyone needs to be playing? Or are we just using it as a reason to get mad about the most recent flavour of the month not being selected? There isn't a coach in international football who doesn't state they need players match fit and then select guys who aren't playing regularly.

Thanks for posting this link!

 

[Decentric]

Nectar Triantis withdraws from Australia squad with 'things on his mind'

Nectar Triantis withdraws from Australia squad with 'things on his mind'

www.hibsobserver.co.uk

Thanks for the link, Grazor.

 

[Decentric]

Socials chatter just airing thoughts but some garbage now about Esposito at risk of Italy U20.

FFS he's just had a week in the UAE and the last thing for him now would be to travel to South America. Too exhausting. A nothing story. Another player stuck at a club who apparently rate him but have so much stock that they don't need to care about satisfying his game time.

Once again, I thought at the Aus u 20s comp, he was a weaker link for us. Kikianis was the stand out CB.

Of course at that age, E is capable of rapid improvement.

The more young players who are available, the better.

 

[Cunningstunt]

Are you seriously defending the selection of a kid that has never played top tier football in any league? a kid that ha played 110 minutes for a reserve grade team in Portugal over 8 games, but not even 45 minutes this year? It's great he had such a great tournament in the U20s AC, in March, since then he's had less than 50 minutes of game time.

I'm fucken dumbstruck that people are even defending this one. Every youth player or junior player that has be called up in the past has atleast played more than 120 minutes in a year at a top level,

In his presser Popa threw Yengi under the bus for match fitness, but in the same breath praised Okon jr, why? The pricks cronystic.

If Popa wants to put him in the camp, fine, I don't like it, but I could see your point about introducing him to the international setup. But why is he in the playing squad?

All this ignores the fact, that our 1st choice DM isn't even in the team!

Because expectations are different for each player depending on their circumstances. Talent gives you more leeway. Yengi was included last squad because of this despite not really playing. It's why Cicati is selected after only 2 games back while being acknowledged he isn't fully match fit.

Ballard, O'Neill, Teague. Any of these guys are fine. I would have preferred Ballard, but the other guys are roughly the same. I don't think he swings the needle for the two matches and I'm not attached to any particular player, which is why I'm not that bothered.

If Okon plays that would be out of the blue and a different conversation (depending on how he plays). For a squad position where neither of them are likely to play minutes in anger, Ballard has the far better resume, but maybe he has less talent. A squad is almost never the 23 best/most deserving guys. This makes up most of it, but there are other reasons players get selected. Exposure for a talented youth player is a reasonable one.

 

[Decentric]

And how are they adjudging that he has that talent?

First touch - stopping the ball dead - or taking it away from opponent markers when needed.

Handling speed - ability to receive and pass the ball on quickly.

Both footedness.

Body shape.

Dribbling ability to beat opponents 1v1.

Striking ball - passing accurately under pressure.

Ball winning - tackling, heading, shoulder barging.

Off ball in BPO - jockeying, reading play.

As I understand it, Benfica reserves play in Port Div 2.

When I was in Portugal, Benfica were the champs and have serious UEFA pedigree - late rounds of Champ league and Europa league. Would any other Aussies be training with such high calibre players? Maybe Circati?

 

[Decentric]

Because expectations are different for each player depending on their circumstances. Talent gives you more leeway. Yengi was included last squad because of this despite not really playing. It's why Cicati is selected after only 2 games back while being acknowledged he isn't fully match fit.

Ballard, O'Neill, Teague. Any of these guys are fine. I would have preferred Ballard, but the other guys are roughly the same. I don't think he swings the needle for the two matches and I'm not attached to any particular player, which is why I'm not that bothered.

If Okon plays that would be out of the blue and a different conversation (depending on how he plays). For a squad position where neither of them are likely to play minutes in anger, Ballard has the far better resume, but maybe he has less talent. A squad is almost never the 23 best/most deserving guys. This makes up most of it, but there are other reasons players get selected. Exposure for a talented youth player is a reasonable one.

Good post, CS.

There are sometimes weird things like some players having better chemistry and intuition with other squad players.

I was surprised Holger selected Alex Brosque - he worked seamlessly with Josh Kennedy. I think Brosque should have been selected earlier - except he struggled to score goals, which Arzani is currently struggling to do.

At LB Behich worked much better with players around him than Jason Davidson did. For City Matt Leckie and Behich seem very level headed and modest senior pros.

Also, some players struggle to get on with teammates. Coaches have always loved Matt Thompson and Archie - squad members were happier with them in the squad. Conversely, Ljubo was difficult and divisive - but talented.

 

[Decentric]

Haha I'm part of team worry

probably shouldn't be to be fair

I'm team worry too.

Terrified of these next two fixtures.

Saudi will be played in extreme heat with a huge parochial crowd. Hope we get a decent ref. Or we do the impossible and beat Japan.

Long term I'd be happy to qualify for the WC through knock out do or die games, but I'd prefer an easier route.