Four months out, Young Socceroos prepare for Egypt
Columnist
With only four months to go until Jan Versleijan’s Young Socceroos take on Brazil, Costa Rica and the Czech Republic at the Under-20s World Cup in Egypt, it was great to see the team in action and doing so well over the weekend.
The team competed in a Terborg Toernooi in Holland, a modified (20 minutes a half) ten-team tournament featuring some of the best youth sides in Holland (Ajax, Feyenoord, PSV and De Graafschap) and Brazil (Gremio and Atletico Mineiro), as well as some big names from Europe (Liverpool and Valencia) and two national youth teams, the Young Socceroos and the team that will host this year’s World Cup.
After topping their five team group with two wins, a draw and loss, Versleijan’s men then lost 2-0 to eventual champions Ajax in semi final, before knocking off Liverpool 4-2 on penalties in the 3rd/4th play-off after there were no goals in normal time.
But what was even more refreshing than the results was the announcement of Bolton Wanderers midfielder Aaron Mooy as the player of the tournament, or the Beste Speler as the Dutch described him.
After not being involved in the qualifiers, the former Westfield Sports High student and cousin of Newcastle Jets attacker Brodie was drafted into the squad for the current European tour and has clearly grabbed his chance, scoring two of the team’s four tournament goals, both with his left peg.
While there is plenty of competition for a spot in Versleijan’s Egypt squad, Mooy certainly appears to have pushed himself up the pecking order with his MVP effort.
Looking at the 24-man squad for this European tour, ten are overseas-based; James Holland, Peter Cvetanovski, Rocco Visconte, Mitch Nicholson, Oliver Bozanic, Rob Stambolziev, Brent McGrath, Dylan and Ryan McGowan, and Mooy.
Of the A-League players, there is plenty of talent, including Mitch Nichols, Mark Birighitti, Tahj Minniecon, Ryan Grant, Kofi Danning, Luke De Vere, Tommy Oar and Daniel Mullen.
Throw Ben Kantarovski and possibly Sebastian Ryall into the mix and there’s a bit of talent around.
Refreshingly, based on recent comments, it seems Versleijan will keep an open mind and give players their chance. And for those who have been clamouring, rightly, for the Dutch to leave a legacy for Australian coaches, it’s great to see Sydney United’s Ante Milicic get a gig as an assistant for this tour.
While the Egypt squad will eventually sort itself out, the currency at the minute appears to be games, games and more games, and after the six abbreviated matches here, they will play a full game against Egypt in Terborg tonight, before moving on to another Dutch tournament in Utigeest next weekend where they play PSV, Ajax, Celtic, Utigeest and Vitesse.
The idea of the European tour, according to Versleijan, is to not only sort out his pecking order and get the team conditioned to the style he expects, but, with the Czech Republic World Cup game in mind, to give them valuable European opposition.
Next, in July, is a trip to Venezuela, where the idea is to simulate what he expects to see against Brazil and Costa Rica. Later, in August, there’s a three-game trip to Vietnam.
After a lack of success in youth ranks in recent years and the disastrous Olympics effort, it’s great to see this squad given every chance to succeed in late September-early October.
It’s one thing for the funds to be pumped into the money-making Socceroos, but for the sake of future Socceroos campaigns, standards and expectations must remain high at youth level, and, after focussing on the pointy-end in recent years, one senses the governing body is warming to the need to deliver at youth level.
With much ongoing debate about the development of Australian players, performances will be eagerly scrutinised, but Versleijan has hitherto impressed with the little he has said.
Soon after coming on board and having over-seen friendlies against Japan and Argentina in August last year, he identified the strengths and weaknesses;
“It was a good test and we found that we can compete with these teams to a certain level, especially in terms of defence and organisation, but we need to do more work on playing with the ball.”
In the ensuing months, we’ll get the chance to assess just how effective that work is, but some good signs over the weekend.
Follow Tony on Twitter @TonyTannousTRBA
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andrew2 said | May 26th 2009 @ 3:59am | Report comment
And well done to whomever it was in the FFA who managed to get the young socceroos into these tournaments. Being one of only two national teams suggests it might not have been easy
Eamonn said | May 26th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Good one Tony:
Versleijan also thinks highly of Jason Hoffman.
This is the first Under 20 side which isn’t AIS based as the players have clubs to go to at a younger age, meaning the 2 year preparation camp has been radically altered.
Interesting how many of these players are well under 20 like Oar, Danning and Munro..be surprised if they all get to go given the age factor/development issues in these competitions.
whiskeymac said | May 26th 2009 @ 12:44pm | Report comment
great news on a few fronts – not least to hear that there are so many promising talents out there and that Ante is getting to learn the ropes as assistant. the fuure’s not so cloudy afterall.
Ben of Phnom Penh said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:00pm | Report comment
It is interesting indeed, Eamonn, to see how many players now find themselves with club football at an earlier age. I remember the Olympic Qualifiers where practically everyone was AIS, my how things have changed.
I did a little exercise the other day during an idle moment, writing down the players and positions that may be available for 2014 and 2018. I was surprised not so much at the talent on display as much as the fact that I knew who these players youth were. Four years ago I would have struggled to name a starting eleven.
jimbo said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:41pm | Report comment
Why do Australian and New Zealand teams always get drawn in the same group as Brazil in World Cups?
The Young Socceroos did very well in this tournament and the experience is invaluable. They did well just to qualify for the World Youth Cup in a tough Asian group, but the Youth World Cup is going to be the biggest test yet of the progress of our young Socceroos.
Ryall might be a long shot to get there in time, especially as his case will more than likely get adjourned in September. But I wonder if it might have blown over enough by then to get him selected.
Turned out to be a nothing of a Socceroo Sex Scandal in the end, but what a fall from grace from captain of Australia’s Young Socceroos.
Pippinu said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:45pm | Report comment
The move away from total reliance on the AIS will be telling in future years, I’m sure of it.
With time, we’ll see the AIS (and the various state bodies) as being for very young elite players only (maybe under 16).
The very best 17 year olds in the land should be with clubs, and should be knocking on the door of senior selection (rather than wasting their time in youth leagues).
If they aren’t good enough to be doing that – why are they in the AIS at all??? – it’s not about giving those who are just short of elite standard a bit of a leg up in their future quasi-professional career – we’re not spending tax payers money on allowing kids to pick up semi-professional contracts with state league clubs.
You don’t need an AIS for that.
Pippinu said | May 26th 2009 @ 1:47pm | Report comment
Tony
I’m curious about the format of this comp – you said it involves two 20 minute halves – are there any other changes to rules??
Tony Tannous said | May 26th 2009 @ 3:47pm | Report comment
Pippinu, here’s a translated english version of the official website, including a page on the regulations…apart from the 20 minute halves, the rules appear to be stock-standard…
http://www.terborgtoernooi.nl/voetbaltoernooi/index.php?preface_uk
According to Versleijan it’s a pretty prestigious youth tournament and I can only imagine there would have been a heap of scouts doing ther rounds. Watch this space.
While I don’t know this for a fact, I would imagine that Versleijan, with his history of youth coaching in Holland, would have teed up our involvement in this and next weeks tournaments through his bevy of contacts. Either way, be it against club sides of this stature or national teams, games are good.
As to the AIS thing, good point Eamonn. I think you’ll find the biggest shift fundamentally over the past 12 months is that we are moving towards developing our kids (through systems like the AIS) at a younger age, and that’s good.
The biggest gripe you often hear from coaches is that kids turns up at clubs, at ages 15-18, and they are not fully developed in terms of their ability to tame a ball. That should have already happened by age 13.
Mike Cockerill wrote a piece in the past few days arguing that the Johnny Warren Football Foundation, based in Homebush and aimed at 13 year olds should be incorporated into the national pathway. The argument here, and it’s a compelling one, is that development pathways shouldn’t only be available to those who can afford it, but to everyone, and it should aim to get them in early
The pieces are starting to coming toegther with the national curriculum, small sided games, a national youth league and a focus on the ball at a young age, but this takes time.
Tony Tannous said | May 26th 2009 @ 4:02pm | Report comment
Further to above, I’ve tracked down the Cockerill piece. The Foundation actually focusses on 12yo’s at the moment and the aim is get down and influence the 8 and 9 yo’s, across the country, in line with the NC..
http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/football/johnny-will-be-watching-until-his-work-is-done/2009/05/22/1242498921120.html
Pippinu said | May 26th 2009 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
Gee whiz, worrying about U8s is a bit ambitious – I currently coach an U8 team, and I can’t imagine them, or their peers, being up to anything more than what they are currently able to do (in terms of training regimes, learning the more complex concepts, etc)