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A-League coaches need to treat international tournaments with respect

Roar Rookie
12th January, 2014
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Newcastle Jets coach Gary Van Egmond (centre) celebrates with his players after the Melbourne Victory v Newcastle Jets A League game at the Telstradome in Mellbourne, Sunday, Nov. 26, 2006. Newcastle won the game 1-0. AAP Image/Martin Philbey
Roar Rookie
12th January, 2014
36

Gary van Egmond’s attack on the AFC U-22 Championship during a recent post-match interview with SBS’s Lucy Zelic has caused debate in the A-League over the battle of club versus country.

Van Egmond labeled the competition “meaningless”, but coaches in the A-League should use the opportunity of these tournaments to perhaps give a few of the fringe players a run.

Why not promote some of the younger players from the National Youth League?

Tournaments like this provide an opportunity for the top youth team players in the club to experience first team football in the A-League, and perhaps they will hopefully make the leap into senior level in the near future.

No matter the significance of the tournament, we should always treat every international tournament with the utmost respect and take our strongest squads possible.

It even puts some of our young players in the shopping window for clubs from around the world. We want our young players to develop into the best player they can be, and playing in international tournaments only develops their game.

The AFC U-22 Championship in Oman will serve as a test for some of Australia’s up and coming talent. Players will benefit from the experience of being involved in an international tournament.

On top of that, the ones that are lucky enough to be selected for most games will gain more playing time in this tournament than what they would get if they stayed for their respective clubs in the A-League.

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We have to understand that it is a privilege to play in the Asian confederation. If we can’t take tournaments like this one seriously then we might as well go back to playing in Oceania – and with no disrespect to them, we wouldn’t want that.

So A-League coaches should not use international tournaments as an excuse for their team’s result. Football is a team game and the squads that have the strength in depth to back it up will prosper.

Who knows? It may even unearth a gem from the youth league or give fringe players another chance to prove themselves.

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