- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou wants to see a half-dozen Socceroos playing in the top leagues of the football world by the time of Russia 2018. Who has got what it takes to make it?
After a winless 2014 FIFA World Cup campaign, the Socceroos received the disheartening news this week that they have now slid even further down the latest FIFA world rankings to 76.
Quite some way from Australia’s best-ever ranking of 14 in 2009, there is nevertheless a sense of optimism surrounding the Socceroos.
With memories still fresh from the Brazil campaign, there’s an Asian Cup to look forward to in just six months with hopes Australia may challenge for the title.
Some good warm-up games are already scheduled. FIFA World Cup quarter-finalists Belgium will pose a stern test, the UAE and Qatar will provide good warm-up games for the possible style we’ll face against Oman and Kuwait in the Asian Cup, and we’ve still got three opponents still to de determined.
With club football transfer season still open and form and fitness the clear criteria for selection in Ange Postecoglou’s Socceroos, it’ll be terrific player-watching over the next six months.
Postecoglou has identified one of the drivers is to build the Socceroos’ competitiveness and FIFA ranking. He will be having players consistently testing themselves in the world’s top leagues.
Postecoglou said he hoped to have a ‘half-dozen’ in the top leagues, rather than one by the time the Russia FIFA World Cup rolls around in 2018.
Another related issue identified by Postecoglou is building depth in the squad.
Much has been written on the golden generation’s group of players in the upper echelons of club football. This was undoubtedly a key factor behind their success.
Now we can probably debate for hours which are the top leagues, but as a starting point let’s take the big four in Europe. The Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and Bundesliga.
At Brazil, Australia really only had one player regularly competing in one of the top leagues – Mile Jedinak in the Premier League.
Beyond that, reserve keeper Mitch Langerak had sporadic opportunities in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.
Of course, Timmy Cahill and Marc Bresciano had deep experience in the Premier League and Serie A respectively, but no longer play at that level.
And Robbie Kruse, who plays in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, would have waltzed into the 23 and if fit and in form.
With many of the rest of the current Socceroos plying their trade all round the globe, it’s worthwhile asking who might make the step up and be one of those six playing in the biggest leagues over the next four years.
On current form, Mile Jedinak looks likely to remain in the Premier League for the foreseeable future.
Should Robbie Kruse successfully return from injury, you’d hope he’d retain his Bundesliga spot.
Of the contenders, Jason Davidson and Matthew Leckie are probably the closest to take the step up, possibly soon for Davidson, following recent media reports.
Tommy Oar and Matt Ryan could well also build on their solid but not spectacular World Cup campaigns.
James Troisi is on the books with Juventus and Socceroo contender Josh Brillante looks set to make a move to Fiorentina. Let’s hope they can force their way into the reckoning at these big Italian clubs.
Of course, there are plenty of other contenders, and who knows who might emerge as a world-class player.
The Young Socceroos’ performances this week, particularly their thrilling come-back 5-4 victory against Chile, is certainly encouraging.
So over to you fellow Roarers. Who do you think has what it takes?
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.