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A few weeks ago I was having an argument with my friend about which A-League players could compete in the EPL.
We talked for hours and hours over who could make the big step up to one of the best leagues in the world, and we came up with these possibilities.
1. Eugene Galekovic – Adelaide United
The shot-stopper is one of the best in the competition and certainly has enough experience to make the transition. The only disadvantage for Galekovic is his age. At 33, not many clubs would want an Australian keeper near the end of his career with no European experience. Could possibly cement a spot in a lower team.
2. Marcelo Carrusca – Adelaide United
The Argentinian playmaker could certainly play at the top level. He already has a small amount of European football under his belt playing 15 times for Turkish club Galatasaray between 2006 and 2009. But at 30 he is probably getting to the end of his peak, although he did have a standout year last year.
3. Thomas Broich – Brisbane Roar
Broich is the best player in the competition. The German mastermind has a ton of experience at the top level playing with Bundesliga clubs like Borussia Moenchengladbach, FC Köln and FC Nuernberg. He also possesses the ability to play as a midfielder or at left wing. Like many on this list, age is a disadvantage, with Broich turning 34 in January. But I still believe even though he might not have the pace anymore, he still has enough natural ability to allow him to play in the EPL.
4.Luke Brattan – Brisbane Roar
Brattan is an interesting case. He might not be able to play in the Premier League just yet, but he could in the future. Still only 24, Brattan is an extremely talented player that will only get better. Inexperienced at European and national level, it would take time to adapt but I think he could become an EPL player.
5. Matthieu Delpierre – Melbourne Victory
The new Frenchman has won the Bundesliga but has never stepped foot in the EPL. At 33 he is certainly not at his best, but he could still do the job in the Premier League. The strong defender will be hoping for a big year as Victory have made a number of big signings.
6. Mark Milligan – Melbourne Victory
The Socceroos midfielder was wanted by Crystal Palace last year but Victory said he was too valuable to their team and that Palace were not offering enough money. His strong defending and excellent passing range are key factors of his game, and at 29 he still has a lot to offer. Milligan has no experience of European football but has played at the World Cup and for Chinese and Japanese clubs.
7. Robert Koren – Melbourne City
The Slovenian midfielder has played in the EPL and Championship for the last seven years and there is no reason why he couldn’t do it again this year. At 33 years old, age again is a disadvantage but he showed last year that he can still perform in the top leagues while captaining Hull City.
8. Damien Duff – Melbourne City
Question marks will be raised over Duff, but although he wasn’t brilliant for Fulham last season he still played 18 times in all competitions. At 35, he is far from his Chelsea days but can still be special on his day. It will be a pleasure to see him on Australian soil this year. His incredible career has included stints at Blackburn, Chelsea, Newcastle and most recently Fulham, scoring a total of 55 goals in 393 games of EPL action.
9. David Villa – Melbourne City
The Spanish star may only be here for 10 games, but it will be 10 games of magic. The 32-year-old is highly rated around the world and could walk into most EPL teams at the moment. Villa has scored an amazing 248 La Liga goals and 59 goals for Spain. In the last year, he won La Liga, played in the Champions League and the World Cup and scored 15 goals in the process. It will be a pleasure to see him play.
10. Marc Janko – Sydney FC
Sydney have received a lot of criticism after signing Janko as their marquee, but if you look deep enough you find out that it is a quality signing. The 31-year-old currently captains the Australian national team, and has played for top clubs such as Porto, FC Twente and Red Bull Salzburg. The six foot five striker could compete in most lower teams in the EPL with his heading ability and strength.
11. Matthew Spiranovic – Western Sydney Wanderers
Spiranovic is the best Australian defender not only the A-League, but the whole world. Was excellent all last season and at the World Cup for the Socceroos. He had multiple EPL clubs scouting him after Brazil and at 26 the six foot four defender still has a lot of football ahead of him. Suffered an ankle injury not long ago but it should be interesting to see how he goes this season as there are a lot of EPL clubs looking for cheap defenders.
Honourable mentions: Isaias, Matt Smith, Matt McKay, Besart Berisha, Marcos Flores, Tomi Juric, Alejandro Rodriguez Gorrin, Roly Bonevacia and Albert Riera.
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