Albert Bunjaku, right, of Switzerland, fights for the ball against Matthew Spiranovic, center, and Mark Schwarzer, left, of Australia during the international friendly soccer game between Switzerland and Australia at the AFG Arena in St. Gallen, Switzerland, Friday, Sept. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Keystone, Ennio Leanza)
Do the Socceroos have a long-term succession plan? Or is short-term success the only priority? The answer seems to lie somewhere in the middle after Holger Osieck named an Asian Cup squad devoid of young talents Tommy Oar and Michael Zullo, but featuring plenty of heavyweights for a tilt at the title in Qatar.
As plenty of others have pointed out, neither Oar, nor Zullo have made much of an impression at Dutch club Utrecht, making only the odd cameo appearance for the Eredivisie side.
But both are young enough to have a say in Australia’s 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign, as are the likes of James Troisi, Mitch Nichols and several other youngsters who didn’t get a look in.
And while those mentioned are unlikely to have contributed in any major way to Australia’s looming Asian Cup campaign, the likes of Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell clearly can’t go on forever.
It’s heartening to see Matthew Spiranovic named in the squad despite an injury ravaged season at Urawa Reds, but the elegant young defender seems destined to battle with Socceroos regular Jade North and the imposing but agricultural Sasa Ognenovski for a place in the run-on side.
Spiranovic is good enough to start at the back in Qatar, but will Osieck inject youth into a sluggish defence, or simply employ the tried and tested North instead?
Nathan Burns and Robbie Kruse offer the Socceroos some pace in the front third, but they too could struggle for game time if Osieck favours Australia’s veterans.
It’s his prerogative to do so, but surely he’ll have cast a glance at Japan’s relatively youthful squad, which features 11 players who were not named in former coach Takeshi Okada’s World Cup squad.
At one stage ex-Urawa tactician Osieck was touted as a candidate to take over as Japan coach, and the Samurai Blue have a happy knack of constantly regenerating their squad.
The likes of Asian Cup call-ups Maya Yoshida, Takuya Honda and Yosuke Kashiwagi are Japan’s stars of tomorrow, and it helps that so many young Japanese players are leaving a strong J. League for even stronger European clubs, as Bayer Leverkusen-bound Hajime Hosogai proves.
By contrast, Australia has a 25-year-old Neil Kilkenny who hasn’t played for the national team for two years, a Scott McDonald yet to score a goal in Socceroos colours and a relative unknown in uncapped goalkeeper Nathan Coe.
The selections seem to be neither here, nor there in terms of uncovering the next generation of Socceroos talent, although it should probably be argued that generation is hardly bursting through the ranks of the A-League and Australia’s underage teams.
It goes without saying that winning the Asian Cup would deliver Australian football an unprecedented confidence boost.
But the path to glory is a long and arduous one, full of the kinds of hidden dangers which so spectacularly tripped up Australia four years ago.
Another flop at the Asian Cup would do more than just damage the regional credibility of the Socceroos, it would also represent an opportunity wasted to blood new talent en masse.
Far from setting out on the path to the 2014 World Cup, Holger Osieck may just discover that next month’s Asian Cup leads him down an uncomfortable road to nowhere.
Twatter
Guest
I don't understand this mentality and i might be on the wrong track , that we have to win the Asian cup to give Football credibility in Australia . Are we trying to win the Asian cup to sedate or shut up the general sports media who don't understand football and quite frankly dont want to. If we as a Footballing nation BEG to be champions of Asia we will be knocked out in the group phase. Everybody claims to know football but we got knocked out in Malaysia or Indonesia (excuse me for not remebering where it was last hosted) by Japan in a penaltie shootout in the quater finals is that a failure where with penaltie shootout's you may as well go back to the half way line and toss a coin same result. That after this asian cup campaign a few more players will drop of the radar and i hope then Osieck then sets a team for 2014 and sticks by it. Personaly im looking forward to this asian cup i think Australia ,Japan , South Korea are underestimated in global football and would suggest could possibly qualify for a world cup if those nation's where based in Europe and qualified like the croatians ,slovaks,serbs, again those asian countries are just as good as those european countries i just mentioned.
Tom
Guest
Nope. Personally I think its disrespectful to the AFC to pick anything less than the strongest team we can.
Realfootball
Guest
Carney is a major worry. His chronic lack of pace and defensive tactical awareness means that every coach who lines up a team against Australia will target our left flank. I do feel for Carney. He is a midfielder, not a fullback. The fact remains, however, that as long as he and Kewell are our left flank, it is an open door for opposing teams. Kewell even in his pomp was never keen to defend from midfield - now he hasn't got the pace to do it even if he was so inclined. I'll be bold and suggest that Josh Rose is in fact a significantly better option than Carney at left back and should be in this squad, and that McKay should start on the left ahead of Kewell. Of course, neither will happen: Rose should have at least been taken as cover but wasn't, and it would take a far more assured coach than Osiek to puncture the hot air balloon of Kewell's hagiography.
midfield general
Guest
Pensioner on a scooter? Ouch. But true. I've got this horrible feeling we'll lose to Korea, then slip on the banana skin that is Bahrain. So we may as well give young ones a chance.
Nambucco Deliria
Guest
Is it a coincidence that Kewell and Neill are at the heart of the poorest Galatasaray side fielded in years?
Football Fan
Guest
Am I the only one who is wondering how blooding youngsters would avoid a 'flop' at the Asian Cup that would 'damage the regional credibility of the socceroos'?
Mike Tuckerman
Expert
I wasn't. Just pointing out that his was a bit of a late start compared to some of the early call-ups offered by our Asian rivals. Although as Ben and dasilva said, some of Australia's youngsters are struggling with injury complains, while others have preferred to stay with their club sides.
dasilva
Guest
According to Foster in SBS shootout, Vidosic and Ruka and Federici rejected callup to concentrate on club career which is fair enough in my mind as it's better to be playing for your club especially when you are not a regular than sitting on the bench with Australia.
Lmacca
Guest
It's about what direction FFA have given Osieck. If they have told him to go and win the Asian Cup, then that is what he'll try and do. If they said to use it as a building block to the 2014 World Cup, then it would be a different squad. At this point in the cycle (3+ years to Brazil) we're probably better off trying to win it. It is the continental cup after all, and it carries prestige in Asia. Mixing the established stars with the youngsters would be a nice way to manage transition. The question is why do players such as North and Garcia get picked? They dont do anything that younger players (Devere, Vidosic/Ruka) couldn't do equally well. I guess Vidosic has been omitted due to his loan move, but perhaps Ruka would've been a better choice?
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
To be fair I believe Troisi has been battling a knee complaint, Rhys Williams a groin injury, Lowry is back though not getting sufficient game time (nor is Herd), Leckie is just back from injury, Davidson had an ankle injury recently, players like Davies & Drazina are still in German youth sides & yet to step up etc etc. We have a lot of young players around the fringes however too few that are making strides. Burns is one, and he should be rewarded, Troisi is another and he is desperately unlucky as is Leckie who I thought would be the bolter. The question isn't so much as to how much youth is selected, but how it is employed. Hopefully Osiek doesn't have Pim's penchant for bringing the kids around for a training run and leaving it at that.
Ho Hummer
Guest
The selection of Kilkenny is good, why knock it?
Realfootball
Guest
Frankly, with this aging, slow and patchwork side, combined with Osiek's obvious limitations as a coach, I can't imagine for a moment Australia will even come close to winning the Asian Cup. Japan and Korea Republic are both clearly better teams - faster, more skilled and more youthful. I can't comment on the other contenders. I simply do not know why Kewell is hanging on. The last good game he had for Australia was the 1-0 win over Iraq at Suncorp. He brings nothing to the national team now and seems to have been selected for several years now on reputation alone. He is barely even a shadow of the player he once was. Neil likewise. He is so slow that he is painful to watch and, like Kewell, his attitude on the pitch is an embarrassment. His standard tactic these days seems to appeal loudly for offside when (yet again) he is outpaced. Frankly a pensioner on a scooter would outpace him these days. We might make the semis if we avoid the gun sides at the quarters, but I forsee an early exit at quarterfinals stage. Our best hope is that Osiek plays Burns and gives Kruse and Kilkenny some significant game time. McKay should be given a chance to show what he can bring to the side. If Osiek runs with the old hands we will simply be run and passed off the park. We MUST give the young guns a chance.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
Mike, I reckon the same headline could be written for every "major" Asian team competing at the 2011 Asian Cup. Yes, it's wonderful to regenerate with a bunch of new players at a major tournament but the risk is huge. I'm no expert on Japanese football, but based on past behaviour, if this "new look" Japanese team performs below expectations - e.g. doesn't make the Semi-Final - I would expect their Senior Coach, Alberto Zaccheroni, to be in real trouble to keep his job, since questions will certainly be asked about why more players from the successful 2010 WC squad weren't used. In my eyes, for Australia, anything other than a Semi-Final spot would be a failure given our current standing in Asia. It's time for these boys to deliver, but, as you rightly pointed out ... if we are not at our best, we will be out as quickly as our last foray at the Asian cup.