Socceroos youngsters shine in draw against Serbia
Australia have had an entertaining scoreless draw with Serbia after a high-tempo clash in Melbourne, with the focus of the game on Australia’s youngsters coming through to assert themselves as real options for Socceroos coach Holger Osieck.
Check out the action as it happened with our live blog of Australia vs Serbia
With the 2011 Asian Cup now well and truly in the past and qualifiers for the 2014 World Cup still months away, there was a sense of inevitability behind this week’s games against New Zealand and Serbia.
A little bit of pride at stake, a decent smattering of interest in the result but no big picture narrative under pinning it all.
However this once every four years set of circumstances did afford coach Holger Osieck the opportunity to blood a number of youngsters and, for me, this was the biggest revelation.
With big stars Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer all absent the opportunity fell on a number of fringe Socceroos to stake a claim for a regular place.
Captain Lucas Neill called Australia’s performance against Serbia “average”, but when the topic of competition for spots was raised his mood was much more buoyant.
“We’ve got a nice deep 25-30 players who you can throw in at any stage and they would be ready and they would put on a performance for Australia,” the 33-year-old explained.
Adding that qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, which begins in September, is “going to be tough and we’re probably going to need all 25-30 players so it’s good to have them getting game time now.”
While there weren’t any performances that will live particularly long in the memory against New Zealand on Sunday or against Serbia tonight, a few players did their hopes no harm at all as World Cup qualifying approaches.
Michael Zullo
After 12 months of discontent following Scott Chipperfield’s international retirement, Australia may have finally found a player who can challenge converted midfielder David Carney for the left-back spot.
The former Sydney FC player’s defensive lapses are famous and while Zullo had a few nervy moments against the marauding Zoran Tosic on Tuesday night in Melbourne, there is heart warming potential in the youngster,
Either way the competition should help both players extend their game.
Mitch Langerak
With the absence of regular goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer for these two friendlies, no doubt some fans were left disappointed by Langerak failing to get any game time.
However I’d argue patience is in order as a debut was never really on the cards for the young Borussia Dortmund keeper. The Socceroos coaching staff have a plan for his development and this week came too early.
His former goalkeeping coach at Melbourne Victory Steve Mautone told me recently he expects Langerak to go out on loan next season. When the time is right that first Socceroos cap will come.
Neil Kilkenny
Something of a staple in Osieck’s extended squad since the German took over, the friendly with New Zealand offered the 25-year-old a chance to show he could control a midfield for a whole 90 minutes. Unfortunately for him he didn’t and so the jury is still out on whether Kilkenny is a genuine option for the Socceroos midfield.
James Troisi
New haircut and new mentality? On the back of a decent second half to the season at club level, Troisi impressed Osieck enough during a recent national team camp in Germany to get a call up for the national team.
It was refreshing to see a young Socceroo determined to keep the ball at his feet and Osieck was interested following his performance against New Zealand to give him a run against Serbia as well.
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