There is no question that football fans in Australia are passionate. But whether they like it or not, mark my words, Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill will not be on the plane to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
Kewell is an obvious one. He limped his way to the 2006 World Cup, and crawled on hands and knees to last year’s tournament in South Africa.
He has done a tremendous job to fight back from adversity, and showed his class beyond measure at this year’s Asian Cup, but I cannot see Kewell’s body holding up for another three years.
Much has been made of his return to the A-League this week, which is tremendous news for the game in this country, but to be fair he wasn’t exactly swimming in options.
Outside of clubs in the A-League, the only other clubs bidding for his services were from the Middle East, which is the destination of Lucas Neill, and is more of a retirement home where players go in the final years of their career.
Look no further than Fabio Cannavaro, who joined the same league after the 2010 World Cup, aged 38. George Weah was another who finished his career at Neill’s current club, Al Jazira, aged 36.
It’s not exactly a high quality league where Neill will encounter some of the top names in world football. The biggest issue though is age.
Lucas Neill will be 36 come the 2014 World Cup, Harry Kewell will be 35. The Socceroos had one of the oldest squads at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, and it is in need of some much needed renewal ahead of the next campaign.
Socceroos boss Holger Osieck has handled this well, blooding a fresh crop of young talent and trying plenty of new faces, who unlike his predecessor Pim Verbeek, Osieck has actually thrown into pressure situations and reaped the rewards.
The emergence of Matt McKay and strong impressions of the likes of Robbie Kruse are an example.
I was concerned though to learn this week that Mark Bresciano and Vince Grella had been linked to Socceroo returns. This is not the direction the Socceroos need to go.
The likes of Kruse, Matthew Leckie, Tommy Oar, Nikita Rukavysta, Brent McGrath, Dylan Tombides and James Trosi as preferred options to Kewell in the next couple of years is the way to go.
When it comes to Neill, it is time for Matthew Spiranovic, Mark Milligan, Rhys Williams and Luke De Vere to be given a chance.
You could even include Matt Jurman in the mix, who has shown some promise, and who I expect to improve now he is under a manager who has faith in him at the Brisbane Roar.
I would be more inclined to take Sasa Ognenovski, an ageing defender himself, than Neill, given Ognenovski’s superior physical presence.
Lucas Neill has been in decline for a couple of years now. He is often caught out of position and found wanting for pace, and you will get no greater evidence of that then his performance against German, in South Africa.
Everyone can have an off night, but Neill’s form continued with disappointing performances earlier this year, his Poland match making a good example.
Neill is a defender who built a career in the English Premier League, in which football is played at high intensity and a more physical nature than other leagues around the world.
But as his pace has lessened, he has become a potential liability.
All players getting on in years must re-invent themselves. The best example is Ryan Giggs, for so long was known for his blistering speed down the wings. Giggs in fact was a player Harry Kewell was compared to in his glory days at Leeds United.
As Giggs got older, he transformed himself into a more central player, who is now known more for his quality distribution than for his silky runs at opposition defenders.
Credit must go to Giggs for seeing the light and making the transformation, doing so has prolonged his career. The fact that Giggs is still a feature now in a championship-winning Manchester United side is testament to that.
But I cannot see how Harry Kewell can do similarly. He is not known for his ability to link up with players, and has only ever played in a wide role or in leading the line.
A former teammate of Neill, Phil Neville, is another like Giggs who reinvented himself and prolonged his career. At United, Neville was a maligned defender who could cover a variety of positions. Sensing his pace dwindling and options becoming limited at United, Neville sought a transfer to Everton and a new lease of life for his career.
Neville transformed himself into a bustling holding midfielder, known for his great energy and leadership, and someone who has become a solid distributor up the pitch and who can also chip in for a goal or two.
The problem for Neill thought is that I cannot see a way that he can reinvent his game. His distribution is a weak point, and Australia has some depth in the holding midfield role with the likes of Mile Jedinak, Jason Culina and Carl Valeri.
Lucas Neill and Harry Kewell have been great servants to the game of football in this country, and much of the success that the Socceroos have achieved in recent years is due to those two men.
But sentiment and compassion have no place in professional sport and sometimes hard decisions need to be made. Holger Oseick has an important balancing act in ushering in the next generation of Socceroos while ensuring Australia’s qualification for the 2014 World Cup.
Experience is an important factor in that, and is vital to any squad, but the Socceroos will be looking to the likes of Tim Cahill and possibly even Mark Schwarzer for that come Brazil.
A lot can happen in three years and nothing in football is guaranteed. But the only way Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill will be in Brazil in 2014 is behind a microphone or leading a tour group.
Vic
Guest
Bit early to say, we might not even get past the first phase of qualifying yet.
midfield general
Guest
Maybe it's not too late for HK to go the way of Giggs (I was thinking more of Andrea Pirlo) and drop back into central midfield. He's got the touch and can pass as well as anyone. Maybe he won't be the box-to-box type but he's just too talented to be discarded.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
If the 20 year old's are not better, nor fitter than the 34 year old's then you don't have much of a choice. The problem at that point isn't the players nor the coach, but a youth system that isn't presenting viable alternatives. I don't think we will have that problem and the quality of our younger players is sufficient to provide alternatives, however in many countries this is not the case. Ryan Giggs may be 37 however I don't doubt the Welsh would fall over themselves to have him for the 2012 qualifications.
ItsCalledFootball
Roar Guru
And it is not the want of AFL fans like you to debate endlessly? Pot - kettle - black? At least we love the sport we debate about and have a genuine concern for its well being...
Johnno
Guest
PIM was cool everyone, leave him alone. Id like to see you lot take a team to world cup finals.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Well, yes, no and maybe. I can recall Pim's great achievement of leading Australia to a consecutive World cup appearance for the first time ever, and actually matching Guus' won-loss record of four years earlier in what was a far tougher group, and yet he was pilloried mercilessly for not having a greater ambition than just making it there. I count at least six regular socceroos who will be aged between 34 and 38 in 2014. On top of that, there are a few others who will be 32. In fact, the one bloke who made a break through in the Asian Cup, very much lauded by all and sundry, and deservedly so, will be 32 years old in 2014! So I can't accept the broad sentiment that you make it first, then worry about who will be in the team. In fact, that approach doesn't make any sense to me whatsoever (if we are planning to do better than what Pim achieved).
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Another time, another place - you only get one Higuita incident in your career.
Ben of Phnom Penh
Guest
Agreed. You pick the best squad you have available for qualifiers until such point as qualification is attained. The best squad is based purely on position, form and fitness. Age is irrelevant as many 20-something obese lads in the stands can attest. Friendlies are for blooding youth, testing systems etc.
David Heidelberg
Guest
Roger Milla!
TomC
Guest
Well said, Fuss. Every so often someone will tell me that Osieck isn't thinking enough about 2014, and picking too many 30 somethings who probably won't be around. But the stakes in World Cup qualifiers are just far too high to muck around with anything but the best team you can possibly select.
Midfielder
Guest
Adam Agree with the tone of your article... time will tell Harry still has a touch and turn that is better than anyone else... I think as players step up they will be picked... What will pick tyhe side more is what style the coach wants to develop ... or if the coach keeps his best players and then fits the style to his players...
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Very wise words Fussball, a good attitude to have. But as you know, it is the want of us soccer fans to debate endlessly!
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
The road to Brasil has not yet started and, as far as I'm concerned, there is ONE - and ONLY ONE - thing staunch football fans in Australia will focus on for the next 2.3 years - i.e. qualification. Who is on the plane and who misses out will be decided by the gaffer in just under 3 years. Lots can happen in 3 years: new faces may emerge that we haven't yet seen; promising players may drop form; older players may keep on going. So, right now, I'm only interested in the players who are actually in the squad to play Thailand in Brisbane on Friday and away to Saudi Arabia 5 days later.
Matt F
Guest
That's a good point. The most important thing for the younger players is to be playing regular club football. If not getting picked for a few national team matches (thus spending more time at their club) can help them cement a starting spot then that's best in the long run. Also good to see both Zullo and Sarota on the bench for Utrecht even though neither were called upon this game.
Matt F
Guest
Ideally they won't be there, simply because younger players would be good enough to replace them, or at least the 35/36 year old versions of them. Though if they are still good enough to be in the squad come 2014 then pick them. Having said that I would be very worried about the future if that ends up being the case.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Related to this - Sasa is telling the Adelaide media that he wants to be there as well, as a 35 year old: http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/soccer/sasa-has-sights-set-on-2014-world-cup/story-e6frectc-1226124075080 Just not sure about that.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Good call Adam - at a minimum, the transition requires that both Neill and Kewell are not there in 2014, and there are probably 2 or 3 others around the same age that shouldn't be there either. Think back to that German 4-0 win over Australia in the last World cup, and the number of young guns they had in their team. We don't want half a dozen blokes in their mid 30s taking up precious spots come 2014.
RIP Enke
Guest
You have to weigh up whether it's better at the moment for these young lad's to be playing in there respective clubs at the moment, because that's what they are, lad's vying for first team football. I am sure Osiek has had a word with them, told them that while we still have capable hands at the helm, with the likes of Kewell and Neil, they are still in the picture, just keep improving to entrench themselves into the starting 11. Oar played last night and scored a goal earning MOM, Herd also got MOM, Rukavytsya has started coming off the bench. There are a lot of our youth doing well, but are not seen as vital for their team's yet, that is more important at the moment. let them play in their respective leagues this season, we should qualify regardless. Oh by the way, Josh Kennedy scored again, he is unstoppable at the moment, shows what good team time does, Japan has been a good move for him it seams.
matt
Guest
Don't forget Chris herd who just played a full game for Aston Villa as right back. At age 22 he would certainly be one looked at for the flight to Brazil.