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Yesterday’s Socceroos squad announcement again left us wondering when the national side will finally move on from Australia’s golden generation.
In particular, the persistent inclusion of clubless 35-year-old Lucas Neill has regularly been met with groans from fans who want to see the side revitalised by youth and transitioned into a new age.
It’s easy to understand the concerns, Holger Osieck’s latest squad features several members who are quickly nearing antique status.
Up to six players over the age of 33 are likely to form part of the starting XI to contest the three remaining all-important World Cup qualifiers next month.
But the ageing likes of Neill, Mark Schwarzer, Archie Thompson, Sasa Ognenovski and Mark Bresciano still have a part to play for Australia.
Yet their involvement needs to come to an end following the qualification process.
Australia needs to be realistic about the Socceroos’ prospects if they manage to qualify for Brazil 2014, and it seems many fans already are, with pessimistic attitudes now en vogue.
The simple fact is the Socceroos are well and truly in transition, struggling to phase in the young and farewell the old.
A worse showing than the deflating South Africa 2010 campaign is a distinct possibility at the World Cup next year.
Osieck and Football Federation Australia need to take a more pragmatic approach and use it as a tournament to blood youngsters ahead of a vastly more achievable trophy at the 2015 Asian Cup.
The elderly brigade still hanging on to Socceroos game time needs to step aside next year to hand invaluable big game experience to the next generation ahead of the Asian Cup.
It would not only be the Socceroos’ first ever major trophy, but being hosted in Australia, success in the Asian Cup would arguably do more to promote football in this country than failing to progress from the World Cup group stage.
Part-time football fans seeing the Socceroos win in the flesh at Australian stadiums are far more likely to convert to full-time fandom than having to wake up at 3am to watch the team battle for draws via a television screen.
The Socceroos simply must look to the future, and must do it soon.
Selecting a World Cup squad filled with experienced but rapidly declining 35-year-olds only serves the sentimental desires of those particular players, and does very little to progress Australian football.
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