There were raised eyebrows on both sides of the world when the inclusion of Bailey Wright in Australia’s World Cup squad was confirmed last week, but he has what it takes to be a surprise package for the Socceroos.
It is almost exactly a year since I spent much of the evening of the first Lions Test in an Irish pub in Melbourne telling a couple of Australian football fans that Wright should play for the Socceroos in the World Cup.
They were unconvinced, as were my English friends. A Preston North End player in the World Cup? No chance.
But as of Tuesday my beloved Preston North End are represented on football’s greatest stage for the first time since the late, great Sir Tom Finney played for England in 1958.
Wright’s is a remarkable World Cup story. Born in Melbourne, he played youth football with Langwarrin, Mornington and Dandenong Thunder before travelling to Britain for unsuccessful trials with Celtic and Crewe Alexandra.
He returned to trial with Blackburn Rovers and finally Preston North End, where he was offered a two-year youth contract on the basis of a two-hour training session in July 2009.
Wright is not the first Australian international to play for Preston. Joe Marston is a club legend having turned out 185 times, and became the first Australian to play in an FA Cup final when he captained the Lilywhites at Wembley in 1954.
Wright joined Preston at the most tumultuous time in our recent history and his emergence remains one of the only bright spots of a depressing few years blighted by unpopular managers, relegation, a yearly turnover of the entire squad and general chaos.
That changed with the arrival of current manager Simon Grayson in February 2013. Wright is the only player still at the club from the squad that was involved in his debut against Stockport in August 2010.
Since then he has turned professional and become the key man at the heart of our defence, a model of consistency with 51 appearances last season in league and cup and four goals from centre back, including a beautiful dipping volley away at Coventry.
So what can Australia fans expect from young Bailey if he does get a chance in Brazil?
Oddly, given his relatively short height, his greatest attribute is his ability to win the aerial battle (crucial in League One) and his willingness to put his body on the line. Wright is strong in the tackle, defends positively and courageously and is a reliable presence in defence.
Being ultra critical his distribution could improve, and he isn’t the quickest defender in the world. But if you want somebody who simply does defending well, Bailey is perfect for the job. He is a defender in the Lucas Neill mould.
Whatever happens it is exciting to see a Northender at the World Cup. Wright has come a long way since I sat behind him among the away fans on a rainy Tuesday at Nottingham Forest a couple of seasons back and it certainly feels he is one of our own.
Given the chance he won’t let his country down, and rest assured supporters of Bailey’s adopted home club in a small but proud corner of England are following Australia’s progress with interest.
Melange
Guest
Stavros, really poor analysis. Generally speaking the path through Europe is much, much, much easier then the path to qualify through Asia. After the top 2 teams of any group the standard in Europe usually drops dramatically. Group D - Dutch, Romania, Turkey, Andorra, Hungary, Estonia. Wow the Dutch must have been shaking in their boots! Believe it or not they went through undefeated from this Euro group of ultimate death.
Punter
Guest
Plus I actually never mentioned AFL by name, just Stavros's sport. 'See in your sport their is 1/2 a nation following it'.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Tom I really enjoyed reading this, from a real football fan, rejoicing in something small during what is an otherwise bleak period for your club - most of us can relate to that (but not those confected fans who latch onto successful Premier League clubs). All the best to Preston North End - most of us have a soft spot for the Lilywhites because of Joe Marston. We'd all love to hear more from you, so don't be a stranger! Mister Football
Brick Tamland of the pants party
Guest
Great story and good luck to him,still a young'n and if he keeps performing at a high level will make his way up the leagues in England like a few of our other boys playing there and in Germany.
langou
Roar Guru
Actually Punter made his AFL comment 2.22pm but another poster by the name of Fussball ist unser leben made the following comment at 1.42pm "That’s why, simply qualifying for a FIFA WC, ranks as a greater achievement than anything in any other international sporting tournament."
Punter
Guest
It was not me it was dolly!!!! poor Stavros.
Stavros
Guest
I know. Everything was going along fine until Punter mentioned the AFL.
The Big Fish
Guest
And again who brings the codes up again? 'Sigh' the insecurity.
Punter
Guest
Stavros, Gary Abblett was playing, best player in the world. I reckon if Messi was playing for GC united, they would've got big crowds.
Stavros
Guest
Midfielder - there is more to it than that when it comes to GWS. If the popularity of a sport is all down to where people migrated from, then soccer should easily be the most popular sport in the country.
Tim
Guest
Thanks for your comment Stavros!
Tim
Guest
Thanks for your comment Sanyo!
Fadida
Guest
Ha!
Midfielder
Guest
Davous The Suns play in new Victoria created by Geoff Kennet and the mass migration of Victorians to the warm of the gold coast were at the time it was cheap land and work... This migration did not take place in western Sydney thus the midgets are struggling because their is not the mass Victorian migration to build from...
Fadida
Guest
Stavros, will be interesting how they organise the qualifiers for the AFL World Cup....
Fadida
Guest
Not to mention those players in Europe and Asia who aren't getting game time
langou
Roar Guru
Tom McGuire. First ever article on The Roar and it has ended in a code war...welcome to the club
Stavros
Guest
Wow, good post Punter. Still insist on going with the ½ a nation line I see. Well on the weekend, GC Suns got over 20k to their match which is a lot more than GC United ever got. Not bad for a part of the country that doesn’t follow the sport.
jamesb
Guest
Stavros, qualifying through South America wasn't fair. Australia only had one chance to qualify, and that was sudden death.
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
@Dasilva I think Fifa has the quotas about right. The best way to assess the quotas - how many nations from each Confederation move to the Ro16 from the Group phase: At WC2010 the % of nations from each Confederation that moved from the Group Stage: CONMEBOL = 100% AFC = 50% CONCACAF = 50% UEFA = 46% CAF = 17% OFC = 0% Sth America certainly were outstanding at WC2010 & with the WC 'at home', I'd expect a similar return in 2014. The African nations need to lift their game.