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While the Socceroos are competing on home soil to take out the Asian Cup in January next year, Olyroos coach Aurelio Vidmar will be overseeing an equally important challenge.
The AFC Under-22 Championships will act as a qualifier for the 2016 Brazil Olympics, and it’s imperative for Australian football that Vidmar succeeds.
Exposing our brightest prospects to international football is an extremely vital step in their development, and crucial if they are to make a smooth transition into the Socceroos setup.
This month, Vidmar will take a squad of 22 players to China for a tournament involving the host nation, Brazil and South Korea. Games against such high quality opposition are unfortunately too few and far between, so it’s a big deal, as well as good preparation for the Under-22 Championship.
But the most pleasing aspect of the squad, before a ball has even been kicked, is the high number of overseas-based players in the group. Ten hail from European clubs, with the remaining 12 arriving from A-League outfits.
It a refreshing change from what we’ve been used to, with Australian youth teams too often favouring locally based players.
There have been too many occasions where our best young talents have been inexplicably left out of squads. The most obvious case was in 2013 when Brad Smith, Massimo Luongo and Mustafa Amini weren’t included in Paul Okon’s Young Socceroos squad for the Under-20 World Cup in Turkey.
Smith and Luongo have since made their Socceroos debuts, while Amini was the group’s best player in a match against the Under-23 Netherlands side in a friendly prior to the tournament.
Just five players at the Under-20 World Cup were based in Europe, and the Young Socceroos went on to lose to El Salvador and Turkey and draw with Colombia
Similarly, Okon’s recent squad for the AFC Under-19 Championship last month featured just three European-based players. The side failed to qualify for the 2015 Under-20 World Cup, a huge setback for Australian football.
It has to be questioned how Okon is even still on the FFA’s wage bill. Results haven’t been forthcoming, and certain players have been snubbed. Why does he have a disposition to favour Aussie-based players?
For while the standard of football in Australia is undeniably improving, it’s still no match for training full-time with European clubs and turning out for their reserve sides.
The best players secure contracts overseas, there’s no denying that.
So Vidmar’s new approach can be seen as a breathe of fresh air. He has been visiting players in Europe, checking on their progress and scouting potential newcomers.
This can only be positive for Ange Postecoglou and the Socceroos. These players are too often out of sight out of mind for both the Australian public and media, but their involvement in international youth football is clutch.
It is a worry that this is the first time Vidmar’s been able to get his troops together since January and is something the FFA needs to sort out. No action in 10 months is unacceptable.
But to the squad itself, and Vidmar will be testing out a new back-four this month.
With Curtis Good out injured and Connor Chapman recovering from illness, Scott Galloway is the only familiar face from the last Olyroos squad. The likely new incumbents may be Cameron Burgess (Fulham), Jason Geria (Melbourne Victory) and James Donachie (Brisbane Roar).
Giancarlo Gallifuoco could also be option. He moved to Swansea from Tottenham in the off-season, and has been a mainstay in the Swans’ Under-21 side. Although typically a defensive midfielder he’s been playing in the heart of defence.
In midfield Amini will surely get his chance to impress. He’s been out of the picture since a bust-up with Okon in aftermath of his exclusion from the Under-20 World Cup. One of Australia’s brightest talents, Amini has been a regular in Borussia Dortmund’s reserves in Germany’s third tier this season.
A number of other hopefuls will be looking to join him, with Stefan Mauk (Melbourne City), Ryan Edwards (Reading) and Andrew Hoole (Newcastle Jets) solid options.
It will also be interesting to see if Steven Ugarkovic gets a spot in the midfield. The 20-year-old has been based in Croatia for the past few years with NK Osijek, and has represented Hrvatska at Under-19 level.
A comfortable ball-player, Ugarkovic’s progression will be closely watched, given our history in losing players to the Balkan nation.
In the Under-22 Championship earlier this year, the promising Dylan Tombides led the line, but he tragically passed away in April from cancer. Stepping in this month could be Corey Gameiro, who has made an impressive start in the A-League with Sydney FC, or Jamie MacLaren, who’s been in fine form for Perth.
On the flanks could be two from a number of options, including Travis Cooper (VVV Venlo), Ryan Williams (Barnsley) and Connor Pain (Melbourne Victory).
But the inclusion of Kwame Yeboah is surely the most exciting prospect for fans, who will be eager to see how he has progressed since joining Borussia Mönchengladbach at the start of the season after less than one year in the A-League.
In goals Aaron Lennox (QPR) will likely fight off competition from John Hall (Adelaide) and Jack Duncan (Perth).
The only disappointment is probably the missing Chris Ikonomidis, who was underused in Okon’s failed AFC Under-19 Championship campaign in October.
The attacking midfielder has scored in seven consecutive appearances for Lazio’s reserve side, and is promising to break into the first team this year. Why he’s been left out is a mystery.
Given Burgess, Mauk and Galloway were also involved in Okon’s squad, there’s no reason Ikonomidis couldn’t have also handled another international call-up.
But that’s the only blip, Vidmar should be applauded for taking the time to scout prospects in Europe and incorporate them into the team. These three fixtures will be vital for the former Adelaide United coach to see who fits in his plans for the Under-22 Championship next year.
Tune in to see how the boys perform, it’s not often you get a chance to see them in action. The first game against Brazil is on Friday, November 14, followed by China (November 16) and South Korea (November 18).
I’m not sure if the games will be broadcast on Fox Sports, but that’s what live streaming is for. Get amongst it.
Full squad
Goalkeepers: Aaron Lennox (QPR), John Hall (Adelaide United), Jack Duncan (Perth Glory)
Defenders: Cameron Burgess (Fulham), Corey Brown and James Donachie (both Brisbane Roar), Scott Galloway (Melbourne Victory), Riley Woodcock (Perth Glory), Jason Geria (Melbourne Victory).
Midfielders: Mustafa Amini (Borussia Dortmund), Giancarlo Gallifuoco (Swansea), Ryan Edwards (Reading), Steven Ugarkovic (NK Osijek), Andrew Hoole (Newcastle Jets), Stefan Mauk (Melbourne City).
Forwards: Corey Gameiro (Sydney FC), Jamie MacLaren (Perth Glory), Travis Cooper (VVV Venlo), Jackson Irvine (Ross County), Ryan Williams (Barnsley), Kwame Yeboah (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Connor Pain (Melbourne Victory).
Follow Janek on Twitter @JanekSpeight
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