The team that will look to keep Australia’s Asian Cup hopes alive will be built on a foundation of four ex-Central Coast Mariners players.
The suspension of Matthew Spiranovic has set up something of a reunion for his replacement Alex Wilkinson and three other pillars of the Australian side – Mat Ryan, Trent Sainsbury and Mile Jedinak.
Wilkinson spent three years at the Mariners with Sainsbury, and the pair will aim to pick up where they left off when they start in the centre of defence in Thursday night’s Asian Cup quarter-final against China.
Wilkinson said he has been pleased to watch the rise of 23-year-old Sainsbury, who last year transferred to Dutch Eredivisie side PEC Zwolle and has played a vital role in Australia’s Asian Cup campaign so far.
“He has always been a player you could see was going to go very far in the game,” he said.
“I saw that at the Mariners – when he got his chance he stepped up.
“If he keeps improving he will mainstay in the Socceroos for a long time to come.”
Wilkinson was Central Coast’s captain when Sainsbury and Ryan were coming through, and the trio played together seven times in the 2010-11 A-League season.
Positioned in front of them on Thursday will be Jedinak, another former Mariners skipper who is set to return from an ankle injury.
Wilkinson admits he is frustrated that after a career-best season with K-League side Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors – and after starting in all three of Australia’s World Cup games last year – it’s taken the suspension of Spiranovic to open the door for his national team return.
“You never want to sit on the bench. It’s disappointing but that’s football,” he said.
“But Ange makes it very clear that after every camp, you come into next one with a clean slate.
“You have to earn your spot again.”
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Manchester City have chalked up another big win in their hunt for an unprecedented fourth straight Premier League title, with Phil Foden continuing his…
Here is the way the Roar expert panel sees all the action unfolding across the final weekend of play prior to the semi-finals.
Despite the short nature of his tenure as a professional manager, Arne Slot has established himself as arguably the most impressive manager outside of…
Everton won the Merseyside derby 2-0, with Toffees supporters taunting Liverpool after the game at their home ground Goodison Park.
Jarrad Branthwaite and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have blasted a hole in Liverpool's Premier League title challenge as Everton powered their way to a priceless derby…
The real concern comes down to football's growing trend of big corporations taking up slices of the world game at the expense of smaller teams.
