Ange Postecoglou yesterday revealed his chosen 23 for the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier in Thailand, and he’s again missed a valuable chance to blood the hugely talented Luke Brattan.
It’s not the first time Postecoglou has named an extended squad, only to drop the Melbourne City player at the final asking. He’s also included him in the actual squad a number of times, but he’s never made it into the park.
It baffles me that a player as talented and as unique as Brattan is uncapped – let alone not yet a mainstay of the team.
He fits the mould – Postecoglou wants a team that dominates possession and therefore their opponents, which means crisp delivery and a care for the ball is required in the number six position in midfield.
Mile Jedinak and Mark Milligan, the current deep lying midfielders are breakers up of play, rather than tempo dictators, while Jedinak particularly has a careless streak in possession.
The twin talents of Aaron Mooy and Tom Rogic can be utilised as two 10s, but to do that they need to be able to receive the ball in advanced positions in midfield where they can find space between the lines and create opportunities.
So far, Postecoglou’s solution has been to play a midfield diamond, with Mooy playing deeper than Rogic in order to ensure safe passage of possession from the defensive third to the attacking third.
But in Brattan, Postecoglou has a ready-made solution on which Australia’s platform for attack could be built.
To not at least take a look at Brattan in a match environment as yet is an oversight by the Socceroos boss.
One could argue that Postecoglou knows him well enough from their time together at Brisbane, but it is under Mike Mulvey that Brattan really flourished, before he was pushed a little further forward by John Aloisi.
His career is back on track after a terrible spell overseas and he is the fulcrum of the Melbourne City juggernaut, the lynchpin of their possession based game.
The argument that the Socceroos midfield is stacked is a sound one in terms of numbers, especially with Jackson Irvine in such fine form in the UK.
But Brattan is unique to the rest. He has a sixth sense for the tempo of the game and knows instinctively whether to accelerate it or slow it down, via his equal capabilities as a long and short passer.
He has bite in the tackle, and he is a goal threat from distance too.
Massimo Luongo and Irvine are box to box players, Rogic and Mooy playmakers, Jedinak and Milligan destroyers.
Brattan, as an orchestrator and chief string puller, is different to all of them.
I’m not arguing that Jedinak and Milligan are finished in the Socceroos midfield, but one day they will be.
Brattan is the heir apparent – and it’s about time we saw him in green and gold.
Paul
Guest
Could anyone seriously think that Brattan would get a gig ahead of Rogic, Mooy, Luongo, Jedinak, Milligan, Irvine, and Ikonomede. No way. He couldn't even get a game a Bolton last year despite the relegation on loan from Manchester City. Mooy on loan to Huddersfield has them dreaming of promotion to the EPL. His best chance is to convert to a right back!
Swampy
Guest
+1 Milligan is far superior. Hits the ground signage far less often. Ange likes guys who are very fit. I guess that is Mile's advantage and Milligan's Achilles Heel - he's so often injured or recovering from injury.
Karl
Guest
Mooy is the most complete Mid in the socceroos line-up, not merely just a number 10 and Milligan and Jedinak are defensive workhorses. Brattan's a good player but tough luck getting in front of those 3 when you're just playing well - not amazing - in the A-League.
Fadida
Guest
Disagree. Leadership and penalty taking aside, he's lumbering, awful on the ball. Jedinak should only play against opponents who you expect to dominate possession ie he won't get to have much of the ball
Squizz
Guest
If you play a single screener it has to be Jedinak. He is the only that can break up play on his own. Milligan playing deep beside Luongo with Mooy or Rogic in front works well. In that formation Milligan slightly shades Jedinak Milligan with 2 AMs just does not work. Jedinak is also a consistent penalty taker, is probably only second to Mooy as a free-kick taker and offers an aerial presence that only Cahill in the present team betters.
Hammerhead
Guest
As it would turn out Brattan was actually born in England and moved to Brisbane as a kid... that means he's eligible for England!
pacman
Guest
IMHO, Milligan is a thug, and he will eventually be caught out, and when it happens, it will likely be at an inconvenient time, and likely be a huge blow to our NT. Like, cost us progress to the next round of, say, the next WC.
jupiter53
Roar Pro
Spot on re Milligan, I think he is as good as Jedinak defensively, and better coming forward. I will admit that Jedinak does take a good free kick. I love watching Brattan play, I love his range of passing. In particular I admire the disguise he can put on the angles of short passes, and his crossing has been lethal this season. However he is just too slow to be international class. and he looks to be carrying too much weight. Up to him to get himself into shape to make the most of his gifts. I see no reason to disagree with Ange about not selecting him.
Rob Gremio
Roar Pro
I won't repeat what everyone else has said, except to say I agree that Brattan isn't ready and there are others ahead of him. He was great for Brisbane, and is looking decent again, but no, there are others ahead of him. However, what's with the Milligan bashing? To be honest, I rate him more highly than Jedinak. The only true "destroyer" in our squad is Jedinak. Milligan is an accomplished DM with a very good range of passing, vision, and an ability to score goals. Sure, he's no Pirlo, but we don't have any players like him in our squad. But Milligan is still at a good age, playing regularly (albeit in the Petro Leagues), and every time he plays for Australia, he plays very well. He rarely gives the ball away, unlike Jedinak, who is regularly guilty of it. I can remember a time when I was perplexed by Milligan's selection in the squad, but having watched him play, and comparing him to the other options we have, I reckon it's time we put him in Jedinak's place. I really think you're off track with your criticism of Milligan.
Midfielder
Guest
Lee Having won 4 premierships and grand finals and leading the Socceroos to be Asian Champions and having in Australian sporting history the longest unbeaten run in a team sport... adding totalling rebuilding the Australian squad... then if that was me I would be a tad dismissive of the calls of others and trust my own judgement, which to some is seen as arrogance.. IMO only Johnny Warren, Frank Lowy, & Nick Tanna can be talked about in the same company in what they have achieved for Australian Football.... One thing about AP I have never seen before is ask anyone from league, union, AFL & cricket and they all rate AP if not the best coach they have seen but in the top two or three... in and of itself that is huge...
Midfielder
Guest
Agree
Fadida
Guest
Young kid? Again, he's 26!!!! He's done nothing to deserve a call up. He can't even get himself fit. If the first choice midfield all get injured, and then Amini, Luongo, Irvine, Da Silva, Milligan and a few others all get injured as well then he might get a turn...
Fadida
Guest
3 or 4 years ago Brattan was arguably better than Mooy, not that either were brilliant at the time. Since then Mooy has kicked on to be the outstanding midfielder, if not player in the A-League. He has also rebuilt himself physically, adding muscle and more dynamism. As a result of enormous hard work and brilliant match winning performances he was bought by Man City and loaned to a championship team. Here he has set the world on fire, hailed by many as the best player in the league, and by lifelong Huddersfield fans as the best player to play for the club in living memory (check the fans forums). Oh, and he has also become a standout for the NT. Brattan has failed to improve himself in this period. 3 years of treading water. He has failed to address his major flaw, lack of athleticism. In fact he has put on weight (not muscle), and is arguably slower than before. He was also bought by City and loaned to the championship. Unlike Mooy he didn't play, training with the youth team. He then returned 10kg overweight. And yet some argue he should be in the NT? Madness. Wasted talent. Like Nichols he needs Popovic as his coach. Someone to discipline him, not tell him how good he is. JVS isn't that man.
Lee
Guest
Ange has missed a huge chance to give the young kid a taste of international football in a game which Australia is likely to win reasonably comfortably even though it is away. Is he good enough at that level? We won't know but why wait until there is an injury when Australia is in Russia and are playing high quality opposition in the tournament itself. A shocking decision by usually reasonably capable manager. His arrogance knows no bounds!
Caltex & SBS support Australian Football
Guest
"Is he better than Mooy or Rogic? Not even close." Yep, that's the crux of it---and at 26yrs old he should be at his peak, that said, he won't get any better than Mooy or Rogic, who are not only good midfielders, but goal scorers. Bratton, rarely gets on the score sheet and his dead ball deliveries are woeful most of the time.
Mrlmcg
Guest
The name not mentioned in the article is james jeggo. jeggo has been picked ahead of brattan. Jeggo apparently playing as a number 6 for his Austrian club. Seems like Ange rates him too. Even if Jeggo/Brattan picked they wouldn't have gotten a game given the other midfielders ahead of them in the pecking order, unless injury hit.
MarkfromCroydon
Guest
To be honest, I would have Matt McKay in the squad in front of Brattan at the moment.
MarkfromCroydon
Guest
Spot on.
Happy Hooker
Guest
"Missed a valuable opportunity"? What, like Ange completely forgot about him when picking the team? Gimme a break. I would back Ange's selections over yours Matt every day of the week.
Nemesis
Guest
I agree that I like Brattan. I don't agree in questioning the coaching decision of Australia's most successful international football coach. It is evidence that I'm ignorant about what is required from a player at international level. If you can't see the difference that's a worry.