Kiwi Olympian gets Socceroos call up as three stars miss out for crucial World Cup qualifiers

He is also on the record confirming Scotland is his first choice. Perhaps depends on who is asking to what he says to ensure he gets a gig.

1) Nikita has only played 315 minutes, in in a new team. 2) ???, although it would be good to see the mids score, we have depth in our scorers. 3)Mcgrees played in 6 of BC last 8 games, normally 90 minutes he's scored twice. 4)club form doesn't matter if their scoring at international and they are. 5)Boyles fine until he isn't 6)and mabil? so that's 4 attackers. last qualifier mile was our top goal scorer, were in a better position than that.

Afternoon All, Ok, we are missing three "prominent players" from our attack. I think the question you have to ask yourself is, "what degree of quality loss are we suffering by playing Nabbout, Macca and Leks?" The obvious loss is match fitness, but those lads have been playing regularly as part of their pre-season. Cohesio-wise, Macca and Nabbout play together and have done so for a while now, in my opinion what a replacement pair!! In support of that statement in my opinion it's only beneficial to be doing this. A quality side has reliable combination upon reliable combination. Trust me, as a United supporter, I wish OGS worked on this basis. Not only does it make it harder for the opposition to prepare but it means even up to the last minute, Arnie could switch out Nabbout, Macca and Leks for Mooy, Rogic and Taggart or vice versa. In this case it applies to the midfield. Arnie could be thinking I can field Hrustic, Boyle and Irvine, or I can switch it up and pull Irvine and put in Stensness. Regardless of who plays if you can establish a squad that is cohesive, flexible and completely comfortable with any combination of the squad on the pitch, you have essentially reached a degree of football nirvana. In a way I feel for the Kiwis who probably had placed great hope for the All Whites having Stensness as part of their squad, but it's the lad's decision and you have to respect the fact that he has shown personal strength in making a decision on what he believes is best for his career. A football career is not a long one, and you have to make the most of it. To a degree, there is an alternate positive in all of this. The faith that Arnie is showing in his players, builds a stronger relationship between the manager and the squad, and that is something that contributes to stronger and more positive results. When you run an eye over this squad, what is there to complain about. McGree is ripping it up for Birmingham, as is Genreau for Toulouse, and Elder for Hull. For good measure throw in Mabil, Duke, Boyle, Souttar, Sainsbury, Karacic, etc and ask yourself the question, is this squad any weaker without three players? Quite often it's the combination that you dont put priority on, that proves you wrong and starts ripping it up. Bring it on lads, and I hope that stadium is absolutely pumping on Thursday night.

"need to start tying down players to represent australia – volpato, hammond, etc etc these sorts of players would benefit from just being in the squad." - HAMMOND NEWS: Former Joeys winger Tristan Hammond has knocked back an approach to switch allegiances to Peru - opting to instead pursue a future as an Olyroo and potential Socceroos star. https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/peru-fails-in-bid-to-poach-ex-joeys-world-cup-star-572299 YOUNGER BROTHER (D.O.B. Dec 23, 2003 age 18): Aydan Hammond highlights https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWhvpSOQyEs - VOLPATO NEWS: Rising Roma star Cristian Volpato (17) close to ending Australia's Serie A drought after earning first-team selection https://www.sportingnews.com/au/football/news/rising-roma-star-cristian-volpato-close-to-ending-australias-serie-a-drought-after-earning-first-team-selection/1oibmlopr9t4o1hxu98bfaru6y

I'm guessing those early play-off games pay peanuts.

Well, 2005 is a while ago. If my memory serves me well, the Socceroos contributed to the Solomons' strong showing, with Commins Menapi scoring twice in one game. Go back another decade and Australia lost a qualifier to Fiji once. Yes, obviously I meant the All Whites.

The champions league money means that even a small country like Estonia would have a some well funded teams, those coefficients are very random anyway you can draw a weak team and win or a strong team and lose. one match a year an you expect to form ratings on that, Estonia would really be ranked about 40 they beat a Maltese team 5-0. If your relying on second tier in small countries they would be at NPL levels. A real coach Guus Hiddink can watch one match and pick the best players out, he picked out Korean players from low level leagues and they were key pillars. Luke Wilkshire would have been stuck in low level English football which he wasn't even suited to. Arnold to me seems to work on relationships off the field, he has great contacts in Europe and used to hire players in the A-league to win titles. Talay should be coach he has the eye of a proper coach which Arnold has never had. I would say my biggest dissapointment from youth teams is Jacob Melling, he was a beast in youth teams, I thought this guy is the new Tiatto, well he was good in the A-league as well when he was young but then a few injuries and he faded away.

I dont see how it is improving the coaches just keep hiring old players and never letting them go. A lot of the players in their mid 30's were playing in the A-league at their peak ages in the past. Players over 30 once they have to fly and play midweek in the ACL they struggle to jog let alone run. The highest ever scoring A-league team Sydney FC 2017-2018 were going great scoring heaps of goals playing once a week but were reduced to a walking rabble by mid week ACL matches with flights under Arnold as coach yet three of that team in their early 30's are still in the squad now in their mid 30's. Arnold with the best squad on paper in the history of the A-league and unable to handle mid week matches with flights and unable to rotate a squad is now Socceroos coach.

Ernie Merrick for Socceroos coach? We've already got Boyle and Souttar while Jason Cummings is another possibility, maybe we should try a Scottish gaffer as well. - “The Boyler is a good mate of mine and we’ve talked a bit about Australia, and how much he loves playing for the Socceroos. It would be an honour to join him. I played in a couple of friendlies with Scotland, so I’m still eligible for Australia if the chance ever comes along. The Boyler tells me being involved with Australia is different class.” - Cummings 55 goals in 114 appearances across four seasons for Dundee

They have some outstanding juniors and a couple of players at a higher league than any of ours

It appears that the Socceroos did not receive a copy of your eligibility criteria and have opted to conform to FIFA's eligibility criteria instead. Probably lost in the mail.

He played for NZ at the Olympics he is a kiwi

All Whites not All Blacks

You mean the All Whites , I would say definetly not, they were better organised than Soccer Australia in the old days and didnt hire Rudi Gutendorf. The past decade the All Whites lost out to Tahiti for the confederations cup, they also finished behind the Solomon Islands in 2005 in world cup qualifying. So it works both ways they have done well in some cases, but failed much worse than Australia have ever done in others.

Don't know if you read the news at all, however tribalism is alive and well.

Starting in the midfield and playing well.

I would expect us to do well at home against the Saudis, and like the Matildas, it should be a successful and warmly received home-coming. Noting that a few current socceroos are not getting much senior game time at the moment, I was wondering who is currently the most in-form player for the highest-ranking club, i.e. do we have any socceroos currently getting solid game time for a top tier club in a decent league? I'm guessing Mat Ryan is still reserve keeper over at Real Sociedad (who are having a pretty good season so far). I guess that leaves Ajdin Hrusic. Anyone know how he's currently going with Eintracht?

The All Blacks occasionally go through periods where they are as strong as the Socceroos. It happened famously around the 1978 to 1984 period. The past decade has been a decent one for the All Blacks, unfortunately we don't play each other too often these days.

who said Brisbane's start to the A League looked daunting?

From what I've seen, NZ has a better standard of player than us at present