It’s not every day that Australian footballers get to test their skill against the world’s best nations, but the Young Socceroos will do just that as one of the participants of the four-continents U-20 Costa Cálida Supercup in San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain.
The 24-man squad will face off against Chile, Morroco and reigning under-19 European champion England between September 21 and 27.
While the A-League players selected are known to most fans, the European-based inclusions are very interesting.
Matt Dench was born in Australia, but has lived in the UK since he was four years old.
Dench has been part of Charlton Athletic’s academy side since 2020 and this season has moved up from the U18s to the U21s.
He made his senior debut only a few weeks ago in the EFL Trophy and is capable of playing as a centre-back, as well as a central midfielder.
Australia fought off strong interest from Malta to bring Dylan Scicluna into this camp.
Melbourne-born Sciluna has played the majority of his football in the midlands of England – first at Aston Villa and then at current club Wolverhampton.
The central midfielder has moved up from the U18s to the U21s and played several matches in the Premier League 2 this season.
(Photo by Alex Goodlett – WWFC/Getty Images)
His younger brother Lucas also plays at Wolves, but in their U18s side.
Kogarah-born Jordan Perez is a player many in youth development had high hopes for.
The diminutive speedster moved to Cyprus after playing in Spain and has been converted from a left-back to a left winger. He scored two goals in pre-season for AEK Lamaca and plays in their under-21 side.
Gabriel Popovic is welcomed back into the Australian football family, after some solid form with table topping Nk Rudeš in the Croatian second division.
He has featured in four of their five matches so far and scored a goal a few weeks back.
The player to watch with the matches being broadcast on Youtube will be Paul Okon Jnr, though.
Okon Jnr recently left Club Brugge to join the best side in European youth football – Benfica.
Okon possess some of the most accurate weighted long-range passing abilities in his age group worldwide, and this was a big factor in why Benfica signed him.
Josh Rawlins has played in six out of the first seven games for the struggling FC Utrecht II.
Mohammed Toure and Yaya Dukuly are playing regular minutes for tables-toppers Stafe Reims II in France.
Adelaide United goalkeeper Steven Hall has also just come back from England where he had trials with Southampton and Newcastle United.
The selected squad also contains five players following in their famous father’s footballing footsteps – Rodrigues, Okon, Oliveria, Vidmar and Popovic.
Two glaring omissions from this squad are the infamous Christian Volpato, and fast-rising Parma prodigy Alessandro Circati.
The Young Socceroos will be seen as cannon fodder for their highly-fancied opponents, but the squad chosen by Trevor Morgan has more than enough talent and ability to cause an upset or two.
Young Socceroos squad for Costa Calida Supercup
Alexander BADOLATO – Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Raphael BORGES RODRIGUES – Melbourne City FC
Rhys BOZINOVSKI – Western United FC
Matthew DENCH – Charlton Athletic FC (UK)
Chris DONNELL – Perth Glory FC
Yaya DUKULY – Stade de Reims (France)
Joseph FORDE – Perth Glory FC
Archie GOODWIN – Newcastle Jets FC
Steven HALL – Adelaide United FC
Sam KLEIN – Brisbane Roar FC
Alessandro LOPANE – Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Kaelan MAJEKODUNMI – Perth Glory FC
James NIEUWENHUIZEN – Melbourne City FC
Paul OKON JNR -SL Benfica (Portugal)
Bernardo OLIVEIRA -Adelaide United FC
Jordan PEREZ – AEK Larnaca FC (Cyprus)
Gabriel POPOVIC – Nk Rudeš (Croatia)
Joshua RAWLINS – FC Utrecht (Holland)
Adrian SEGECIC -Sydney FC
Dylan SCICLUNA – Wolverhampton Wanderers FC (UK)
Mohamed TOURE -Stade de Reims (France)
Nectarios TRIANTIS – Central Coast Mariners
Kane VIDMAR – Adelaide United FC
Jack WARSHAWSKY – Western Sydney Wanderers FC
Bill the Dill from Rooty Hill
Guest
Having this number of sons of high profile people in football selected in a national team is certainly an important issue for some serious discussion about confidence in the integrity in sport. Especially when the national coach has proudly, and some might suggest unprofessionally, publicised his close associations with the fathers of those selected during the talent ID and selection period. Governing corruption (nepotism, cronyism, bribery, theft, etc.) in any sphere of life (political government, businesses, sports, etc.) has a number of dimensions and many of these dimensions have contributed to a vast amount of football research literature on corruption. Two important dimensions are, firstly, the policing and active prevention of the the possibility of corrupt conduct and so maintaining the integrity of governance in sport. Secondly, actively maintaining the PERCEPTION that measures are in place to safe guard the reputation in the public sphere that conduct is being made responsible and accountable so as to maintain merit selection and enhance the reputation of the integrity of a sport in the minds of those participating in the sport and the wider general public. The public perception, most probably, is that these fathers have been involved in not just being able, if they so choose, to use their influential positions to promote in different ways the club and representative opportunities of their sons in ways that other parents of actually or potentially gifted and talented players in Australia cannot. Widely researched and publicised incidences of corrupt conduct have tainted the integrity and reputation of this sport as a world game and so people are understandably suspicious when so many selections of high profile football figures are made. One might suggest that these high profile influential parents in a sport, especially at a national level, should be prevented from participating in or being associated with anything to do with such talent ID and other selection procedures and practices for national teams and that those participating need to be held responsible and accountable for how they arrived at their selections and whether they were in any way associated with corrupt conduct or brought the integrity of the sport into disrepute. Of course people through the Australian media complained of corruption when the Australian government granted and FFA spent just over $45 million for the Australian bid for the 2022 FIFA men's World Cup won by Qatar and only got 1 vote of a possible 22 to be quickly eliminated in the first round of bidding. People observed on television Popovic as coach of Perth Glory give his sons valuable game time in A League matches. Well, think of the perception of those in the football community with sons and daughters who don't have influential high profile parents in the sport and wider Australian public who can justifiably maintain, given the current state of anti-corruption measures, that not all seems fair and equal in the integrity of football in Australia. The history lesson anyway is that the probability of these sons of high profile elite footballers beyond the development age groups being successful elite representative professional players based on merit is nearly improbable in top highly competitive football countries.
chris
Guest
He's been making the bench with Roma in all their recent games. Never gets on though.
jupiter53
Roar Pro
Thanks for this, and for the posting
Punter
Roar Rookie
Youth football updates is something we lack in this country & for that I so appreciate all your inputs TSS. I love hearing about the next potential superstar.
Brendan
Roar Pro
Indeed, there’s a thrill of seeing familiar surnames. From one generation of famous fathers, to their talented sons. What an honour.
Garry
Roar Rookie
"Football Australia is today pleased to confirm that following consultation with the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Australia has been reinstated into Group H of the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Uzbekistan 2023™ Qualifiers.".. my query is why not include Garang Kuol? If he's good enough for the Scocceroos
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
not at all, there is depth in this chosen squad. hes needed more with the joeys for the shepparton qualifiers
Franko
Guest
Do you think Nestory Irankunda was hard done by to miss out?
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
no nepotism with father and son at training, damian is incredibly hard on josh (and so he should be)
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
i wouldn't necessarily say he’s lost to Australia, his family is upset with how they perceive he was treated in australia – which depending on your point of view of those 2 scenarios, could be justified. If Arnie was to offer him a seat on the plane to Qatar, I doubt he’d reject it.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
streamed through the Pinatar Arena YouTube channel. Australia vs Morocco San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain 6pm local, 24 Sept / 2am AEST, 25 Sept ================================================ Australia vs Chile San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain 1pm local, 27 Sept / 9pm AEST, 27 Sept =============================================== England vs Australia San Pedro del Pinatar, Spain 5pm local, 27 Sept / 1am AEST, 28 Sept
Grem
Roar Rookie
Me too - You Tube live or highlights after the game?
Franko
Guest
Mori is an interesting one, he was banging them in his Dad has signed on as an assistant this season, not sure if that helps or hinders - hopefully neither. I saw the Vidmar goal against Adelaide City, a beauty, its somewhere on twitter for those interested.
jupiter53
Roar Pro
Let me second that. I would be grateful if someone better informed than I am could explain where and when the broadcast will happen.
Redondo
Roar Rookie
What gives with Volpato? Is he lost to Oz?
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
(in my view) vidmar is now ahead of alagich in terms of his developement, both have been training with the first team in pre season - if there was an injury crisis in defence, id expect vidmar to get the nod vidmar offers a lot more going forward (scored a beauty in the SA NPL this year - started a move and ran the length of the pitch to finish it) than alagich, but they both can play multiple positions. alagich displays good leadership ability and reading of the game, but ive mentioned on here before - im not entirely sold on him making the grade to be a consistent a league defender sotiri phillis is another i have high hopes for, hes a couple years younger - i'd expect him to get in the NPL squad next season, and challenge for a starting spot after years without decent homegrown defenders, adelaide is starting to produce a few with real potential for growth. speaking of adelaide, there are some NPL triallsts at the moment who have been training with the squad - most notably josh mori he's looked very good in training and i wouldn't be surprised to see him signed, adelaide is really short in striking depth - would be a surreal moment for joshy after being a youth team member 10 years ago more a league clubs should look at 'mature age' australian rookies
Franko
Guest
Thanks for the write up, SS. Would be interested to know your views on Kane Vidmar. Should we expect to see him stepping in if Barr or A.Popovic go down this year?
Grem
Roar Rookie
Thanks SS for that analysis and summary. I will definitely be watching them and hoping for some great results.