Former Socceroos forward Archie Thompson is urging Graham Arnold to break bread with Mitch Langerak and offer him a route back to the national team set-up as the Australia boss sweats on the fitness of Mat Ryan.
The Socceroos No.1 suffered a broken cheekbone during a training session with Dutch club AZ Alkmaar and now faces a race against the clock to be fit for Australia’s Asian Cup campaign in January.
Ryan successfully underwent surgery but will now be sidelined for AZ’s remaining games prior to the winter break in Holland.
It leaves Ryan with little time to be match fit for the Socceroos’ tournament opener against India in Qatar on January 13.
The ‘keeper’s injury has thrown a further spanner in the works for Arnold, who is set to be without striker Brandon Borrrello and defender Ryan Strain.
The goalkeeping picture has changed rapidly for the Socceroos since last year’s World Cup, with Danny Vukovic retiring from international football and Sydney’s Andrew Redmayne undergoing a form slump.
The chasm left for Arnold to fill has led to Network Ten pundit Thompson arguing for Langerak’s reinstatement to the national team set-up.
Langerak has been a stand-out performer in the J-League in recent seasons but was contentiously left out of the squad for last year’s World Cup despite deciding to come out of retirement.
The 35-year-old hasn’t been seen in the Socceroos fold since but Thompson argued the eight-cap international would give Arnold an experienced and dependable head if Ryan encountered any setbacks on his road to recovery.
“Mitch has had another amazing year in Japan and he’s a seasoned veteran,” Thompson said.
“I’d love Mitch to be there and while there are some great young ‘keepers, the question is whether they’re experienced enough for that level.
“I’ve always been a big fan of Mitch and when he was at Melbourne Victory and wasn’t making the first team, you could see he was a future Socceroo. He’s been unfortunate with timing.
“Mitch probably hasn’t played that many internationals because of Maty but you want someone who is seasoned in that environment.
“Sometimes things don’t go the way that you want, but who knows? Maybe this is a story that’s not been finished.”
Adelaide’s Joe Gauci and former Melbourne City goalkeeper Thomas Glover are Arnold’s most obvious selections if Ryan isn’t deemed fit to feature for the Socceroos.
Gauci has just one cap to his name and his form has dipped significantly from last year while the uncapped Glover has been struggling for gametime at Middlesborough.
Arnold will name his final squad for the Asian Cup on December 22.
The Socceroos face Bahrain on January 6 before their tournament opener against India.
TenTribesOfTexas
Roar Rookie
so Leckie got injured again in the Asia Club match and Mac Claren is also carrying an ankle injury. So that makes Ryan, Aitkinson, Lecks, Strain, Macca, McGree...who will play right back? Ryan Grant or Josh Risdon to the rescue ?
TenTribesOfTexas
Roar Rookie
Arnold won't select him...he would select Ryan even if he was in a wheelchair
Hopper
Roar Rookie
Bangladesh were not too concerned with selecting a 19yo to play between the sticks vs Australia WC qualifier. From memory he did a mighty fine job. We have to start putting faith in our best young players. Gauci has done well in the local league as has Thomas. Select those two as well as Ryan to be used later in the tournament if fit. While we are at it get Nestory in the squad and start him, it would be the making of the lad.
At work
Roar Rookie
Let's be real, Langerak should be first choice with Ryan out. Some may even argue he should be the first choice with a fit Ryan. Him not being in the squad because Arnold wanted his old players in the squad even if they're not warranted was embarrassing
mrl
Roar Rookie
Gauci is good to go…he has been getting plenty of practice lately!!
Grem
Roar Rookie
He may well be our 2nd best at the moment. He is pretty consistent.
Chopper07
Roar Rookie
Langarak should be brought in. Gauci and Redmayne are both overrated and we will need a goalkeeper of Langarak's experience.
ShirleyKnot
Roar Rookie
What about Lawrence Thomas of WSW?
Marcel
Roar Rookie
IIRC the formal advice to both Langerak and his club was that as a foreign national he had no guaranteed right of re entry to Japan if the borders tightened..as they were threatening at the time.
AGO74
Roar Rookie
He retired from national team in May 21. Duke started playing in Japan not long after and I'm pretty sure he didn't experience any issues you reference so not really sure how much weight that statement carries? And as I said above I didn't criticise him - he made decision for what he thought was best for his family which is fair enough, but I can also see why Arnie made the decision he did.
Marcel
Roar Rookie
Ha!....I'm assuming it will it be a drop ball if the ball hits the swings + slippery dip ?
Marcel
Roar Rookie
"difficulties with Covid" is being a little obtuse Ago... There was a measurable possibility that Japanese Immigration might prevent him from returning to his family, his home, his job...I don't really see that he had any other choice he could make. Add to that the bizarre insult in NZ and I'd suggest he has plenty to complain about....but I've not heard him ever voice any complaints in public. For context....we forgave McLaren when he was too scared of his fiancee to adjust booking dates.
Garry
Roar Rookie
On Asia dont forget theres AFC tonight – City 8.30pm (at Princes Park Playground which sounds silly to me! :laughing: ) – and CCM 7pm tomorrow with Macarthur 11pm Thursday
AGO74
Roar Rookie
Agree on Langerak. Whether or not he will accept is the question. Realistically he can't complain on not being selected for last World Cup. He opted out of the WC qualifying campaign due to difficulties with COVID. Not criticising him for that as its an individual choice especially as he had a young family, but given others did endure a torrid campaign with the restrictions, quarantine etc and being away from families its not surprising they were taken instead of him. Obviously there's an argument that he was better than Vukovic or Redmayne - but including Langerak after he had opted out of the hard yards could have created disharmony in team. I think this Asian Cup campaign is different though and there is more of a justification to include.
Garry
Roar Rookie
why would he? even if played he’ll likely be dropped as soon as Ryan is available again. ps is Jamie Young eligible??
Kitwally
Roar Rookie
Agree Grem. Langarak should be very nicely asked to please come back.
Grem
Roar Rookie
It has to be Langerak - Gauchi is not ready and no one else is good enough.
NickA
Roar Rookie
Ryan is an excellent keeper - but he is error prone which is probably expected given the extremely active role he tries to play. Given he's a bit shorter he needed to separate himself from other keepers and he does that with his ability to play out. Freezing out Langerak might come back to bite Arnie now - he's the obvious replacement but I don't think he'll accept the call. And then if he does, and Maty ends up being OK for the tournament... Mitch won't play. Don't think he'll take that chance again. I don't watch much of L1 but there's big wraps on Maynard-Brewer & Bilokapic. Otherwise, Gauci is the obvious choice. I don't rate Glover and he's also not playing anyway. While I think Vuka, Redders are done - and should not play for the NT again - I can't see Arnie taking 3 inexperienced keepers. We've been spoilt for keepers since the 90s but there's no one of equal quality to replace Maty at the moment.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Its a weird situation now. Ryan has had the mortgage on the position for so many years, based on his ability with his feet and Vukovic was the reserve based on that. Gauci is awful with his feet, and Glover is worse. Ryan of course had that disaster against Argentina where he got caught trying to play out anyway and plenty of other mishaps over the year. Duke does offer an excellent target man for the long ball so they can live without that and Ryans ability with the ball was overrated. The other factor is Australia new big boy backline needs a fast sweeper keeper to get to the through balls. Redmayne has got the bad press recently, but with LaCerna SYdney backline positionally has become so dodgy , Redmayne started coming out for everything even then the one he got sent off on it was going to be a one on one anyway and he succesfully stopped it only for a dodgy ref and var to send him off . Who is going into the hotseat at national team level with two defenders that are so slow. Ryan was excellent at coming out, but he failed to come out on the Mexican goals. So that could be the biggest challenge for whoever they pick.