Graham Arnold is growing concerned by European sides pressuring young players to put club before country after Parma defender Alessandro Circati was left out of the Socceroos squad and looking increasingly likely to miss crunch Olympic qualifiers.
Rated as a future star of the Socceroos, Circati was a notable absentee from Thursday’s squad announcement for World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon in Parramatta on March 21 and Canberra on March 26.
It comes as the 20-year-old’s club commitments also look set to rule him out of next month’s U23 Asian Cup, which falls outside the FIFA window and where a spot at the Olympic Games in Paris is up for grabs.
Parma are chasing promotion to Serie A and Arnold had hoped by not calling up the one-cap international for January’s Asian Cup, his club side would play ball.
But two months down the track that appears less likely.
“I think a lot of people need to understand the pressure the players get put under from their clubs overseas,” Arnold said on Thursday.
“To play for Australia is a lot, Alessandro and even Cristian Volpato it’s exactly the same, they have to focus on their club careers.”
The irony is that Olympic tournaments have often been a springboard for emerging players to secure lucrative moves elsewhere.
Asked if he expected Circati to be released for next month’s U23 Asian Cup, Arnold said: “I’d be doubtful about that.
“(Olyroos coach) Tony Vidmar is getting quite a number of overseas-based clubs refusing to release players in April so it’ll be predominantly players from the A-League.”
Arnold, too, has had to look to the home front to supplement his senior squad in their first matches since their quarter-final exit at the Asian Cup.
Perth striker Adam Taggart and Western Sydney forward Brandon Borrello are both back in the squad for two games which could secure Australia’s passage to the final round of World Cup qualification.
Ajdin Hrustic. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Creative midfielder Adjin Hrustic is also back in the mix, but there is no place for Central Coast Mariners playmaker Josh Nisbet, who has arguably been the form Australian player in the competition this year.
“He (Nisbet) has been doing fantastic but at the moment with World Cup qualifiers (we are) bringing boys that know what needs to happen,” Arnold said.
“We get one training session and it’s about having boys who know what we need to do in these two games.”
The only concern for Arnold is the fitness of right back Lewis Miller, who failed to finish Hibernian’s 2-2 draw with Ross County on Thursday morning (AEDT) due to a hamstring issue.
“He called me straight from the dressing room this morning, it’s too early to rule him out,” Arnold said.
“He’s going to have scans and get checked on and then we’ll deal with that in the next couple of days.”
Socceroos Squad
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan (capt), Joe Gauci, Tom Glover
Defenders: Nathaniel Atkinson, Jordy Bos, Cameron Burgess, Thomas Deng, Gethin Jones, Lewis Miller, Kye Rowles, Harry Souttar
Midfielders: Keanu Baccus, Ajdin Hrustic, Jackson Irvine, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Patrick Yazbek
Forwards: Brandon Borrello, Mitchell Duke, Bruno Fornaroli, Craig Goodwin, John Iredale, Sam Silvera, Adam Taggart, Kusini Yengi.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Horses mouth Nisbet is not contracted to anyone next season.
Harry Brill
Roar Rookie
Frustrating, yes. But as players age they tend to have more bargaining power when it comes to national team selection. We still have two years until the World Cup, at which point several absentees will be playing top division football across Europe and settled. That’s important.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Tulio didnt he have a 90m release clause and Mariners sold him for what 500k-1 million. If Nisbet was sold then the club would probably lose money, they would get 500k, lose 2.3 million Aus from the AFC and not make the finals. Which would a proper fan prefer.
Garry
Roar Rookie
Supposedly leaving for City at year end tho . For me disappointing news re Nisbet and I dont think its a step up for Nisbet. At CCM he is the key man whereas going to City he will merely be one of the cogs - similar misstep I believe Kewell made in going to Liverpool. Sure he will probably get much better paid but Id expect he went there because of their overseas connections.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
Circati already tied up. Played for Australia against New Zealand last year
Hudddo
Roar Rookie
That makes no sense. The Mariners could have put a 5 million dollar release clause on him. If nizzy left mid contract we would have been reimbursed for it.
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
The lack of transfer fees betwen A-league clubs means CCM got to keep Nisbet this season instead of another A-league club buying him mid season. Thats what it means. It means CCM get to chance to win the AFC cup and more A-league titles, because without Nisbet this season they would be stuffed. NIsbet is a special case anyway, because of his size the rest of the world isn't interested. If he was taller he would have been off to Europe. Whats all this got to do with Ballard going to Portugal, if clubs haven't got longer more lucractive contracts to protect from Europe nabbing players then why are they are going to do it if A-league transfers are approved.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Grem the sad truth is that unless there is an official FIFA window we can forget about getting all our players from Europe. This is an AFC and FIFA problem however and they need to sort it out. You can't expect players to be in 2 places at once and it's not fair that they have to make this decision as to which way they go. Club or country.
chris1
Roar Rookie
Well sure but sooner or later he needs to play and we lock him up once and for all. Do we want to blood him in a crucial game against Japan/S Korea or ease him in with a game against Lebanon?
Chopper07
Roar Rookie
It has been reported that Mariners will lose both Balard and Nisbet at the end of this season with Balard going to Portugal and the club receiving a small compensation fee. Nisbet also out of contract at the end of the season is apparently going to Melbourne City for free. If we want to put more excitement into this game we love then we must bring in transfer fees for the A League from club to club. It will result in longer more lucrative contracts for the players as clubs protect their assets but it will also generate newsworthy chatter amongst fans and media. Apparently the big stumbling block is Melbourne City and one can see why as they pick the pieces out of other teams.
Grem
Roar Rookie
It was often hard to get Kewell, Viduka, etc years ago. As we know clubs aren’t shy in putting players on the bench if they go against what the club wants and that can ruin a career. It was great to see Mooy, Ryan, etc always making themselves available regardless of their club’s wishes. It’s such a shame we can’t have full access to all players at all times, but the game is so big there could never be enough windows. While not counting chickens … we should be able to beat Lebanon, but as a spectator at the game I would have loved to have seen some young faces and X factor with players like like Kuol, and Irankunda, so hopefully Bos and Yengi light up the games.
NickA
Roar Rookie
To be fair, reporters did ask about Nisbet - I imagine Arnie's response, should he be asked about AP, would have been the same - small window with limited training oppurtunities so he wants players who know. However I agree that both should have been picked, over Borello and Yazbek. Surprised Fornaroli was picked again - there are a lot of strikers in that squad and not very many wingers - i suspect it'll be a 4 2 2 2 formation given the opposition and our struggles in scoring. Glad to see Miller picked simply because he will need an arm around his shoulder - he's still one of our better options at RB. Interesting to see no Behich - suspect that means Bos will get some full time opportunities at LB unless he plays Rowles out of position.
NickA
Roar Rookie
Yep this was my thought too. With all due respect, Lebanon probably does not warrant a team desperate for promotion releasing their centre back. From a positive POV, it's nice to see how some of our players are valued by their clubs - playing for Australia is not hard and we've seen lots of examples over the years of club teams not playing ball - that's the reality of being where we are. Nervous though, because I don't think Circati is tied to Aus yet.
Gilberto
Roar Rookie
I do understand the clubs - I mean does Arnie need Circati to beat/draw with Lebanon at home? The best thing for the Socceroos is for him to improve with tough games and be playing Serie A at Parma or elsewhere in the 25/26 season leading in to the World Cup.
TheSecretScout
Roar Guru
usual dull uninspiring selections under arnie ('favourites', players who arent playing weekly and the terrible scottish born players) perhaps a member of the media will actually break away from the questions the sides PR mananger recieves prior to any media conference and actually ask a hard hitting question. example: 'why wasnt AP selected? (i know that he has had not even a courtesy notification re selection yet again. hopefully arnie can get sacked soon and a new manager can be brought it that follows the rules with international football
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
This has got to be the biggest joke selection of all time Borrello. Borrello his form is so bad he should be on the bench in the A-league not a Socceroos call up. Fornaroli did nothing at the Asia cup, has been poor since coming back as well, even last match the tap in and the penalty hardly make up for all the misses. Why has Arnold got 5 specialist 9's in that squad. Where are the wingers, with no Boyle its Goodwin , Silvera as wingers and rubbishy Borello as the one sub. Nisbet should be selected as the starting 10 , he is younger than I thought , he is a defensive tyro and a playmaking midfielder in the one package.
NickA
Roar Rookie
Yeah that's the only change I'd make, but I take his point about needing to hit the ground running with only 1 training session. I guess Borello has been around a bit? I still wouldn't have picked him. Nisbet should also be in.
AGO74
Roar Rookie
Interesting the comments on Circati as I had been wondering what was going on there. Circati didn't play last week for the first time in ages. Wonder if this whole conversation had anything to do with it.
Kitwally
Roar Rookie
Surprised Borrello has been selected. If a striker was going to be selected from the A-League I thought Stametelopolous would have been the better choice. Glad Bruno and Taggart are in.