The value of foreign-developed players: What Football Australia can learn from Morocco for Socceroos success
Morocco is not the only nation to find success with a large contingent of foreign-developed players - and the Socceroos can join that list.
Mark Bresciano is training with A-League club Melbourne Heart as he seeks to boost his fitness ahead of a potential World Cup berth.
Bresciano is serving a four-month ban by world football body FIFA over a transfer dispute, ruling him out of competitive matches until March.
The suspended Socceroos midfielder popped up at Epping – Heart’s modest suburban training ground – on Wednesday morning with the rest of John van `t Schip’s squad.
Bresciano told journalists last month he hoped to find a club to train with that also offered friendly matches, possibly in Italy.
Heart were coy on how long Bresciano would stay training with the club; or whether they are lining up a potential deal for the playmaker when his suspension ends.
If a move to an A-League club becomes possible, it would allow Bresciano to play five regular-season matches before the finals start in April.
Heart fullback Aziz Behich said the whole group would benefit from having a player of Bresciano’s calibre at the club.
“Everyone knows Bresciano and what he’s done. He’ll be good to have around the group even if it’s just training,” Behich said.
“The experience he brings, he’ll help a lot of us young players. I think he’ll lift the tempo.”
Heart travel to the NSW country town of Albury to play Perth Glory on Sunday.
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Morocco is not the only nation to find success with a large contingent of foreign-developed players - and the Socceroos can join that list.
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