Richard Porta (Uruguay)

On what?

Who would you place Porta in front of at the moment?

Who's our best striker currently? I'd say we're pretty light on, we've got Kennedy who always seems to be injured. McDonald, but he is really only useful with a strike partner. Viduka, well who knows whats goin on with him. Bruce Djite? He's got a long way to go yet, i'm still not sold on him. Archie Thomspon, Danny Allsopp??? Err, no thanks. Harry Kewell should be out on the wing... Who else is there?

We shouldn't pick him full stop. After all the carry on with Bouzanis I can't see how anyone can justify picking someone who didn't grow up in Australia and wasn't developed by Australian coaches.

These guys are miles ahead of Porta. Please don't include injury time as an excuse. In that case we could call on Aloisi, Bridge, Burns, Viduka etc. All of who would also be ahead of Porta.

I know the positions are different, but there's quite a difference between Bouzanis and Porta.

Injuries aren't an excuse, they're fact! Anyways, i think it wouldn't hurt to at least have a look at this guy. It gives us another option. Probably won't happen anyway, so don't stress.

No harm done mate. I think it's great that you're coming up with suggestions for ways to improve the depth of the squad. But Porta, at this stage is a fair way behind what we have, even in reserve.

Not really alot of difference.

Richard Porta - Didn't grow up in Australia, doesn't speak english, wasn't developed by Australian coaches, never played football in Australia.

Dean Bouzanis - Didn't grow up in Greece, probably doesn't speak greek, wasn't developed by Greek coaches, never played football in Greece.

Only difference is Bouzanis was noticed when he was 16, Porta only made the move to Europe recently (he's 25-26 isn't he?).

There's quite a difference in their worth to Australia. And I belive Porta is about 23.

I know there is a big difference in their worth but im talking about how alot of people were pissed off that Greece had a right to claim Bouzanis as their own even though they have had nothing to do with his development as a footballer. Porta isn't really anywhere near getting a look in for Urugauy (as far as I can tell) but I dont think we can claim him as our player and then get all pissed off when Greece, Croatia, Ireland or Wales try to do the same thing to our players.

Well yeah, the Porta situation is unique for us - we actually have a chance to view it from the other side of the fence. But while Porta has made Uruguay squads I think? Or training camps atleast, he still hasn't hasn't even had a look in yet.

I think his lack of ability to speak English, does count a little against him, combined with his lack of outstanding talent. But being from a country like Uruguay, if he was any better, he would've been capped multiple times already. If this was a more successful Brazilian or Argentinian or Australian descent, then it would be much more tempting. Like the Brazilians 'Deco's scenario for Portgual or 'Marcos Senna' for Spain and Argentines 'Mauro Camoranesi' for Italy and 'Guillermo Franco' for Mexico.

Ok, Deco and Senna did not achieve much in Brazil and only became stars in their adopted countries, Camoranesi starred more in Mexico, before starring in Italy, but Franco is one, who did have quite a successful career IN Argentina, before moving to Mexico, but not successful enough to warrant significant NT interest. So even these famous examples, most of those guys significantly developed or became stars, not until they were away from their homelands, often starring in the homelands of their adopted NT.

I guess if Fred had stayed, once naturalised, he could've been one very realistic option/scenario for our NT.

But back to Porta, let's not underestimate him, to be be having such a successful goal scoring season in Uruguay's top flight then earning a move to a Serie A club (Albeit then to be stuck on the bench), is quite impressive.

And let's be realistic, that's doing better than many of the Australian strikers already mentioned. But yeah, he was not bread through our system.

It will be interesting to see how much game time he gets with Siena this coming season. If he does well there, he will be capped by Uruguay in no time. And this whole question of who to play for, will be history. If/When Uruguay are seriously interested, he'll play for them, Australia is just a kind of bargaining chip, but unless we were more desperate, I doubt we'd be going out of our way to bring over a player, who has been stuck on the pine at Siena and who Uruquay don't even consider in the Top 5 strikers.

As a curiosity, I'd love to see Porta play in the A-League - he would technically not even be considered an overseas player! He'd actually be as high a quality A-League import as Fred and Cristiano and more than most of the others we've ever had (More than Reinaldo, Fernando Rech at peek and even Carlos Hernandez, dare I say?). Hopefully if he does do reasonably well overseas (Not too well), he could consider the A-League, in a few seasons .

BTW Neil Kilkenny is a player we've poached. He's an English product, who'd likely never get a look in for England. But was/is playing at a high enough standard, to warrant initial capping for our NT and since being a regular Olyroo.

Porta could just be our next Kilkenny really (lol he's same Olyroo age too). But yeah, unlike England, Uruguay is too close to our level, so his lack of progress with Uruguay, means he won't be attractive to us either. But yeah, he's still improving and next season with Siena will be VERY interesting.

Atleast he grew up in Australia and played football here.

eh. lock this thread, until he signs with an a-league club.

if he wants to play for us just cap him.... He's playing at a higher level than many of our current strikers and he's relatively young. No reason not to cap some of these players after we pick up that extra point we need.

"Verbeek has heavily courted three other players of dual nationality - Williams [Wales], Matthew Spiranovic [Croatia] and Dean Bouzanis [Greece] - and succeeded in bringing all three into the Socceroos fold."

what rubbish...Spira and Bouzanis both played for under-age Australian teams and grew up in the Australian system...and in Australia. Williams, as Verbeek pointed out, rang the FFA rather than vice versa, to demonstrate his interest

Porta, on the other hand, has never played football in or for Australia at any level....and has not contacted FFA, seemingly, as Williams has.

if this guy Richard Porta was that good he would have played for Uruguay by now...they are not that super-talented

and if he was as good as he and his agent are obviously telling the media (including Cockerill), then he wouldn't be playing on the bench for a crap Portugese club...and instead would still be playing regularly for his contracted club, Siena

Heres another article on Porta:

http://www.smh.com.au/news/sport/fo...llup-says-porta/2009/05/19/1242498752870.html

I think he's worth keeping an eye on. We're not exactly blessed with a great depth of quality strikers. For anyone interested that interview was translated from Spanish so he still doesn't speak English. I'd say this would really work against his chances for Australia as it would be hard to communicate and run through tactics with him. If he is serious about playing for Australia he really should learn English.

we have better players in this position that have born and raised here.... Im really not that keen. He only is considering us because uraguay is never really going to look at him, and i don't think he'd be any more than a squad player for us. Its a bit hard to say these things when i haven't seen him playing - ever.

Should we bring this discussion back from the dead, with all this talk about players that may or may not be on the FFA radar?


I was checking out the Nacional website and he's listed as an Australian on the site, but that could just be based on his birthplace and not his own preference.
Wondering if he knows any English yet. If he wants to be considered for selection, surely he should at least know the stuff he'll have to be yelling and hearing on the pitch.

I'm sure he would jump at the chance if picked in an Australian squad. Haven't heard much about how he is doing lately though?

It seems like he will be over in the UAE soon http://au.fourfourtwo.com/news/219720,porta-to-join-maradona-in-uae.aspx