Word on the street is that James Wesolowski will get a call up for the socceroos for this next one. It could well be a european based fringe squad this time. Also rumoured is Kisnorbo, Henderson, McDonald, Holman, Coyne, Jacob Burns, Garcia and Kilkenny I guess we can really do whatever since we've already qualified. It'd be good to build a cohesive unit, but i guess if this is something of a trial for the euro based fringe players, then we've got 2 games in October when we can choose our top squad and the best fringe squad from both the A-League and europe
I think this is a great idea. It might be a fringe squad, but if you look at the names these are all guys who are in the frame to be featuring big in the 2010 campaign. We know what the Cahills, Brescianos and Grellas can do. Getting the promising players together, working with each other, developing and sorting out the potential stars from the probable duds now is a great idea. I'm really looking forward to see what guys like Kilkenny and Wesolowski are like, and also what guys like Holman, Beauchamp and McDonald can do when they're playing with a team that's maybe a bit better than the one we had against Bahrain.
Yeah- I read that in today's paper as well. http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,20242724-5001023,00.html It is a good idea. They've seen what the A-Leaguers can do last game, so why not see what the younger European guys can do. Definiately has a lot of merit, since we have already qualified.
Whilst I have similar feelings to Caesar on the topic, on the other hand I feel that squad places are wasted with the likes of Coyne and Garcia when these spots could be given to ours youngsters plying their trade in Europe to 'keep them in the loop'. To be perfectly honest I odn't think Garcia or Coyne are ever going to play an important role in the national team. (If they do, the future looks bleak). Brad Jones if fit would also be preferable to Hendo in my opinion (despite once being a loyal Hendo chanting Northern Spirit supporter!) I'd rather approach the Troisis, Watsons, Hardys for fringe places in the squad. Assuming the Kilkennys, McDonalds, Wesolowskis, Wards are going to get the game time. It is a great chance to get them all together and interacting and letting them know they are on the radar. Would be disappointed to not see Williams in the squad aswell
ankle break, he is in australia finishing his vce/hse or whatever it is while recovering from his injury and will get back into it soon
Coyne was actually liked by Hiddink and Neeskins and was close to making the WC squad It'll be great to see genuine stars in the making like Wesolowski playing. It's been a while since we've had a player of that age who has been a chance for a socceroos first squad place
that's really embarrassing in Kuwait we say; "Once you bring the camel down, you'll find a knife!" what a way to end up this embarrassing campaign for Kuwait!
At least they fought for it and even told the media they could win it, despite their last few results. A bit more composure and we could have gone behind.... I'd also like to see Ljubo Milicevic called up. He's a far more realistic choice as a CB in years to come than Coyne in my opinion. Hopefully he's still not dirty about missing the world cup. Well of course he is dirty, but not dirty enough to turn down a call up I hope. There is no doubt in my mind he should have been with that WC squad.
Don't forget the heat factor in Kuwait! I agree totally with you on the non-selection of Lubo Milicevic for the World Cup. I would like to know other forumites opoinions on his non-selection. He seems the right age with experience in a successful club in the Champions' League. Craig Foster was perplexed by his non-selection. I view him as a future captain of the Socceroos. He is articulate and intelligent and handles media questions with aplomb. He is already an experienced captain performing well in a league where the top clubs have reasonable success in European competitions.
It is interesting, Caesar, that you consider the second string Europeans as better that the European/A League players who plyed their trade against Bahrain. I think in essence the second string European players are never going to gel into a cohesive unit, as they are always going to be second stringers who won't get together enough in the same group to be a cohesive unit. On the other hand, A League players are always going to be first choice from the A League and have the geographical advantage of being able to train together as a collective unit a lot more than the European second stringers. This is due to more favourable club circumstances, conducive to releasing players for international training and playing commitments. I would like to see the team who played Kuwait in Sydney, plus a few extra experienced Socceroo players, Stan Lazarides, Tony Vidmar, Nick Carle, Simon Colosimo (if fit) and Tony Popovic (picked up from Qatar), leave now and go to Kuwait to acclimatise in the scorching heat. I would like to see the A League Socceroo team train together frequently, then play matches against other Asian, South American and New Zealand opposition particularly leading up to next year's Asian Cup in March, April, May, June, with a 2002 World Cup South Korea Hiddink-like preparation. The culminating performance could take place in a course of two or three matches against the European Socceroos in late May and early June. These matches would be typical, simulated match conditions where the European Socceroos always turn up jaded after long seasons, with only a few days preparation for big tournaments, whilst the A League Socceroos could have preparation similar to the Australian cricket team's preparation for a test series. I would love to see the experience of the highly skilled, jaded Eurpoeans against the well-prepared, extremely physically fit, match fit, A League Socceroos, who should be a very cohesive unit after a lot of matches against international sides in the preceding months. It would be fascinating to see the relative merits of the two sides from different preparatory circumstances.
time to get some balls Arnie and pick players on the fringe like McDonald.... i have in football manager 2006! LOL
the squad has been named by Arnie: Squad: John Aloisi (Alaves, Spain), Michael Beauchamp (FC Nurnberg, Germany), Jacob Burns (TS Wisla Krakow, Poland), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel, Switzerland), Ante Covic (Hammarby, Sweden), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven, Holland), Ahmad Elrich (Fulham, England), Ryan Griffiths (AFC Rapid Bucuresti, Romania), Brett Holman (NEC Nijmegen, Holland), Patrick Kisnorbo (Leicester City, England), Scott McDonald (Motherwell, Scotland), Jonathan McKain (FC Politechnica AEK Timisoara, Romania), Ljubo Milicevic (BSC Young Boys, Switzerland), Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, England), Josip Skoko (Wigan Athletic, England), Mile Sterjovski (FC Basel, Switzerland), Nick Ward (Queens Park Rangers, England), Luke Wilkshire (FC Twente, Holland). http://www.smh.com.au/news/football...-to-play-kuwait/2006/08/31/1156817003907.html
My team based on that squad will line up as follows: --------------Schwarz----------- ---- Ljubo, McKain,Beauchamp------- Wilshire----------------------Burns --------------Culina----------------- Mile----------Josip----------Chippers --------------Aloisi------------------ subs- Covic, Elrich, Ward, MacDonald, Griffiths, Holman
AHAHAHAHA, bloody Schwarzer is playin for us in Kuwait, that guy is great Does anybody know when the game is and if it will be shown on any free to air channels? SBS?
Wesolowski was held out of the squad to regain his fitness at Leicester. Apparently the Australian physio came over to Leicester and agreed this would be better for him.
thanks for that- after the big hoo haa over how he was going to play- i'd wondered what had happened.....
http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/NewsDetail/0,,10274~890316,00.html? You will need to register but it seems they are looking after him long term. Right decision in my opinion. He hasn't played much for us this season due to his injuries.
Yeah, we somehow have managed to acquire quite a few. Not sure whether Hendeson will keep his place once Douglas is fit. Tiatto is not the most popular player with the fans either.
Been stuck in the reserves, cant break into the ffirst team this season yet. Played once for the first team in the carling cup match last week. He is the only reserve team player to have first team experiance.
Its game on this Thursday morning boys- get up early or dont get up at all. It should be fun watching the boys running around in 45deg temps.......