Here come the next Socceroos

[Googes]

Here come the next Socceroos
David Davutovic From: News Limited newspapers June 25,

The Socceroos' golden generation is over and the transition period could be smoother than many have predicted.
Only Craig Moore and Scott Chipperfield have announced their retirements but more could follow with several players pondering their futures - much could depend on the coaching appointment.

Although a number of the older guard look set to continue the attention will nonetheless turn to the next generation.

Brett Holman was one of Australia's most maligned players in the qualifiers but he repaid Pim Verbeek's unbending faith with two goals, including the quality long-range striker against Serbia.

Carl Valeri had probably never have started a match when Australia's strongest team was available yet "mini Vinnie" showed that he is ready to take the next step - if he hasn't already.

The icing would be a Serie A contract.

Dario Vidosic didn't get any game time but he is one for the future along with the likes of Rhys Williams, Matthew Spiranovic and James Holland.

ASIAN CUP

Harry Kewell, Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton are among the senior players who have already put their hand up for the Asian Cup but whether their clubs will release them is another story.

It may be in Australia's best interests to send a youthful side to the January 2011 tournament with an eye to the 2014 qualifiers.

The 2007 debacle should serve as a warning against complacency but sending a development side is not complacent, as some might view it. It's looking at the bigger picture.

With the exception of Middlesbrough's Williams, Pim Verbeek did not blood enough youth and as it stands it is still very unclear as to which players are ready to step up.

The next two seasons are crucial for a number of kids who have just moved or not quite cracked their first teams in Europe.

Nathan Burns (AEK Athens), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht), Holland (AZ Alkmaar), Spiranovic (Urawa Reds), Vidosic (Nuremberg) and Rukavystya (uncontracted) are all expected to feature this season and these are the sorts of players that should feature in Qatar.

A-LEAGUE

The fact that Jason Culina (Gold Coast), Michael Beauchamp (Melbourne Heart) and Craig Moore (Brisbane Roar last season but now uncontracted) not only played but did not look out of place speaks volumes of how far the A-League has come since its inception.

In 2006 Mark Milligan (then Sydney FC) and Beauchamp (Central Coast) were the only A-League squad members but they were never going to play.

Throw in the fact that New Zealand - armed with a good chunk of the Wellington Pheonix squad plus Shane Smeltz (Gold Coast) - have won the admiration of the world with their performances in South Africa and the A-League's credibility has received a massive boost.

By the time 2014 rolls around an improved A-League should be running until deep into April if not May, which will mean even more players will be in the World Cup mix.

But more can still be done to improve the standard and promote youth and Harry Kewell's call for a mandatory rule forcing clubs to field at least three under-21 players should be seriously considered.

WORLD CUP BID

While the Socceroos were doing their thing on the pitch the Frank Lowy-led 2022 World Cup bid team have been spruiking the bid off it.

While FFA chairman Frank Lowy maintains that South Africa 2010 results have no effect on bidding, the Socceroos are a much better conversation starter than they were after the 4-0 capitulation against Germany.

From a visibility viewpoint, getting to the World Cup was crucial and something that Australia's 2022 arch nemesis Qatar could not achieve.

But the Socceroos fans have probably provided Australia's bid with the greatest shot in the arm.

Of the 37,826 in attendance at Mbombela Stadium more than 50 per cent of them were in green and gold and that would not have gone unnoticed by FIFA officials.

If it did than Mr Lowy will certainly remind them as the winning bids are announced in December.

YOUTH DEVELOPMENT

Youth and coaching development are the single biggest challenges facing Australian football post 2010.

The Socceroos must be given great credit for overcoming a technically superior Serbian side, but fitness and fighting spirit in particular shone through yet again in the second half.

If Australia wants to become a force in world football a cultural shift must take place and the first steps have been taken.

A number of experiments are being conducted, including "Project 22" (a Football NSW initiative aimed at laying the foundations for kids to succeed at senior level), extended seasons for youth teams and a tailor-made FFA coaching course which the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has just approved.

Greater emphasis must be placed on producing better technicians and children must be allowed to express themselves, which these projects encourage.

FFA technical director Han Berger is in charge of this and he will return to Australia with renewed confidence as he rolls out a number of new coaching and training initiatives.

[DOC]

scottish league has an under 21 rule and this is exposing players such as o'dea, mcgeady, fleck and wilson, should be considered as well as a 5 man bench to give a coach more flexability

[Red-4-Life]

was article in todays paper about our future and to be honest, its not too bad

[DMT]

We didn't know Tommy Oar, Sarota, Zullo, Leckie and Marrone 12 months ago! I don't know why people get so depressed that Moore, Neill, Cahill, Kewell won't be in Brazil.

For the Asian cup we should keep Lucas Neill, Kewell, ....Bresciano, Kennedy, Emerton must go and co...with the nucleus of the team changing. Who cares if we win it or not.

We need to bring in the likes of

Spiranovic, Vidosic, Rukavitska, Burns, Djite, Holman, Jedinak, Valeri, Williams, Carney, Holland, Mc Donald (yes, biggest mistake Pim made) etc

I propose a side for the Asian Cup that looks like this..

4 3 3
............Galekovic

Williams Beachamp Neil Carney

...............Valeri
Vidosic.......................Oar

............Cahill....Holman

................Kewell

Subs

McDonald
Ruka
Milligan
Burns
Leckie
Jedinak

[TheBarkingDog]

Four years is a long way off and many other kids will put their hands up before then.

[the_gun]

there are lots of fantastic players around the place including individual that probably havent even heard of.

[Loppermann]

We didn't know Tommy Oar, Sarota, Zullo, Leckie and Marrone 12 months ago! I don't know why people get so depressed that Moore, Neill, Cahill, Kewell won't be in Brazil.

For the Asian cup we should keep Lucas Neill, Kewell, ....Bresciano, Kennedy, Emerton must go and co...with the nucleus of the team changing. Who cares if we win it or not.

We need to bring in the likes of

Spiranovic, Vidosic, Rukavitska, Burns, Djite, Holman, Jedinak, Valeri, Williams, Carney, Holland, Mc Donald (yes, biggest mistake Pim made) etc

I propose a side for the Asian Cup that looks like this..

4 3 3
............Galekovic

Williams Beachamp Neil Carney

...............Valeri
Vidosic.......................Oar

............Cahill....Holman

................Kewell

Subs

McDonald
Ruka
Milligan
Burns
Leckie
Jedinak

that is not a 4-3-3...

[IFBB]

Brad Inman should be in that group.

At 19 years of age, and getting runs in Newcastles first team, he would be a much better player than Oar, Burns, Leckie, Djite, Marrone etc.

[MegaBonus]

@ ipod


no wilkshire?????

[Tony Adams]

there is also the likes of lowry-21 & herd-21 (aston villa), kilkenny-24 (leeds) mooy (bolton) jason davidson-18 (pacos de ferreira) as well as many others in lower leagues in europe.

sure not all will make it but there is potential out there we haven't even seen yet

[paokara]

Brad Inman should be in that group.

At 19 years of age, and getting runs in Newcastles first team, he would be a much better player than Oar, Burns, Leckie, Djite, Marrone etc.

If Australia wants any chance of securing Inman in our national team they better give him a cap in our senior squad in our next friendly because it looks as if the Scots are going to get him.