The World Cup might have snuck up on many Australians, but the reality of the men’s football showpiece will leap out on Sunday, take hold of the nation and not let go for a month. The Socceroos play co-hosts Mexico in Los Angeles’ historic Rose Bowl in one of the marquee warm-up matches ahead of a tournament shared across North America that is now bursting with 48 teams.
The Mexico showdown serves as a challenge for Australia against elite, motivated opposition. But for a handful of Socceroos, this weekend is also a test to see whether or not they will be allowed to stay in the US. It won’t be visa issues that send them home, rather it will be coach Tony Popovic telling them they haven’t made his final cut.
Twenty-nine players have been in camp for the past week in Florida, vying for 26 places in the World Cup squad to be named immediately after the clash against Mexico. But the belated arrival of Cristian Volpato – who has switched allegiance from Italy and will join his new squad mates on Saturday – has added a new layer of intrigue to Popovic’s selection. It has also exposed another squad member who might have thought they were safely in the 26 to the disappointment of being cut so close to realising a career dream.
There is no guarantee, however, those fringe players will even get the chance to take the field against Mexico. With barely two weeks before the Socceroos’ opening World Cup match against Turkey at 2pm AEST on 14 June, Popovic is likely to use this opportunity to build the connections between the players he will be relying on during the group stage.
The coach said his selection decisions have largely been made. “The Mexico game can help in terms of seeing what we want to see,” he told ESPN this week. “We may have an idea about a player that we want to give some minutes to in that game, to see what he can do, and that might confirm something. But we’re very close as it is now.”
Take the situation in goal. There are four goalkeepers currently in camp, but handing playing time against Mexico to any of Patrick Beach, Joe Gauci or Paul Izzo will rob clear No 1 Mat Ryan of the chance to familiarise himself with conditions and combinations with his backline.
The situation with outfielders is more fluid. With the addition of Volpato to the train-on squad, three will be cut and at least one of those will be a defender. Milos Degenek, Kye Rowles, Kai Trewin and Jason Geria are options who can play both centrally and on the right. None, however, are likely to start against Turkey, leaving them vulnerable to Popovic’s axe. Minutes against Mexico will be their last chance to prove they deserve to stay.
Similarly, in midfield and attack, the likes of A-Leagues duo Brandon Borello and Nishan Velupillay, and even fringe players such as Cameron Devlin and Awer Mabil won’t be sleeping comfortably yet. A Socceroos staff member has indicated Volpato – who can play as an attacking midfielder or winger – is unlikely to play against Mexico, further complicating the selection picture.
“We have players that are very versatile, who can play in different positions,” Popovic said. “We need to make a good decision based on versatility and also the player that’s a specialist in his role, to see that the balance is right.”
Tete Yengi, the powerful target man brought into camp without having played a game for the Socceroos, offers something different, and suddenly looms as an important plan B in the squad. “This whole puzzle is about getting the right balance and profiles for players and different scenarios in games,” Popovic said.
Mabil said the dynamic hasn’t affected the players’ enthusiasm. “It’s a healthy competition, everybody is doing their very best to represent their country,” he said. “Every player is ready, no matter who, is ready to play and do their very best for the nation.”
Yet rhetoric about squad deadlines does not offer the full picture. Although 26 names must be submitted to Fifa on 1 June, Popovic can make changes due to outfielder injury up until the day before their first match against Turkey. If any of the three selected goalkeepers is ruled out at any stage during the tournament, the fourth-choice can be parachuted into the squad.
Perhaps more urgent than confirmation of the squad is how Popovic can get the best out of his major contributors. There are question marks over how the team will line up against Turkey, including whether Mo Toure and Nestory Irankunda will start, and who fits into the hole created by the injury to midfielder Riley McGree.
Players such as Ajdin Hrustic, Martin Boyle, Mathew Leckie and Connor Metcalfe had been bumped up in the Popovic pecking order, and a good performance this weekend – as well next weekend’s final warm-up friendly against Switzerland – is likely to go a long way to securing them a key role for the tournament. But with the sudden emergence of Volpato, a former Italy youth international, nobody can be considered a certainty.
While Socceroos fans will look closely at the team sheet around lunchtime on Sunday, the entire nation can tune in and feel, for the first time, the World Cup is close.
