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2026 World Cup Squad

3 draws is an achievement according to some pundits.
If Tony Popovic manages to park the bus long enough to eke out three draws against the co-hosts along with European and South American opposition in Turkey and Paraguay then there's a chance we could follow suit with the 2010 New Zealand side, possibly becoming the only unbeaten team in the comp this World Cup cycle.
 
competitive game locks you in permanently I believe

Not if you're under 21. The relevant rule in Article 9 - Change of Association in the FIFA eligibility rules is:
"2. A request to change association may be granted only in the following circumstances:
...
c) the player:
i) was fielded in a match in an official competition at “A”international level in any kind of football for his current association;
ii) at the time of being fielded for his first match in an official competition (at any level) in any kind of football for his current association, he held the nationality of the association which he wishes to represent;
iii) at the time of being fielded for his last match in an official competition in any kind of football for his current association, he had not turned 21 years old;
iv) was fielded in no more than three matches at “A” international level in any kind of football for his current association, whether in an official competition or non-official competition:
v) at least three years have passed since being fielded for his last match at “A” international level in any kind of football for his current association, whether in an official competition or nonofficial competition; and
vi) has never participated in any kind of football at “A”international level in the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup or a final tournament of a confederation competition."

Robertson doesn't fulfil condition 2.c.i) because he hasn't been fielded in an official competition at "A" international level for Australia. Accordingly, the three year requirement before switching does not apply to him. Hypothetically, it would apply to him if he had played an Asian cup qualifier when he was 20 but had played no other games.
 
Leckie is going to start in midfield I think. I'd actually forgo a left inside forward and stack the midfield with Devlin, Irvine and Leckie and then have Bos roam and Leckie is fine going a bit forward too.
So funny that we’re finally playing a system that would suit Leckie completely, but he’s too old to play wingback.

Imagine if we had Bos and then Leckie at his best in this system!
 
Not if you're under 21. The relevant rule in Article 9 - Change of Association in the FIFA eligibility rules is:
"2. A request to change association may be granted only in the following circumstances:
...
c) the player:
i) was fielded in a match in an official competition at “A”international level in any kind of football for his current association;
ii) at the time of being fielded for his first match in an official competition (at any level) in any kind of football for his current association, he held the nationality of the association which he wishes to represent;
iii) at the time of being fielded for his last match in an official competition in any kind of football for his current association, he had not turned 21 years old;
iv) was fielded in no more than three matches at “A” international level in any kind of football for his current association, whether in an official competition or non-official competition:
v) at least three years have passed since being fielded for his last match at “A” international level in any kind of football for his current association, whether in an official competition or nonofficial competition; and
vi) has never participated in any kind of football at “A”international level in the final tournament of the FIFA World Cup or a final tournament of a confederation competition."

Robertson doesn't fulfil condition 2.c.i) because he hasn't been fielded in an official competition at "A" international level for Australia. Accordingly, the three year requirement before switching does not apply to him. Hypothetically, it would apply to him if he had played an Asian cup qualifier when he was 20 but had played no other games.
He was over 21 for the recent friendly which I believe triggers the 3 year cooling off period. Hopefully James Kitchen jumps in to clarify one way or another
 


Devlin doesn't go due minimal involvement but Borrello and Tete do. The internet would break trying to generate Popovic's decision making. He's a walking contradiction.
 
He was over 21 for the recent friendly which I believe triggers the 3 year cooling off period. Hopefully James Kitchen jumps in to clarify one way or another

Why do you think that?

Per the FIFA eligibility rules I quoted, the 3 year cooling off period only applies to players who have also played a competitive A international (and Robertson hasn't), so really interested to understand why you disagree.
 
Stepping back from looking at the guys sent home, the squad is actually pretty good in terms of young players. It doesn't have any kids who are there for the experience (ie a Bennie, Younis etc). But the young guys picked are all either in the first team (Irankunda, Toure, Bos, Cicati, Italiano) or pushing hard (Herrington, Okon, Trewin).

We could reasonably see a starting line up with seven of these guys. I would say four are guaranteed, five very likely with Irankunda. All 24 and under. For some context, the line up against Chile in 2014 had four guys 24 and younger. And that felt like a really raw team, it doesn't feel this way with these kids.

This might not be our world cup given the ages of these guys. But it sure feels like something could be building the next couple of cycles if we look at the core of the team and a lot of the guys we are disappointed were left out this time around.
And the droolfest that is said future without Tony Danza and his fuckwit extravaganza!!
 
Why do you think that?

Per the FIFA eligibility rules I quoted, the 3 year cooling off period only applies to players who have also played a competitive A international (and Robertson hasn't), so really interested to understand why you disagree.
the three year cooling off period can be triggered by friendlies if the player plays a friendly over the age of 21

A competitive match wouldn't trigger a cooling off period, it just ties you. The three year cooling off period is in 2cv in what you quoted

hopefully James kicks in because this is above my paygrade haha, but it came out that a single minute for segecic in a friendly last year triggers the three year cooling off period because he is over 21
 
the three year cooling off period can be triggered by friendlies if the player plays a friendly over the age of 21

A competitive match wouldn't trigger a cooling off period, it just ties you. The three year cooling off period is in 2cv in what you quoted

hopefully James kicks in because this is above my paygrade haha, but it came out that a single minute for segecic in a friendly last year triggers the three year cooling off period because he is over 21
Looking at those rules in 2c, I think I agree with Toebash. All those clauses under 2c are cumulative I believe, ie you need to meet all clauses for 2c to apply. And Robertson does not meet clause (i) as he has not played a competitive A international. So if he doesn’t meet clause (i) then 2c doesn’t apply to him, is my reading.

However, this suggests that a player can play any number of friendlies and can still change association straight away, as long as he hasn’t played a competitive game. Is this correct?
 
Looking at those rules in 2c, I think I agree with Toebash. All those clauses under 2c are cumulative I believe, ie you need to meet all clauses for 2c to apply. And Robertson does not meet clause (i) as he has not played a competitive A international. So if he doesn’t meet clause (i) then 2c doesn’t apply to him, is my reading.

However, this suggests that a player can play any number of friendlies and can still change association straight away, as long as he hasn’t played a competitive game. Is this correct?
Yes, I think that is my understanding having looked at this. A player is not officially tied to a nation until they play a competitive match at any level (so this includes under age tournaments) for a nation. THEN the criteria kicks in that they can change once and have to meet that, etc

So, essentially the way around that for un-tied players are that they have to hold that nationality to be eligible for the friendly (and not be tied to another nation). So Alex could theoretically be called for a friendly for England or Peru, play in it - not get selected again, and then play in the next World Cup for Australia for example.
 
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