I still maintain that he’s been very poorly advised. If there’s an issue with Popovic, why not simply take the stance of making himself unavailable for Australia selection? He’s unlikely to be picked for Croatia’s 2026 World Cup squad, so making a one-time switch now seems odd. Instead, he could...

Does U21 football count as “official” or “unofficial”? The line "in any kind of football" does seem to suggest this. I’m trying to understand whether Segecic’s appearance for Croatia’s U21s would tie him to Croatia, and likewise whether Pavlešić is already tied based on his previous U21...

Thanks for that. It honestly baffles me that a player who is currently sitting on the bench for a club fighting relegation in the English second tier — yet still had a very realistic chance of representing Australia at the World Cup — is now choosing to play for Croatia’s U21s, with any...

Do you have a link where this is stated? I haven’t been able to find anything so far.

My understanding — although I haven’t been able to find a direct link on the FIFA site — is that there is a “switch‑back if never capped” provision. Senior friendlies and U21 matches aren’t considered competitive fixtures, so in theory there remains a small window for a player to return to their...

I’m willing to bet that both Triantis and Segecic will be capped in a competitive match shortly after the World Cup — most likely in the UEFA Nations League — to formally tie them to Greece and Croatia and prevent any possibility of them switching back to Australia, which remains an option until...

What’s most frustrating is Popovic’s insistence that new squad members shouldn’t play as soon as they’re brought in. Why? If they’re good enough, they should be on the pitch. I understand that Segecic was initially included for a friendly — which wouldn’t have officially tied him to Australia —...

Something doesn’t seem right when both Triantis and Segecic have chosen to turn their backs on Australia after previously being involved in Socceroos camps. There absolutely needs to be a review into how Football Australia/Popovic has handled these players. The organisation has a responsibility...

Triantis on for Greece against Belarus in the WC qualifier. Now officially no longer Australia eligible. It will be interesting to see if he makes their World Cup squad.

Irankunda goal!!! Quality one as well.

The irony is that with so many Australians in the MLS, it is a league that the Socceroos will select players from. I doubt that this will be true for Greece.

That all makes sense, but it’s the timing that gives me pause. You really can’t overstate the kind of exposure a World Cup can provide for a player. For someone like Triantis—who might be heading out on another loan this season—the opportunity to feature in a World Cup next year would be a huge...

I'm genuinely curious about the timing of Triantis and Pavlešić's decisions. Neither is a guaranteed starter for Greece or Croatia at this stage, and it might have been wiser to wait and see how their careers develop before making a switch. As far as I understand, these changes are permanent —...

Silvera looked solid as a LWB for Middlesbrough today.

Agreed. The strike towards the end of the first half was well saved by the keeper. Bishop looking unlikely to play the full match so hopefully Waddingham also gets some good minutes.