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2026 World Cup Squad

piedi sporchi said:
whats the deal with duke?
is he injured?
i know a lot of people arent big fans, but if hes fit and well and considering the recent dearth of strikers, why didnt he get the call for recent window?
edit- just read he scored a double in the aliga
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All players are hot and cold but it's the way he'll go missing for a few games while we refused to try Toure, Sapsford, Juric, Iredale. When he wasn't available we had wasteful performances by D'Agostino, Boyle and Borello in the role.

Credit to Taggart and Yengi for doing well when called upon. Toure all but confirmed he's number one. The allure of planning for the future is also why Duke needs to be on the outer.
 
Popovic speaks so highly of Souttar and has afforded him so much patience. These recent minutes are an excellent sign.
 
My squad

Goal keepers:

Ryan, Izzo, Beach

Defenders: Souttar Circati Burgess Herrington Geria Elder Italiano Bennie Bos Behich

Midfielders: Irvine Scicluna Okon Oniell Yazbek Robertson

Attacking mids: Metcalf Mcgree Irankunda Silvera

Strikers: Toure Duke Arena

Poppas squad

Goal keepers: Ryan Izzo Beach

Defenders: Souttar Circati Burgess Herrington Geria Rowles Italiano Trewin Bos Behich

Midfielders: Irvine Okon Oniell Yazbek

Attacking Mids: Metcalf Mcgree Mabil Hrustic Irankunda Vellupilay

Strikers: Toure Juric Duke
 
I suspect poppa selects boyle actually but not sure whose expense it would come at
 
I’ve pretty much given up thinking about who Popovic will pick in the squad. He makes so many strange selections, both in the squads he picks and how he doesn’t even give some of those picks any game time, that I honestly have no inkling of what he will end up with. I mean, how he could decide not to give Robertson any significant amount of game time is beyond me given the form Robertson has been in with Cardiff.

Some people say that Popovic also makes decisions based on how players train, but I fail to see how so many full time and obviously committed pros apparently fail to make an impression in training to the extent that Popovic decides they are worth not looking at in a game.
 
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We'll be able to cross some names off with those not invited to the Florida camp so there'll be some clarity. Probably someone like Matthews. You'd think Baccus is done too.

The Abu Dhabi camp had a few more invited so maybe the random name will sneak in one last time.

If Leckie gets invited to Florida you can bet he'll be included.
 
Keeper66 said:
I’ve pretty much given up thinking about who Popovic will pick in the squad. He makes so many strange selections, both in the squads he picks and how he doesn’t even give some of those picks any game time, that I honestly have no inkling of what he will end up with. I mean, how he could decide not to give Robertson any significant amount of game time is beyond me given the form Robertson has been in with Cardiff.

Some people say that Popovic also makes decisions based on how players train, but I fail to see how so many full time and obviously committed pros apparently fail to make an impression in training to the extent that Popovic decides they are worth not looking at in a game.
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Popovic's selection criteria is twisted in more knots than a school girl's hair.

He doesn't value skill or form and the selections come across as random.

No journalist will risk the relationship by laying the facts on the table. It should be shouted how Robertson can be overlooked when compared to the complacent efforts of others.
 
Keeper66 said:
I’ve pretty much given up thinking about who Popovic will pick in the squad. He makes so many strange selections, both in the squads he picks and how he doesn’t even give some of those picks any game time, that I honestly have no inkling of what he will end up with. I mean, how he could decide not to give Robertson any significant amount of game time is beyond me given the form Robertson has been in with Cardiff.

Some people say that Popovic also makes decisions based on how players train, but I fail to see how so many full time and obviously committed pros apparently fail to make an impression in training to the extent that Popovic decides they are worth not looking at in a game.
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From what I have seen (I watch all our games but only once, I'm not one of those who overly analyse the games on replay because that's not how I enjoy football) Popovic likes his current team structure with the only variation being how tight the back 3 are, how forward the wing backs play and based on this where on the filed his wingers/inside forwards are. I get the impression if a player doesn't show how he fits into this sort of structure in training he doesn't get much of a chance on the field. As someone who doesn't watch lower league football from overseas Socceroos matches are the only time I get to watch some of these fringe players so I get disappointed when a newer player to the NT squad doesn't get game time so I can see for myself how they go. In these last two matches there were 4 players I would have liked to see on the field but only got to see two of them have decent game time, one with a cameo and one not at all.

All of these comments aren't meant to be taken as gospel, just my impressions on how Popovic may think. He does seem to me to be more focused on finding players that fit his system, rather than finding a system to fit the players.
 
Balard was surely left out this squad to focus on his relegation battle AND that he is already in the camp list. He's done everything Popa has asked of him to this point and for me he should be on the plane.

I'd love for Boyle to not play under Popa again. He simply is redundant in this system and anyone with eyes should realise this.

Everything re Souttar will play out in the minutes he gathers between now and the end of the season. Even if he's not in a place to start he is still the likely better squad option than Degenek, Geria and Rowles.
 
Souttar offers a lot at set pieces as well. With the potential of Irankunda or maybe Goodwin delivering this is a massive benefit.

It is another reason why Duke is underrated. He isn't Cahill level of threat, but he is absolutely a threat, and if this is combined with Irvine and Souttar it is a real opportunity for us. He is 7 goal contributions in 10 matches (626 minutes). Contribution every 89 minutes.
 
If Souttar does not get any first team minutes with Leicester it would be an injustice to pick him for the WC squad.I know he did well at the last Cup following a long injury spell but he is four years older and has had nearly two years away from the game.Yes that tackle he made following Rowles's slip was one for the ages but could he reproduce that now?
I would have Duke in the squad-he has a proven track record and if his hamstring is only a strain has plenty of time to recover.Toure and Juric would be my other spearheads.
 
booney52 said:
If Souttar does not get any first team minutes with Leicester it would be an injustice to pick him for the WC squad.I know he did well at the last Cup following a long injury spell but he is four years older and has had nearly two years away from the game.Yes that tackle he made following Rowles's slip was one for the ages but could he reproduce that now?
I would have Duke in the squad-he has a proven track record and if his hamstring is only a strain has plenty of time to recover.Toure and Juric would be my other spearheads.
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If he is fit he will be in the final 26. If he doesn't get any 1st team game time before then he will still be in the extended squad to have a chance to show where he is at.
 
Alex M said:
From what I have seen (I watch all our games but only once, I'm not one of those who overly analyse the games on replay because that's not how I enjoy football) Popovic likes his current team structure with the only variation being how tight the back 3 are, how forward the wing backs play and based on this where on the filed his wingers/inside forwards are. I get the impression if a player doesn't show how he fits into this sort of structure in training he doesn't get much of a chance on the field. As someone who doesn't watch lower league football from overseas Socceroos matches are the only time I get to watch some of these fringe players so I get disappointed when a newer player to the NT squad doesn't get game time so I can see for myself how they go. In these last two matches there were 4 players I would have liked to see on the field but only got to see two of them have decent game time, one with a cameo and one not at all.

All of these comments aren't meant to be taken as gospel, just my impressions on how Popovic may think. He does seem to me to be more focused on finding players that fit his system, rather than finding a system to fit the players.
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I tend to agree on the point of finding players to fit his system rather than vice versa. The problem with this, when such an apparently very rigid system is adhered to as Popovic appears to do, is that it is highly likely that the best qualities of many players are not being utilised. The corollary from this is that the team is potentially not as good as it could be.
 
I reckon Rugari's 26 man predicted squad is probably spot on. Is there anyone you think is any chance of being picked that is not mentioned in this article?

www.smh.com.au

Who’s on the plane? Piecing together the Socceroos’ World Cup squad puzzle

Here’s our read of the lay of the land: who’s a lock for Tony Popovic’s 26-man squad, and who’s battling it out for the last few spots in Australia’s World Cup squad.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au
 
verrelli said:
I reckon Rugari's 26 man predicted squad is probably spot on. Is there anyone you think is any chance of being picked that is not mentioned in this article?

www.smh.com.au

Who’s on the plane? Piecing together the Socceroos’ World Cup squad puzzle

Here’s our read of the lay of the land: who’s a lock for Tony Popovic’s 26-man squad, and who’s battling it out for the last few spots in Australia’s World Cup squad.
www.smh.com.au www.smh.com.au
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This is his squad:

1000019002.jpg

It's a safe guess. It'll be close I think we'll get at least one surprise though.

I think Gauci > Beach. Balard may get in.

It looks pretty toothless to me outside Toure and Irankunda. I'd like to see us bring in Sapsford and Suto who are in good goal scoring form.

It shows what a loss Segecic is and Volpato is likely to be.

My squad would look very different.
 
Quicky said:
This is his squad:

View attachment 6217

It's a safe guess. It'll be close I think we'll get at least one surprise though.

I think Gauci > Beach. Balard may get in.

It looks pretty toothless to me outside Toure and Irankunda. I'd like to see us bring in Sapsford and Suto who are in good goal scoring form.

It shows what a loss Segecic is and Volpato is likely to be.

My squad would look very different.
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I hate it - this says we are turning up to make the numbers. I can live with the keepers having seen Gauci against a high class team early this morning. Geria and Trewin don;t make my list (post world cup). O'Neil. Hrustic, Okon-Englster (post world cup) and maybe even Yazbek not make the cut .

Velupillay and Boyle don't make it.

Behich is the one I'm not sure on. Inherently i recognise he has done the job for a long time but I want Elder or Farrell to convince me that they can stay fit.

As you said - not much excite apart for Irankunda and Toure. Where are the chaos agents when you need a goal with 10 to go or do you justs end Harry up top. Safe and boring and primed for an early exit. It may scare Curacao but it doesn't scare anyone in Group D and ends Popovic's tenure at the end off the group.

1) how do set up against securely
2) how do attack while maintaining that
3) who can you bring off the bench ( I assume we don't try the 60 min sit back tactic - because it won't work)
4) who do you bring on off the bench to ask different questions or maintain the intensity when we tire?

I just find it ... meh
 
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