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World Cup 2026 Australia thread

Keeper66 said:
McGree does a lot more than what simple stats indicate. If you think his positioning and passing are rudimentary, particularly compared to Velupillay, then you aren’t watching that closely.
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McGree doesn't do it for Australia. He stands in the obvious spaces and just relays the ball on. There's nothing extraordinary about what he does. It's so frustrating because we know what he can do but his Australia performances are always some run of the mill shifts with no creativity or magic.
 
JM47 said:
So only three of those get cut.

One will be Gauci or Beach, and then two of Borrello, Mabil and Velupillay you'd think.

I'm staggered that Robbo has been cut, especially with the McGree injury. The other ones, that's perfectly fine but completely bemused....
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If we assume Oneill is fit. You have one GK and two others to go out. Last WCQ squad had 9 defenders (including Trewin). I would suspect we will have 10 defenders, with Trewin able to play CM if needed. So we lose one more. Yengi if he can't meet the level, or one of the wingers (Borello) if he does.

Robertson wasn't competing for a wing spot. Lost out in CM. Assuming he performed well in training, it is likely a stylistic misfit as the others guys are defensively stronger.
Somebloke said:
I am not saying I agree with him but my sense is re Robertson is that Poppa sees him as one for the future. And following the Sega and Triantis situations brought him and played him for a short spell to lock him in. I also think with his Scotland talk he brought in Bennie to camp to make him feel seen and that he had a future with Oz.

Poppa talked a lot about some players having lots of talent but who are not ready yet but will be mainstays in the future. He places a lot of emphasis in his interviews on players ‘learning to go through suffering in games’ and consistently performing at high levels. Again I am not saying I agree with him, nor think he is consistent in this but that seems to be how he thinks.
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I would like to see a stylistic if not formation change if he stays on after the next cycle. Despite the haters, he has done this even just in his time at WSW. This setup does seem to promote the WBs (Bos in particular) and our CBs. But it feels like we are stuck with strong defensive CMs and wingers who can play inverted. A defensively weaker CM like Robertson who can offer more going forward doesn't seem to have a place.
 
So that's Bennie out too. A lot of the players sent away today offered something different and had solid form. Popovic is now all over the place.
 
JS96 said:
socceroos.com.au

CommBank Socceroos announce eight additions to FIFA World Cup 2026™ train-on squad

Eight players have been added to the CommBank Socceroos train-on squad for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ pre-camp in Sara
socceroos.com.au socceroos.com.au

Damn you Popovic! Robertson out. What on earth?
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Literally can't believe this shit after losing McGree!!! Robertson is the perfect replacement. So does that mean that the players released are definitely out of contention for the final squad? Nestory was playing central for Watford during the season, could he slot in there?
 
JS96 said:
McGree doesn't do it for Australia. He stands in the obvious spaces and just relays the ball on. There's nothing extraordinary about what he does. It's so frustrating because we know what he can do but his Australia performances are always some run of the mill shifts with no creativity or magic.
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We will have to agree to disagree.
 
Daniel Bennie (QPR), Raphael Borges Rodrigues (Wigan Athletic, on loan from Coventry City), Anthony Caceres (Macarthur FC), Mitch Duke (Macarthur FC), Dylan Leonard (Schalke), Alex Robertson (Cardiff City), Gianni Stensness (Viking) and Ante Suto (Hibernian)

Oh shit Duke has actually been released. Thanks for everything. Glad to see Tete has been recognised.
 
With McGree out and Robertson not picked, it looks like being Metcalfe and Hrustic in the two advanced 10 roles (with Irankunda on the bench).

Like him or not, I think Metcalfe is
is a certain starter now that McGree is out.

You would assume that he and Irvine have developed a good understanding, training and playing with each other in the Bundesliga. This could be really important.
 
Keeper66 said:
We will have to agree to disagree.
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Just compare McGree's club games to the majority of lame duck performances we get. He's undoubtedly skilled and can do stuff but has fallen flat too often. Velupillay comes in and scores 3 in a qualifying cycle.
 
Final squad based on the 29 for me:

Ryan
Izzo
Gauci

Souttar
Circati
Herrington
Burgess
Degenek
Geria
Rowles
Bos
Behich
Italiano
Trewin

Irvine
O'Neill
Devlin
Okon-Engstler

Irankunda
Metcalfe
Hrustic
Boyle
Mabil

Toure
Yengi
Leckie

Although, I reckon Yengi and Devlin are cut and Nish and Borrello are kept.
 
JM47 said:
Final squad based on the 29 for me:

Ryan
Izzo
Gauci

Souttar
Circati
Herrington
Burgess
Degenek
Geria
Rowles
Bos
Behich
Italiano
Trewin

Irvine
O'Neill
Devlin
Okon-Engstler

Irankunda
Metcalfe
Hrustic
Boyle
Mabil

Toure
Yengi
Leckie

Although, I reckon Yengi and Devlin are cut and Nish and Borrello are kept.
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Just enough midfield versatility that we won't be cooked even with our formation.
 
Duke being released seems weird to me, I thought he'd be odds on to make the final squad. Who are the forward options then? Obviously Toure, with either Yengi and Juric as backup and perhaps Irankunda as the third option if needed.
 
This squad actually makes me feel kinda sick. The fact that everything looked so promising with the players called in, only to have them all sent home - despite the injury to McGree. I was excited by the prospect of Bennie, RBR, Robertson - even Stensness and Suto. Now we’re left Borrello and the same uninspiring players that just tag along as usual. Where’s the creativity in this team? The midfield is so flat and boring in this squad. The inside forward role is also really lacking.
I don’t know, I’m just feeling less excited about this squad now.
 
Keeper66 said:
Okon selected and Robertson not there would be a travesty to me.
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Near reality now. Also disgusting treatment of Balard. We're not a charity but we've overlooked the better players.

I hope I'm wrong and these guys can implement Popovic's plan but it could end very ugly.
 
Boonjeh said:
This squad actually makes me feel kinda sick. The fact that everything looked so promising with the players called in, only to have them all sent home - despite the injury to McGree. I was excited by the prospect of Bennie, RBR, Robertson - even Stensness and Suto. Now we’re left Borrello and the same uninspiring players that just tag along as usual. Where’s the creativity in this team? The midfield is so flat and boring in this squad. The inside forward role is also really lacking.
I don’t know, I’m just feeling less excited about this squad now.
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All the Wildcard creative magic has been sucked out with these calls.

Have we pissed off Robertson for good now that he may make himself unavailable?

Bennie still not tied down.
 
Whilst I was keen for Bennie and Borges-Rodrigues, it was always a long shot. Let's be real. Geria ,Trewin, Degenek and Leckie are probably perceived as enough depth for Popa, whilst all still very limited.

I just really don't like that at least one of Borrello, Mabil and Nish are going to be selected and quite possibly all of them. That there, coupled with Robbo's omission, McGree's injury and not having Volpato and Segecic just makes this all a little bitter.

Not ideal, not the end of the world, Popa's always gonna Popa, but you struggle to get excited with some of those picks.

My only consolation is that in 2018 we were all pretty devstated when Boyle went down and we went well. And also, potentially this means that any doubt that Irankunda would be benched and reserved for later in the game nearly has to be tossed out. Hopefully too, this means that Bos, Irankunda and Toure are given just that bit more attacking freedom with Metcalfe and/or Hrustic likely to offer a bit more defence than McGree.
 
Socceroo Riley McGree will miss next month's FIFA World Cup with a hamstring injury.

Huge blow , he must be feeling shattered.
 
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JM47 said:
Whilst I was keen for Bennie and Borges-Rodrigues, it was always a long shot. Let's be real. Geria ,Trewin, Degenek and Leckie are probably perceived as enough depth for Popa, whilst all still very limited.

I just really don't like that at least one of Borrello, Mabil and Nish are going to be selected and quite possibly all of them. That there, coupled with Robbo's omission, McGree's injury and not having Volpato and Segecic just makes this all a little bitter.

Not ideal, not the end of the world, Popa's always gonna Popa, but you struggle to get excited with some of those picks.

My only consolation is that in 2018 we were all pretty devstated when Boyle went down and we went well. And also, potentially this means that any doubt that Irankunda would be benched and reserved for later in the game nearly has to be tossed out. Hopefully too, this means that Bos, Irankunda and Toure are given just that bit more attacking freedom with Metcalfe and/or Hrustic likely to offer a bit more defence than McGree.
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I always thought Borello was a very good player in his younger days, but especially after the season he has had with WSW I am completely astounded that he was even called up for this camp, let alone still there in what looks like the last 29.
 
JM47 said:
Final squad based on the 29 for me:

Ryan
Izzo
Gauci

Souttar
Circati
Herrington
Burgess
Degenek
Geria
Rowles
Bos
Behich
Italiano
Trewin

Irvine
O'Neill
Devlin
Okon-Engstler

Irankunda
Metcalfe
Hrustic
Boyle
Mabil

Toure
Yengi
Leckie

Although, I reckon Yengi and Devlin are cut and Nish and Borrello are kept.
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It'll be either Beach/Gauci cut

Geria/Rowles cut

and Borello cut

I think Gauci, Rowles and Borello.



I don't even see how Borello makes this training camp over someone like Younis and many other players. Has poor club-form unlike Younis, is old and is past his prime and doesn't even fit into Popa's motto of "he can do a job", Borello has mostly been poor with a green and gold shirt on. Poor form and can't do a job but somehow has made the final 29.
 
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