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2026 World Cup Squad

NoMates said:
What position does Volpato play? And going by YouTube everyone is saying his is a walk in. Can sum1 plz just give me a rundown of where he would play in the Socceroos squad?
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right inside forward

if a future coach went 433 he can also cover striker, wide striker, cam and right winget
 
NoMates said:
What position does Volpato play? And going by YouTube everyone is saying his is a walk in. Can sum1 plz just give me a rundown of where he would play in the Socceroos squad?
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One of the dual 10s, on the right cutting in and creating. Metcalfe will probably be the other because he can attack but also stiffen the midfield to create a 3.

Irankunda doesn't fit Popa's system neatly other than as a 9. He will be the danger/chaos sub. Having options is nice.

Volpato starts in this system I think - especially with McGree out.
 
Quicky said:
I do not like Popovic but I don't think for a second he's biased against Nisbet because he played well against Victory. I don't think Popovic values technical midfielders in this system. I think Nisbet is also playing at too low a level and doesn't have the physicality Popovic likes.
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He never loses the ball. Never.

Plus he wins a lot of ball. What's not to like about his physicality?

Apart-height.
 
Quicky said:
I think Popovic likes big bodied, athletic endurance bunnies in midfield.
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La rocca started for him over mooy when it was already apparent mooy was above the level

But in the end la rocca getting injured and being replaced by mooy cost wsw a grand final. So he has reason to trust his system over individuals
 
JM47 said:
So which 4 drop out now?

Gonna have to be one of Gauci and Beach obviously.

I'd say one of Degenek, Geria, Trewin or Rowles

And then two of Borrello, Nish, Mabil, Hrustic, Boyle, Leckie, Yengi and Devlin.

Geria, Borrello and Nish are who I'd go for.
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Joe Gauci has to go and be replaced by Harrison Devenish-Meares as third string keeper, along with Geria, Borrello and Leckie. Nishan Velupillay can stay as a differential option but Leckie has to go because he's regressing and will only increase the average age of the Socceroos playing list despite all the experience he brings.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
Popa watched Nizzy dismantle his Victory team in the second half of the AL GF three seasons ago. The same season he was Johnny Warren medalist and led the Mariners to a treble including an Asian trophy. He had just been picked a couple of times by Arnie and immediately changed the game when he came on against (I think) Indonesia.

He's playing in those lesser leagues because he's had to prove the doubters wrong (regarding his height) his entire career - but the OS doubters can be forgiven as they'd not seen first hand what he's capable of - especially with other decent players around him.

Popa has, and the fact he's not featured in any team under Popa is a national disgrace.
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From those ccm teams, Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, Breda, Stuttgart, Aberdeen picked up his teammates. Mechelen and Randers signed guys from the MV side they beat. Feyenoord, New York, Borough, Celtic signed guys from the City side they demolished.

They all saw him. Any club looking at the aleague knows what he did. They paid fees for these other guys, he was available for free. They have, to this point, made the same decision as Popa.

He could be unfortunate and they could all be wrong. But Popa isn't the outlier. It's not a surprise or a disgrace. It is normal for a guy in the Dutch second division not to go to the world cup. Even for us.
 
Quicky said:
I'm just making the point that Popovic has a profile of player he likes and Nisbet doesn't fit it. I don't think Nisbets non-selection has anything to do with a grudge being held.
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I never suggested a grudge. I simply said that Popa ignored the massive impact of Nizz on that season - culminating in the CCM-MVC GF.

Never to have selected him just once in a squad - to have a closer look - tells you everything you need to know about his wilful blindness to quality when it doesn't come in the shape (or lineage) he respects.
 
Cunningstunt said:
He could be unfortunate and they could all be wrong. But Popa isn't the outlier. It's not a surprise or a disgrace. It is normal for a guy in the Dutch second division not to go to the world cup. Even for us.
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As I said - all those others can be slightly forgiven for their apart-height bias.

Not Popa. Nizzy's dominance of both the league and Asia was in his face that entire season.

Disgrace.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
I never suggested a grudge. I simply said that Popa ignored the massive impact of Nizz on that season - culminating in the CCM-MVC GF.

Never to have selected him just once in a squad - to have a closer look - tells you everything you need to know about his wilful blindness to quality when it doesn't come in the shape (or lineage) he respects.
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Popovic has made a lot of dumb selection decisions. I'd have liked to see Nisbet but it isn't the worst Popovic omission imo.
 
Mr Cleansheets said:
As I said - all those others can be slightly forgiven for their apart-height bias.

Not Popa. Nizzy's dominance of both the league and Asia was in his face that entire season.

Disgrace.
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I'm glad we've got Volapto but this is just another Popovic deviation when it comes to picking players based on merit and system. Nisbet warrants a chance as do many more.

It's the speed of the inclusion that irks me but there must have been a lot more happening in the background.
 
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