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♔ ♕ ♚ ♛ Australia U17/U20/U23 National Team Tournaments & Discussion Thread ♔ ♕ ♚ ♛

Don't think it needs repeating but we've got Segecic facing Arsenal now, Circati was on today and Irankunda yesterday among others. This is an ad hoc U23 select and our best U23 are already full national team level.
in the end though we need to find a way to qualify for the olympics given its status in australia is similar to the olympics.
 
Don't think it needs repeating but we've got Segecic facing Arsenal now, Circati was on today and Irankunda yesterday among others. This is an ad hoc U23 select and our best U23 are already full national team level.
I think all of Circati, Iran, Mo Toure, Okon Jr, Matthews, who have senior caps, are under 23 still.

Is Jordi Bos?

The u23s left behind in the AL is staggering.

In the second half, after being impressed by the compact 5-3-2 defence in the first, China played more expansively and Aus struggled for a while.

Then the Aus subs made a difference. Aus should have won with quite a few big chances in a short period of time, but it was like deja vu at the last u23 Asian Cup when the u23 Roos could not hit the side of a barn. Given the Chinese keeper made some great saves, but Blair had some good ops to score which he fluffed.

The disallowed Bovalina goal was handled on the replay. No goal.

Drew - is a very intelligent player, with terrific game sense and vision.

Valadon - becoming a quality midfield general. Delighted to see his ball winning improving. He is starting to make good intercepts from reading of play and can turn, chase and sliding tackle with both feet.
Shame JV doesn't have his former Aus U23 midfield teammate Bozinivski released by Glory. Previously, they bossed the Aus midfield. Both Jordi V and Boz are terrific technicians on the ball.

Alagich - box to box midfielder, but better deployed further forwards than as a twin screener with Jordi V. He has made the opposition keepers work at times with shooting outside the box, but should be be a bit more clinical with his shooting.

Paull - better in second game as a CB. The defence as a unit, isn't compact enough, but can be patched up with time on the training track. His indiv ball playing and ball winning is sound. His defensive positioning is good

Hammond - brilliant ball control and dribbling at times.

Jovanovic - expect better finishing from him, given what I've seen for AU.
 
To be fair to Vidmar, these players are literally making up the numbers.
I think selecting his son, Kane, is fine.

I was impressed with Kane's last ditch defending, and distribution as an 18yo AL player. I think he should still be playing AL.

Ditto the RB for Western U last season, Tate Russell, who now plays with Wollongong Wolves.
 
Don't think it needs repeating but we've got Segecic facing Arsenal now, Circati was on today and Irankunda yesterday among others. This is an ad hoc U23 select and our best U23 are already full national team level.
Is Segecic still u23?

We almost have an Aus C, not A or B, u23 team on the pitch at the Asian Cup.

Robertson might still be u23 too?

Valadon would be in an A team, and maybe Alagich?

Is Nishan Villupillay still in u23s, or Lachlan Brook?
 
No they are nt even close to a good team.

Their team A were sent to SEA Games last month and that team is still bad. Losing to Vietnam at home.

This team is C/ D+ team. Most of these players only train with the club but never get to actually play any minute in the league.
Sounds like the Australian side rn
 
Is Segecic still u23?

We almost have an Aus C, not A or B, u23 team on the pitch at the Asian Cup.

Robertson might still be u23 too?

Valadon would be in an A team, and maybe Alagich?

Is Nishan Villupillay still in u23s, or Lachlan Brook?

To be age eligible for this Asian Cup U23's tournament players must be born on or after 1st of January 2003.

Lachlan Brook, Velupillay Not age eligible

Alex Robertson, Segecic are eligible

Jordan Bos Not age eligible
 
I suspect I'm in the minority here, but I can't really see a lot of value in U23 international tournaments. The only slight saving grace is that the Olympics are U23 (albeit with three overage allowed), but it seems to me that football in the Olympics is seen by many countries as primarily a prestige thing rather than part of a pathway for developing international players. I think only Asia and Africa have a standard U23 confederation championship, and Africa only hold it every 4 years to find Olympic qualifiers. Europe uses their U21 championship to determine Olympic qualification.

I think that players from 20 onwards should be aiming to establish themselves in their club first team, and if they have already done that they should be aiming for senior international status. And I suspect most players would see it that way, in that U23 internationals don't really help their club careers and in fact may hinder them. This current Asian U23 championship has no real significance - players don't have to be released by their clubs, and the tournament is of little consequence, so established/ambitious Euro-based players are likely to never have any interest in it, and rightly so as the tournament has no upside and it could damage their club prospects in some situations. And even for established/semi-established A League full internationals like Velupillay (if he is even age eligible) it has little value.
 
I suspect I'm in the minority here, but I can't really see a lot of value in U23 international tournaments. The only slight saving grace is that the Olympics are U23 (albeit with three overage allowed), but it seems to me that football in the Olympics is seen by many countries as primarily a prestige thing rather than part of a pathway for developing international players. I think only Asia and Africa have a standard U23 confederation championship, and Africa only hold it every 4 years to find Olympic qualifiers. Europe uses their U21 championship to determine Olympic qualification.

I think that players from 20 onwards should be aiming to establish themselves in their club first team, and if they have already done that they should be aiming for senior international status. And I suspect most players would see it that way, in that U23 internationals don't really help their club careers and in fact may hinder them. This current Asian U23 championship has no real significance - players don't have to be released by their clubs, and the tournament is of little consequence, so established/ambitious Euro-based players are likely to never have any interest in it, and rightly so as the tournament has no upside and it could damage their club prospects in some situations. And even for established/semi-established A League full internationals like Velupillay (if he is even age eligible) it has little value.

When it comes to the business of football I would think the under 23's is a big deal when not making or making an olympics can mean government funding toward the game.

Yes it can interfere with club commitments for those established players but exposure to the world and maybe even marketing potential of players if they achieve a medal can grow the value of a player from performances at an olympics as well as the game

I would say the noise of players being or not being released is down to something for media to report but as a tournament for players wanting to represent their countries that is down to every individuals own perspective of if the chance to represent your country is seen as "important" or what they want to do each and every time the opportunity arises for this U23 tournament it sounds as though it is out of players hands. There is nothing to say that the players making this tournament will then ever get an opportunity to make another national team, I say take all the opportunities you get.
 
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