Really would love to see Roberts continue to kill it at this higher age group after being our main main for the Joeys.

Just saw this in Facebook. Interesting. Glad we have a thread for our youth sides. 

Will we likely see a weaker squad due to many being active for their clubs? 

O'Neill, Lyden, Elder and so many more would be awesome to see in a gold shirt to get them geared for the eventual step up. 

Top two get through from the groups, we should get through. It is next January.

Gombau quoted in the article but will he still be the coach? I hope he does not get the Wanderers job, he will be good for the underage team, losing him would be a blow.

Vietnam again ..

Australia have been drawn in Group D of the AFC U-23 Championship China 2018 along with Korea Republic, Syria, and Vietnam.

Only two matches to play now, Hong Kong on 6th November and North Korea on the 8th.

when are the quals

Northern Marina Islands have withdrawn from AFC qualifiers (http://www.the-afc.com/u-19-championship-2018/northern-mariana-islands-withdraw-from-afc-u-19-championship-2018-qualifiers). Boys only have to play DPR Korea and Hong Kong.

Agree JDB03, plenty of talent in this squad. I heard there was a player named Stensness from CCM picked for the squad but he pulled out due to studies. Makes you wonder how many other boys would be in the squad if they were either fit or not studying. Tournament is bad timing clashing with HSC/VCE. Unlucky for Metcalfe but Im sure we will see more of him down the track. 

If we're going off goals scored this season, then Folami is definitely the best upcoming striker we've got, probably of any group too.
Ben Folami has scored 7 goals in 5 games for Ipswich U23 in the past month, along with a boatload more with the U18s this season.
John Iredale has scored 5 goals in 5 games for Heerenveen U19 since joining them.
John Roberts is harder to find numbers on. We know he's got 17 in 13 with the young Socceroos and scored another 9 in 4 in that Suning Cup youth tournament.

I hope all three live up to their potential. Having an exciting young striker that can deliver for club and country is something that has been elusive for us for years.

Ben Folami is another possible striker alongside Iredale and Roberts. Not sure who is better, but he might be the best of the lot.

Everything you mentioned is correct IMO Barca.

Totally agree.
The majority of players in this squad should be playing senior football at the moment, at the very least in a second division. Some of them (Arzani, Brook, Genreau, Pierias, Najjarrine, Theoharous, Tokich) would be definite starters in the A-League if there were more teams or some sort of incentive to play young players. I'm worried that the potential these kids have is being choked by the fact that they aren't getting senior football at an age when they should.

Daniel Arzani and Lachlan Brook are two kids in particular that are very gifted that I worry aren't going to get to their full potential (which is very high) because they're stuck in the reserve/youth side for their A-League club while aging journeymen/foreigners play in their starting places. I'm surprised that neither has gone to Europe yet or at least had any connections raised.

The players I'm most worried for are the likes of John Roberts who are never going to get a chance in the A-League because every team prefers to have a foreign marquee up top instead of an Australian. Not exactly going to help with our striker problem...

Metcalfe is injured. There's enough quality in the midfield not to have to take pasquali away from Ajax. Not sure about brook from what I here he is looking good. 

Are you implying that the boys in the squad paid to get in....or their parents?

If everyone was available including some of the overseas it think they will give qualification to the world cup a real good go.

Delianov
Perias, Dylan Ryan, Reardon, King
Pasquali, Genreau
Najjarine, Brook, Arzani
Roberts/Iredale

Some good talents especially in attack and midfield

Well put the blame firmly on the FFA and their incompetence in growing the pathways for first team football, its the not players fault its the system we have set up here.

Imagine what an expanded league and 2nd division could do for young players like these.

No Brook is a surprise, but maybe his family's not as rich as other players in the squad. 
It shows exactly were the problems of football in this country lie when not one of these players are even regulars at HAL level, not even off the bench. Arzani perhaps the only one. 

I'm surprised not to see Metcalfe among those 8 boys from Melbourne City. Maybe injured??  I'm sure boys like Pasquali & Brook will be included in the team next year if they qualify. 

Sorry to see no Pasquali or any other overseas players, but maybe they're better off with their clubs. I'm sure North Korea aren't pushovers, though.

Interesting squad, alot of these players were part of the last Joeys team last year in the u16 AFC Championship.

No Lachlan Brook is a surprise unless hes too young or injured. 

U20 squad for AFCs in Vietnam - https://www.myfootball.com.au/news/young-socceroos-heading-hanoi

A very good squad on paper. Wishing the boys best of luck. Real shame qualifiers were moved but oh well. 

Player/Club:
Daniel Arzani, Melb City
Nathaniel Atkinson, Melb City
Jay Barnett, Brisbane Roar
Joshua Cavallo, Melb City
Mathieu Cordier, WSW
James Delianov (GK), Melb City
Duro Dragicevic (GK), Sydney 
Macklin Freke (GK), Brisbane Roar
Denis Genreau, Melb City
Kosta Grozos, WSW
Jacob Italiano, Perth Glory
Joel King, Unattached
Fabian Monge, WSW
Tass Mourdoukoutas, WSW
Moudi Najjar, WSW
Ramy Najjarine, Melb City
Dylan Pierias, Melb City
Aaron Reardon, Brisbane Roar
John Roberts, Melb City
Tate Russell, WSW
Christian Theoharous, Melb Victory
Marc Tokich, WSW
Kai Trewin, Unattached

Stream right here if anyone's keen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWkQSjNLP34&feature=push-lsb&attr_tag=a-URxcMKTyaji3tW-6

Its anyone is keen for some youth football action, tonight from 6pm the Young Matildas take on South Korea in the AFC u19 womens championship.

The team is coached by Gary Van Egmond and the team has some current Matildas players such as Princess Ibini (sister to Bernie) and Carpenter involved, the world cup next year if they qualify is in France. 

The streams are available via YouTube in the AFC Hub, so if a stream pops up either me or whoever just post it on here.

Hanoi Vietnam will be the neutral host for this 

http://www.the-afc.com/u-19-championship-2018/afc-u-19-championship-2018-qualifiers-group-j-to-be-played-in-hanoi

I agree. Good thing the Senior level will be 8.5 spots :D

After watching some of the u17 world cup action, especially our Asian counterparts the likes of Iran, Iraq and Japan have impressed.

If we are not careful in the next few years we could in for some trouble in future world cup campaigns at Socceroo level.

For all of that technical progress that's being made, we have a lot more work to do if we want to qualify through Asia at youth level.

Because a bunch of 18 year old's are so instrumental in the totalitarian regime - utter fucking bullshit.

Fuck you in the face Julie you fucken hypocritical bitch.