Yep me too. I’m so excited to see the roo’s play again, it’s been way too long. 

not going to list the squad but we need to start preparing for the 23 going to the cup.

Would like to see the following guys make their debuts:

Dougall, Elder and Watts. 

The benefit of the larger squad and four games in such a short period in June is that we will see quite a few more players than we normally would at a two game international window.  Hopefully we navigate this round safely and Arnie will have seen a large number of players in June, and then his close coverage of players will extend further when he gets to see our best u23s at the Olympics, if it goes ahead. This all means that by the time we go into the final round of WC qualifiers later this year Arnie will have a substantial pool of players to draw from. 

I am personally unconvinced about Maclaren for the national team. If he is unimpressive in the June matches then we need to move on to other options. 

My preferred starting XI for the first game, against Kuwait, in a 1-4-2-3-1 would be:

Ryan
Grant, Degenek, Souttar, Smith
Mooy, Jeggo
Boyle, McGree, Hrustic 
MacLaren

With some useful creating and scoring options from the bench in Rogic, Nabbout, Mabil and Irvine.  

Fair enough. Who would you have as Striker if JMac doesn’t perform for NT? Ruka, Taggart?

Don’t think you can start souttar mcgree or hrustic for the first game. Or even Smith for that matter. 

Yeah I agree, I anticipate the first game against Kuwait will be the most experienced line-up possible simply because the national team hasn’t played in so long you would want some older heads to mitigate a potential Matildas situation. 

JMac has first dibs and I’d love him to bring his goalscoring boots with him for these June matches. Let’s hope this happens but if it doesn’t, Ruka or Taggart are solid options worth revisiting. I have a left field thought too and am happy to be widely abused for it ... Jackson Irvine as a national team striker? In the fashion of Timmy’s conversion? 

I think you are right on those three, it’s just what I’d do, remembering there are four matches and we might need a blend of experienced players across the four matches.

I answered this above but my first reply didn’t quote your question. Hate working from my phone, clumsy thumbs!

Yea agreed. That’s why I said leave them for the Taiwan/Nepal game. 

Irvine has the athleticism for sure. Has scored a few headers for NT. Has good reflexes but are his reflexes and striking skills as good as Ruka, Taggs or JMac? If NT beat Kuwait i say anything goes. Experiment in the last 3 games for sure

Just thinking now with jeggo seemingly unavailable our DM stocks seem a little thin. I guess the two preferred would have to be mooy and Irvine. Other than those two we are super thin, dougall I don’t think has had a cap although he’s been in camps, who else is there?
do you go with metcalfe, Aiden O’Neill perhaps, very thin. 

I reckon Sainsbury could do DM? Souttar & Degenek can be the centre backs

I reckon you’re on the money with moving Sainsbury forward to a DM role. 

Back in the day we used to have a hundred DM’s, now we don’t have many. I think we need to pick metcalfe in this squad. For me he is the next best coming through. 

I’ll be honest and say I haven’t seen him play that often but with an extended squad there should be room. I remember when we had an excellent DM pairing under Guus in a 1-4-2-3-1 formation, being Grella and Culina. 

As stated above I think Connor metcalfe is deserving of a call up to the NT games in June. In my opinion he’s the best CM in the country.

also, what do we think on ikon’s chances of getting in? I know it’s going to have to be a late run but he’s certainly good enough 

There won't be any time for experimentation until the next WC so I hope he gets selected this window. We beat Kuwait first up then we can do what we like for the final 3 games. I really want to see McGree, Metcalfe, Souttar, Elder, Watts among others get exposure to the national set up. Ikon is certainly on the radar and may sneak in.

There’s room for Ikon in a larger squad and he still oozes talent and determination! I’d pick him.

not sure why Dougall hasn't even been mentioned.. guys been doing the hard yards for years overseas. Just don't think a handful of a league games is better.

He was in the last squad and I think he'll surely make this 34. A real engine.

Yep you’re right on there. He’ll almost definitely be in the squad band will almost certainly get game time. I’ve never seen him play so keen to see what he can do

Because he plays league one...lol I'd rather we pick a young guy with potential

he's in the play-offs? has played in the Eredivise before and had a full season in the championship will be in the championship next season.

You want to play a guy who's played 20 a-league games before? 

Forum is being flooded with idiots.

I wouldn’t call picking metcalfe over Dougall as idiotic. I can’t comment on dougall because I haven’t seen him play but we all need to remember that just because he plays overseas doesn’t make him better than what we have. 

Calum Elder has unfortunately sustained an injury in Hull’s last game of the season and has been scratched from national team contention for this window. 

With Arnie selecting 3 players for every position in this squad, and Gersbach with the Olyroos at the same time, who would be our 3rd choice left back to join Behich and Smith?

With Jeggo ruled out through injury, SBS has said James Holland will be called up as his replacement. 

SBS also claiming the strikers for this camp will be JMac, Taggart, Ruka and Giannou.