Dane Ingham's defection to New Zealand the red flag for Australia's youth system

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Dane Ingham has made history, as far as I can tell. The first player to choose to play for New Zealand rather than Australia. As the debate swirls about whether the youth system is nearing collapse, what should we read into this?

Ingham is 17, born and raised in northern NSW by a Kiwi mum, and it's only in the last few months that he's broken into the Brisbane Roar first team. John Aloisi's decision to give him a handful of appearances is exactly what Ange Postecoglou has been imploring A-League coaches to do. Give youth a chance.

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In doing so, however, Aloisi showcased a rising talent, and the end result is Australia has lost him to the Kiwis. What makes Ingham's case different to, say, Andrew Durante, Shane Smeltz and Glen Moss – all Australian passport-holders now playing for the All Whites – is that Australia wanted to keep him. Players who feel they have a chance of wearing green and gold don't swap it for white. Archie Thompson – born in the Waikato – is a case in point.

Not Ingham, though. Just last month he was in a camp with the Australian under-20s in Canberra. This week he heads to Fiji having been called up by the senior NZ team. All Whites coach Anthony Hudson reckons he's a big chance of making his debut in the problematic right back position in Lautoka. Maybe that's where the moral of the story lies.

Football Federation Australia staff coaches Ufuk Talay and Josep Gombau tried hard to convince Ingham not to switch. But they couldn't offer him what the All Whites can. An escalator. In 2015, New Zealand hosted the World Youth (U20) Cup. Nine of those players have since been capped by the senior team. Two more youngsters, Luke Rogerson and Henry Cameron, have also debuted. All are 20 years old or younger. That's 11 teenagers capped by NZ in the last two years.

Australia? From the same age group, just one. Alex Gersbach. Last week Postecoglou raised eyebrows by selecting 18-year-old Riley McGree. The reaction from one A-League coach? "He's not ready." Maybe not, but it's a cultural issue which has dogged the game for too long. Players are supposed to work their way through the system, from under-17s to under-20s to under-23s, step-by-step. Only then are they deemed ready for the Socceroos. Poppycock.

All Whites: Dane Ingham has chosen to represent New Zealand over Australia.
All Whites: Dane Ingham has chosen to represent New Zealand over Australia. Photo: Chris Hyde
Ingham's decision may well be as much personal (older brother Jai has also been called into the All Whites) as professional. But it's a red flag all the same. Somewhere deep in the DNA of Australian football is the mistaken belief we're a first world football country. We might get there one day, but we're not there yet. So we patronise. Giving kids a senior cap is what the small countries – like NZ – do.

Never mind the All Whites, like the Socceroos, are heading to this year's FIFA Confederations Cup. Never mind Hudson has players like Winston Reid and Chris Wood who are doing better than any overseas-based Australians. Never mind Postecoglou would probably kill to have Marco Rojas in his squad. Here, you don't hand out senior shirts – even in the A-League – to kids if you're fair dinkum. You leave that up to the minnows like NZ.

Bolter: Riley McGree was the shock selection for the Socceroos.
Bolter: Riley McGree was the shock selection for the Socceroos. Photo: Getty Images
That's got to change. It's something Postecoglou wants to change. There may be a legitimate discussion about whether the Dutch-based doctrine the FFA signed up to a decade ago is producing the right type of footballer. On that score it will be interesting to see how Daniel Arzani – the Melbourne City midfielder held up as the pin-up boy of their methods by the Dutch interlopers – progresses.

But talent can only flourish with opportunity. That's the bottleneck. It's in the A-League, and it's still in the national set-up. It's another reason why establishing a national second division, to be workshopped in Melbourne on Monday night, is so crucial. A 10-team A-League is suffocating the pathway. Another tier of professionalism will let it breathe again.

In the meantime, we should all be cheering for McGree. A few weeks ago, in the Asian Champions League, he swept past Japan's most-capped player, Yasuhito Endo, as if he wasn't there. In McGree's mind, he probably wasn't. Just another player to beat with a swerve, a touch, and a burst of acceleration. That's what needs to be encouraged. That's what you get with youngsters. No fear.

http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/dane-inghams-defection-to-new-zealand-the-red-flag-for-australias-youth-system-20170318-gv19vz.html

Nah..

Let the John Hutchinsons play for Matla and NZ.

I don't honestly find this that concerning. He could turn out to be a good player (especially if he starts getting played in his natural position) but at the moment he hasn't shown anything to suggest he's better than any other young player coming through the league. If this was a Joey Caletti, I'd be worried. 

I wish him all the best and hope international football improves his game.

Yeh, agree with others, I wouldn't have thought this kid was top of the list for Ange.

Good luck to him.

I would guess that with 11 under 20's playing for NZ over the past 12 months, there wont be many openings for young players in the future. And, of course, once playing for NZ, one can't play for anyone else. So, if a youngster is eligible for another country and chooses NZ at a young age, he is lost to the chance to play for that other country.

Back in the day, Craig Johnston is a seminal example of someone who played in the England "B" team once, and forever lost the chance to play for Australia. Once capped, a player has a long future of nothing if they make the wrong choice.

Talk about over reaction, young kid can play for NZ now or wait and fight to see if he gets in the Socceroos in a few years time? His next contract negotiations will be better served with an international cap on his cv

So many Aussies in the NZ team they're almost our B team.

@Waz

Is there a risk it could effect him negatively because he will leave your squad every time there are internationals because A-League doesn't acknowledge them?

Goodluck to him.But personally I want to see Australian Youth players in Roar's first team not kiwis.So I hope he goes to WP and frees up a spot for Aussie youth.

Stupid article. What does this have to do with the current failings in our youth system. If we were producing better players we wouldn't even be talking about the kid.

@ Awer Scott

I recon it could. Less of a risk once your established but getting established in Roars first team is hard enough without being dragged off with NZ

His career, his call.

To be honest, the attitude it represents (at least according to the article) probably is one that you don't want in the national team - it seems a pretty mercenary kind of attitude. To change countries at 17 just because you can't get into the national team and want an escalator to bigger things says a lot to me about where his concerns really lay. As I said, it's his career and so good luck to him. But it's an attitude I won't be too sad to see gone.

On another note, the final paragraph or two of this article is a non sequitur. I agree with the need for more youth pathways, particularly through a national second division - but him choosing to play for NZ has nothing to do with club pathways and everything to do with the minimal competition in the NZ squad. Hell, the very reason he gets a look in with NZ is because he actually is playing in the A-League (albeit just starting). The narrative being portrayed here would only apply in this case if he had left the A-League because he couldn't get a game, signed with a non-ALeague NZ team and then got called up and was a star. (This narrative would definitely apply to other kids who leave Australia to go overseas, and so we do need more pathways and chances for players to prove themself at a young age - but let's not use this case as an example).

He either has a really low opinion of himself or the article is correct.
If he thought he was going to play at the highest level in Europe, why would he ever play for NZ?

In the case that he thinks he is good enough, well it is a very bad sign for us.
The fact that Gombau et al tried to convince him says he has at least some potential so that for me is a big worry that anyone with potential is rejecting to play for Australia.

Especially to a backwater team like NZ that will never amount to anything of consequence

Australia should not be held to ransom to have players play for them. The players should want to play for Australia. If he chooses NZ at 17, and play in a minnow confed for his career, then good luck to him. It actually shows how weak NZ are as a football nation they pluck a 17 year old from the a-league

Also, the article mentions Chris Wood and Winston Reid as doing better than any Australian player currently. I will concede Winston Reid is at the highest consistently level of both nations, but Chris Wood is playing in the Championship like most of our players and has only played 10 games in the EPL. For perspective, Langerak has played 21 times in the Bundesliga (which in his position is a lot harder to do), Brad Smith has also played 10 games in the EPL, not to mention Jedi's EPL apps.

How the hell does choosing NZ over us affect our youth system? Pointless article.

Didn't his older brother get picked as well? As far as I can see, both were very very very unlikely to be picked for Australia and 0% they would play together in the national team. So why not go for it with New Zealand? Jai might even get a gig with the Nux for it too as he won't last long at Victory. 

The article is full of shit, But we wont say no to more Aussies turning up as Kiwis.

Wow what an overreaction. Sure if he was a 17 year old kid playing at Barcelona regularly and we hadnt contemplated him sure but this is just ridiculous

About the sum of it. Kid probably wants to play with his brother (and potentially as a significant player rather than a fringe one). Don't see the issue.

The youth system will continue to fail while the A-League recycles has beens rather than bringing through youth.

The situation can be read both ways really...

1. We have plenty in the pipeline and kids are taking other countries as an option

2. Australia is so dire that kids aren't picking us...

This ffs.

-PB

NZL can offer him a cap right NOW we can POTENTIALLY offer him one in the FUTURE. Of course after competing with a much denser and more higher quality talent pool.

Easy to see why he would of picked NZL

Chris Wood has apparently been the most prolific striker in all of Europe this year, he's on about one goal a game and is rapidly closing in on the all time Championship record. It's not like he's just anyone in the Championship, right at this moment he's the best player in the Championship.

There are quite a few reasons to pick NZ, especially as a 17 year old. We go to all the age group tournaments that Australia can't qualify for, and in the future will have a direct qualification into the world cup. We also have a thin squad and our players have much longer careers playing for the national team.

However, we're all as baffled as everyone else is as to why they're in the world cup squad. Our manager has always made bizarre decisions and there are a large number of professional players who have always bled for the white shirt who just can't get a look in when domestic players who can't even make SS Premiership teams regularly do. Take Alex Rufer who doesn't even get game time for the Phoenix reserve team but is in the AW squad as a case in point.

difference is that Wood has scored nearly 30 goals this season... don't think with any of our O/s based Aussies combined could come close to that...

Easy decision for Jai Ingham to choose New Zealand over Australia


Melbourne Victory winger Jai Ingham and his younger brother Jai have been selected for the All Whites.

It only took a few conversations with All Whites coach Anthony Hudson to convince Jai Ingham to play for New Zealand.
http://i.stuff.co.nz/sport/football/nz-teams/90629395/easy-decision-for-jai-ingham-to-choose-new-zealand-over-australia


Lol

JI: Can I play for you?
Ange: No

Anthony Hudson: Do you want to play for us?
JI: Yes

Pretty easy decision

Traitor.

Biggest panic over nothing. 

I think traitor is a bit harsh. Perhaps fortunate is a better word.

They didn't choose between NZ and Aus, they chose between NZ and Samoa.

I'm sure every player wants to play internationals. I would encourage my child to play for the other eligible nations if Australia isn't possible but the others are.

First I think the article does have relevance.  This time it's the All Whites you're loosing a promising young footballer to.  In the past it's been the likes of a Turkey, Greecc, Crotia even an Italy.  The FFA needs to look after players on the pherliphal of Australian selection; even if it is further down the road.  Welcome aboard Dane I don't think you're regret your decision as we're putting together a squad of some very useful young players.