There's something romantic about the idea of World Cup bolters! It was Wilkshire and Beauchamp in 2006 that came from nowhere to claim spots in the world cup squad. Ever since then, there's generally been 1 or 2 players sneak into the World Cup squad that most didn't expect.

I've been looking at recent club form, particularly for those leagues that have been up and running for more than just the last couple of weeks. Based on club form over the last 2 months, I'll put the following guys forward as potential bolters:

* Tete Yengi (VPS)
* Alex Grant (Pohang)
* Harrison Delbridge (Incheon)

Beyond these guys, here's a couple of others that I think are definitely ones to watch who could be a (small) chance of being World Cup bolters:

* Jack Iredale (Bolton)
* Anthony Kalik (HNK Gorica)

Interested to hear who others think could be a bolter (and I would define that as someone who hasn't been capped previously).

Veikkausliiga (the Finnish league) is League Two level. Yengi is doing well but the level is very low. 

Lewis Miller but his been on the bench so far for hibs

also agree with Alex grant 

Garang Kuol showed high skills against Barcelona - Friendly game or not he made the Barca defenders look pretty bad more than once. He lacks senior game experience but clearly has awesome potential 

DANIEL ARZANI!

JRB was until...I think Verelli is right that the CB spot is heating up. Degenek doesn't seem right. I have to say it was frustrating viewing for Wright against Wednesday in the cup so just maybe Arnold will consider Grant. I doubt it as Wright played in the playoff.

Jack Iredale is doing no wrong and is versatile. I've already included John Iredale in my 26. I don't care what anyone says but he's the best future striker prospect who can actually put them away soundly and work on and off the ball. He's not the poacher like Maclaren. I wouldn't take issue with including Yengi as I'd rather give him exposure as Ruka is very close to the end of his career. As much as we can regenerate post WC I think being in a tournament set up and having 26 is a great opportunity to make those touch decisions and see the glass as half full onwards from there.How refreshing would it be to see Iredale, Yengi, Kalik, Miller in the mix instead of Maclaren, Duke, Jeggo and Grant?

Lewis Miller is an interesting one. Atkinson is a lock for me and it seems Karacic is going alright. Strain is hanging about but I don't think so.

I fear Alou Kuol isn't going to play much. Garang Kuol would be exciting but I think a few injuries would need to happen for him to get in. Kalik is a great wildcard and I think I'd take him over Metcalfe on current form and minutes. Kalik is probably the more intelligent player over Francois who is still underdone.

I was considering keepers the other day. Gauci is the future but I think it'll be Ryan, Vukovic and Redmayne. I'd like Birighitti but Arnold has his preferences. Scwarzer actually said Hall is the best talent coming through and he's just moved abroad, hasn't he?

Kalik,Miller ,Garang Kuol,Brimmer,Iredale,Folami and Ikonomidis.Francois,Gauci,JRB,Cancar and yengi for next WC cycle and Arzani if he resurrects career.

Agree Daniel Arzani

Ah Brimmer another good shout. Probably a good yet annoying thing that we're stacked with decency in some areas and I always wonder if maybe Brimmer with Genreau as a basic example would be more effective.

I found vs Serbia that Beauchamp was much cooler than Moore's heatedness that tournament. Sterjovski also in 2006 wasn't the big name but offered good balance. 

I did wonder about this. I guessed it may be roughly at the level of League 1. He’s been playing 90 mins each week and has scored 3 goals in the last 5-6 weeks. This World Cup may well be too soon but if he keeps performing, it won’t be long til he’s in the sights of a bigger club. Definitely one to watch.

I’ve been singing Jack Iredale’s praises for a long time now. His teammate at Bolton, Gethin Jones, if he opts to play for Australia is another one to watch. I’m desperate to see John Iredale reach his potential. He’s 23 years old now and been around for a little while. The same age as Nathaniel Atkinson for example. I just worry that he’s still not progressed properly beyond Bundesliga 3. Re: Steven Hall, I just had a quick Google and I believe he is still at Adelaide (and completing year 12). I’m personally not sold on Lewis Miller just yet. Shows good signs but still very raw. I’ve gone cold on Alou Kuol too - just not been impressed by him at all in recent times. Garang Kuol on the other hand is going to be so great to watch this season and see if he can keep developing. 

GK
Birighitti
Gauci
Izzo

DF
Deng
Grant
Mcgowan
Dellbridge
Iredale
Miller
Strain
Geria
Risdon
Elder
Smith
Garrucio

MF
Devlin
Baccus
Stesness
Francois
Metcalfe
Burgess
Kalik
Amini
Brimmer

FW
Ikonomidis
Folami
Arzani
Piscopo
Segecic
Rukavytsa
Yengi
Iredale
Juric
Kuol
Kuol
Fornaroli
Cummings



heard quite a few bolters

If it was league 1 level Ipswich wouldn’t have loaned him out

Wilkshire was a bit of a bolter in 2006, but he was playing with Twente in the Eredivisie.
Is anyone mentioned playing with any club even remotely close to that standard?
Similarly, at the time, Josh Kennedy was playing in Germany (but necessarily playing regular senior football).
By the way, I can't remember Beauchamp playing in 2006.

Can’t believe we’re talking about Kalik as a bolter given the gametime he’s had in a solid euro league. I swear there is something up between him and Arnie, possibly from time at SFC.

I think he is our single most unheralded player at the moment.

Kalik plays CM. Nothing against him but he’s behind too many players as that’s our strongest position. 

Mooy, Irvine, Hrustic, Rogic, McGree, Genreau, Metcalfe.

This is a very good point. 

Just to correct you on that, Wilshire was at Bristol City in League 1 when Hiddink picked him for the WC squad. He moved to Twente after the world cup. I would say he was a huge bolter at the time. Beauchamp did not play at the WC in 2006 but was in the 23 man squad. 

Borello... I think he will have a massive first month this year in the a-league and force his way in.

I'm going to chuck another into the mix:

Stamatelopolous. He had a great season last year and is going to be playing In the greek super league this season. He has already scored a couple of goals in preseason and with good game time and our striker options he might be a smoky. 


As for Yengi, although Finland is a relatively low level he has been a standout this year. He has 6 goals and 8 assists this season in a team that has only won 6 of 17 and is sitting in the bottom half of the table. 

If you watch their highlights he is central to so many of their productive attacks. If he was getting these stats in league 2 I don't think people would be questioning it. Especially when he's only 21. 

Yengi has had a great season but those stats are wrong. He has 6 goals and 3 assists. 

No shade but you should probably check your stats again. 

Rural surely

Yengi is in the right place currently. Doing well in Finland is what Ipswich had hoped for. 

I know it’s a stacked position, but should he really be behind Genreau and Metcalfe? Is Lihue 2 and the AL much better than Croatia? Last year people couldn’t stop talking about Devlin just because he was getting gametime in Scotland. I feel like Kalik has done as much as any of these players.

I’ve seen Tete Yengi mentioned a lot which has really surprised me since Kusini is the much better player. 

Genreau is in Ligue 1 and Metcalfe is in 2. Bundesliga, and both are far superior players to Kalik in my opinion.

Kalik had a recent opportunity to impress national team staff last year at an Olyroos camp and he was embarrassingly poor.

Again I legitimately have nothing against the guy, he’s just clearly not better than our first 7 or 8 CM choices. 

Yep - he's my bolter. Someone that can make something happen in the last 20 mins.

That said - 3 extra players in the squad this time so there is space for more 'unorthodox' choices.  

I think for the most part everyone was poor in that tournament. lets be honest. Based off of that, and the fact it was over a year ago that is extremely unfair.

Everyone?? Atkinson was outstanding. Tilio scored a worldie. Rowles & Souttar were good. Arzani showed some glimpses of quality. Deng also played well. Even Glover went pretty well