Which is why my own view is a touch different, I want us to be producing more #8s.
My rationale for that is that by hook or by crook we'll produce the occasional quality #10 - Carle, Rogic, Bresciano, De Silva, Amini, these ball players do come up every now and then.
To be a successful football nations IMO we need to produce players who can run, chase and tackle but can also pass the ball short and long, control the ball at full pace, beat a player when they need to and score a few goals a season.
At Sydney we have two young boys who sort of fit that description - Terry Antonis and Hagi Gligor, though Gligor still needs to improve defensively.
Imagine a Socceroo team with two Antonises (or better), a ball playing DM and a #10 who runs as well as creates.
I want us to aim to produce the likes of Schweinsteiger, Gerrard, Iniesta, Xavi, Fletcher, Anderson and Simeone - we need a whole lot more Jason Culinas or better if we want to challenge the top.
|