They're playing Iran in a couple of days, I happen to know for a fact that rotation is the plan, quite reasonably.



Correct on both, Donachie is just coming back from injury now, but Ansell is still a while off, unfortunately.



I guess you don't read Aussies Abroad? Furthermore, Gallifuoco just signed for Victory.

So it can be gleamed from this tour that the second string was considered to be:



And assuming it's an "all change" scenario against Iran we'll see something like:



Plenty of individual talents in the first squad, but if those two teams were put against each other I'd most likely have my cash on the latter.

I sure hope Ange takes over for the tournament, but it'll probably require firing Aurelio.

I watch dougall play for sparta rotterdam regularly and he plays left back.
He has been ok this season and the team is doing quite well.
Ugarkovic plays for osijek who is second last in the HNL Croatian first division. He is a squad player who gets very little or no game time at all.
Other players in the starting 11 against qatar,together with ugarkovic do not have 90 minutes of football between them. The only regular starter is dougall.
I dont know how they expect to qualify with that line up.
I watched them against Macedonia and most of these players were absolute shocking.
I notice that FFA have no info on the last 4 games the olyroos have played and i think this is deliberate due to the performances.
Maybe by January things will change for the better.

England v spain
Ned zelic claims the English public should call for change of coach due to different style of player being available and able to play a more possession based attacking game.

Should the same not be said of our youth coaches?

easy to tell others what to do hard to tell your mates to go.

After seeing Gersbach last night he too should walk into this Olyroo squad.

That second eleven is mouth watering.

the second one is mouth watering but the coach leaves a sour taste

First isnt bad. Its just our opponents will be a lot better.

Agree. With these guys should get the win .

Ange should take control of the team during the tournie in Jan and the olympics if we make it. Touch wood.

I should clarify that by second eleven I meant the second one that pala listed, the actual first eleven. Oops for the confusion!

1-1 with Iran

Halftime. We scored just before the break. Not sure who. This is our last friendly before the January qualifiers in Qatari.

Full time 1-1, McClaren with the goal apparently.

lineups

pretty similar 2 above

http://www.persianfootball.com/forums/showthread.php?110265-TM-U22-Football-at-the-2016-Summer-Olympics&p=2339732

Not a bad result.

I'm finding players all the time who play in the HAL who are available for this team according to age. There may be a few overseas too.

It seems like there is a team selected. Then within a few months other players emerge very quickly overtaking incumbents, like Gersbach, O'Neill, Borello and Clut, who weren't selected with the current selection process .

Arguably if these players are successful at HAL senior level, they could walk into the team.

Another couple young enough, are Hagi Gligor (Glory) and Josh McDonald ( WSW).




Edited by Decentric: 17/11/2015 10:28:28 AM

Good work d.

Edited by TheSelectFew: 17/11/2015 11:27:55 AM

I suspect someone like Gersbach might be involved with the under 23s given the likes of Smith who has no club and Brown, Woodwock who haven't quite fill the void in that spot.

When does the tournament start in January?

Actually, this seems to be usually the case, nothing too new. People also bemoan how the likes of Gersbach and others weren't called up, despite their quality already well apparent for a while now. But if we remember correctly there was a hue and cry from the clubs over losing talent last time, which led to the cap of three per club and difficulties with selection that contributed to our horrendous London 2012 campaign.

Unfortunately it's not soo easy at this level to just pick the strongest eleven, as the club v country difficulties are at their strongest here, with young seniors still struggling to push through and establish themselves at club level.

Also, because of this, we can say we're 'lucky' that talent like Brad Smith are without a club, so available and surely keen for regular call-ups while they're between clubs. But it's far from best too, with the Catch-22 that it would be far better for him and us for him to be playing with a club, even if it meant we had more difficulty securing his call-up for these early stage fixtures. The irony was, if he was then he'd be back in Ange's squad, let alone the Olyroos.

Also, we often get excited with names on sheets but, for instance, Mabil, for some reason, hasn't seen recognition from Ange yet. Maybe because he's still settling in over in Denmark, but maybe too because he still has aspects of his game to develop? And for all the hype and talent, Chris Ikonomidis hasn't seen a senior club level game at all, yet (He's 20 going 21, May 2016), nor has CB-option Gallifuoco (21 going 22, Jan 2016). Further defensive concerns include Smith still without a club, increasingly lacking that necessary match fitness and form. Brillante (22, going 23 Mar 2016), Ugarkovic, Hoole (22), Naumoff and Galloway are struggling for regular match football at their clubs. That's a concern for the A-League boys especially, given the promise they have shown in previous seasons - another talent pool argument for A-League expansion there.

Atleast through their non-selection, we have a chance to see the Gersbach's, O'Neill's, Brillante's and possible some others hopefully push through at club level and be at that level to be first on the call-up sheet, come the actual qualifying Championship kicking off in just a few months.

14th of January is our first group game:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2016_AFC_U-23_Championship#Group_D

Just re-inforcing again, we need more of our talents pushing through at club level this season, for this squad to be less promise and more substance. The number of 21 and 22 year-old 'regular call-ups' in this squad that are still struggling for decent senior football, is still a concern, despite the contexts case-to-case.

Can't believe Smith has no club, surely won't be for too long.
Wondering what his history of injuries have been

Well, talk about nice timing - he's just re-signed with Liverpool! :o

I thought he had already left the club (Was club-less as of) a few months ago, so an interesting turn of events? :-k

None the less, good news. Hopefully he's a realistic chance or else, hopefully more loan opportunities beckon - his Swindon move was cut far too short in hindsight.

Edited by GloryPerth: 18/11/2015 10:59:48 AM

Arthur

Did you not think Derrick 'glided' past opposition players? From where I was sitting it seemed to me that that was exactly what he did. He didn't seem to make the kind of barnstorming runs which you're (understandably) criticising. He seemed to weave in and out of the opposition players with great close control, lots of light, measured touches at speed. That amounts to gliding. That's what I saw but I'd be happy to read different interpretations.

The Olympic team would be a lot stronger with Curtis Good down back. Has anyone got any update on him???

In fact, Ansell and Donachie would also strengthen this squad... The centre backs look a weakness to me in this current squad, while they could be a strength if all these lads were fit...

Thanks for clarifying the scenarios of a few more players, GP.

It does seem hard to get the best under 23 team on the pitch. One positive of this is we have a lot more depth in the age group.

It is Ange's role to oversee the teams, like Berger used to before.

Against mediocre opposition, if my memory serves me correctly I thought Anselll and Donachie were pretty effective as CBs some months ago for the under 23s.

those 2 guys definitely better than those in the current team .. Irvine is doing well but plays as a DM for his club..

Good is the real star though.. would really boost this team... where is he?????