So when is he gonna make the Socceroos squad? At the age of 28?

Silvera on at 77

gees that's a quick turnaround from Socceroos duty, even if he wasn't used in the final game

Kuol on last 10 mimutes
This is fine at his career stage tbh. Hope he works hard and gets some starts

Probably will play at the Olympics if we qualify considering it's a good starting point and it's in the offseason. Come back to this comment when he does.

True let’s hope Italy go far 

My mate thinks Glover had his worst game for boro but he didn't look to bad from what I saw 

Interesting?

I'll let you know that Italy didn't qualify. As usual

Showing Garang Kuol some love 

Found this highlight comp:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i5zi78X2344 

Garang doesn't get mentioned as much anymore as he has fallen behind some of the other young guns but as this highlight reel shows, he still has lots of potential. Looks an improved player since his CCM days, a bit faster and stronger and generally smarter. Created some good chances and honestly based on these highlights, could've scored like another 5 goals. Might take him a few seasons to really get going but hopefully by 2026 we have a really improved player because we will need it. 

Looking forward to seeing him with the Olyroos this year as well.

yeah the way volendam play they need a physical presence up front. They are making around 100 passes per game and parking the bus. But the rare moments kuol gets on the ball he does dazzle. Paradoxically I think he would be better in a mid table team. 

Thanks for posting, too many fans are thinking his stint failed and not paying attention to the context. By the end of the season he will be up to at least 20 games in the eredivisie and at least 900 minutes and he has scored against the rangers, bulked up a bit, improved his defence a bit so he is going ok

Toure starting in France 

Al Hassan for Ajaccio. Such a solid yet surprising rise from the Turkish 2nd tier. Considering he scored to put us through to the last Olympics he's catching up now.

Volpato appears in the Serie A's best XI for the week.

https://x.com/SerieA/status/1754844891966845249?s=20

A few more of these and he is a chance for the Euro's?

We've stupidly waited too long. We should never be forgoing these decent opportunities considering the number of lower tier players we've given a shot before. Italy's A games are the Euros so it's paramount we call him up in March.

Man what are you talking about? There’s a billion articles out there about how we’ve been chasing him for years lol 

We've waited too long to call him up. This talking and asking/ liaising isn't working. He needs to be named in the next squad. Even at his level now he'd be an asset for Australia. The question remains if he wants to. 

I don't think that's the right way to approach it. You need Volpato to be given choice and make his decision. If you just name him it's trying to force his hand. People don't like to be forced they like to make choices. It's human nature. Force his hand and odds are good he baulks for no other reason than we're trying to force him. 

It was reported that Arnie met with him & Volpato said that he wanted to play for us, but his club/ agent talked him out of it - told him that it would be better for him to focus on his club football. You may recall a radio interview where Arnie said that he's got some "big Volpato news to be announced shortly" and the next time he was asked about him he said that Volpato was concentrating on his club football. Besides, he's not going to be selected for Italy after one good game & scoring a goal. A couple of games before the Sassuolo fans were questioning his place in the team. 

If he wants to play for Australia then this should be sorted in March and June with A internationals. He said he wanted to focus on club football. He's had 9 months of that now. It's too risky to allow the Italians to keep getting into his head.

This isn't the first or last case of this kind in international football. We need to make a move and not only end the discussion but have him playing too. 

Realistically, to lock him in before Euros, he needs to be selected in both squads and play all 4 games AND not be selected by Italy for the Euros. One minute at the Euros will lock him in for good. Needs more than 3 games to lock in for us.

He is definitely a chance. Italy does not have much depth in his position in comparison to England, France etc

Yep, that's 100% true. And even moreso if he starts scoring regularly.

Just noticed the way I typed the above post may be confusing. But essentially, at this point to be locked in to either set-up:

AUSTRALIA - Needs to play in 3 (or more than 3) non-friendlies (World/Asian Cup Qualifiers) to be locked in for good. The next bit about Italy will put things into perspective.
ITALY - If he decides to play for Italy, and is selected in the Euros squad, one appearance at all during the tournament will lock him to Italy for good. It would have been the same for us if he was selected for, and played at, the Asian Cup

Italy aren't going to pick a kid that's only started once this season, playing for a team battling against relegation. He's been decent this season when he's come off the bench, however one good performance & goal isn't going to get him an Italian NT jersey. I think he's the real deal, that's why I've been calling for him to be picked for 2 years. It would've been great to have had him at the Asian Cup, playing next to Alex Robertson 

I tend to agree but the end part they definitely weren't questioning his place in the team, he has been very good every time he has featured and even if some did it wasn't an indictment on Volpato's ability rather a question of why he hasn't been getting any minutes but was strongly paid. Realistically, Sassuolo have mentioned they originally signed Volpato for 2024 because there was a good chance they would lose one of their starters in the January window and needed a backup but now one of their best players is injured and that's why Volpato is starting. Also, I can't see anyway he gets called up to Italy unless he scores every game for the rest of the season, the sample size is too small for a strong European nation in a big tournament. He won't accept a march call-up it's too early. Olympics is the most likely route for Volpato's entry into the NT and from there, next season and later half 2024 FIFAWC qualifiers he is present. Also a good chance he plays the Olympics in the off-season and doesn't play for NT till 2025, to re-establish himself in the new season but time will tell. Not worth speculating too vigorously.  

It's proven the struggles Australians face trying to keep a spot in Europe, it's very challenging and yeah he had like 9 months but he didn't establish himself in that time and is only starting too. He is only 20 years old, it's normal to expect him to maybe a final decision and jeopardise his club career which if he does choose us and lose his spot well then his value for us declines if he doesn't get any minutes. I also think there isn't any conspiracy that if he chooses Australia then he will never get a game in Italy again, Sassuolo are just looking out for themselves him constantly travelling and he will miss match days, trainings etc and for a young player who isn't established could very easily lose his spot in the pecking order, look how easy it was for our best players like Hrustic and Souttar who struggles to get any minutes. Minutes in the Seire A right now should be his number 1 priority right now and nothing else regardless of how that effects Australia and Italy. 

If he isn't picked for the Euros in June then our chances of getting him for July's Olympics (also need to qualify which is another problem) sky rocket but basically we just need to wait and report on his progress at Sassuolo.

There have been teams of great players with individual skill that have not achieved much because they did not play with heart for something bigger than just yousrelf and your club CV. Look at Jordan beating Korea 2-0. Great skills by Altamani who plays for Montpelier but they won, and all their players on the day were one, because of heart. It was great to watch, both onfield and in the stands. Jordan's Nov 2005...Jordan only has 11.5 million population, Palestinian refugees make 2.1 million of the 11.5. In other words I doubt Volpato would add value if his heart isn't in the Socceroos jersey. Only he knows what his heart and guts say.

I don't understand this. If he gets capped by either country in a full international he's locked in to that Country right? 

It would appear that it's 4? Non tournament A Caps or a single tournament cap. The latter in didn't know. Thanks Nic!