The boss has sent a clear message with his latest Caltex Socceroos squad. What did we learn?
The Danish League is a good move for Aussies
We might not see a lot of it on our TVs in Australia, but there’s obviously something about the Danish Superliga with Postecoglou selecting three players from the Danish top flight.
AGF Aarhus pair Chris Ikonomidis and Mustafa Amini have returned from the winter break in excellent form while on-loan Awer Mabil has stood out in a struggling Esjberg side.
Caltex Socceroos squad named for Iraq, UAE WCQs
Ange's blunt message with squad shake-up
Ange never afraid to make big calls
These qualifiers might be pivotal to Australia’s World Cup qualifying hopes but it hasn’t stopped Postecoglou punting on youth and new faces in his selection.
The likes of Riley McGree, Awer Mabil, Rhyan Grant and Danny Vukovic are hungry for an opportunity and the boss won’t hesitate throwing them in if he thinks they are ready.
Form and playing regularly really does count
Only four players that didn’t start for their clubs over the weekend have been included in the squad – it is a clear sign Postecoglou wants his players coming in confident and in peak condition. The selection of Sydney FC duo Danny Vukovic and Rhyan Grant is the prime example.
The pair have never played a senior international before but have been called up due to their career-best form with the Sky Blues.
Midfield remains our strength
While finding a consistent goal-scorer and regular fullbacks has been an issue for Postecoglou in recent years, he really does have an embarrassment of riches in the middle of the park.
Coming up with the right combination in midfield looks a tricky task with the likes of Mooy, Irvine, Jedinak, Luongo, Milligan, Troisi and Jeggo all in sensational form for their clubs. Whoever Postecoglou selects, the Caltex Socceroos should dominate the midfield battle against both Iraq and UAE.
The Caltex Socceroos tackle UAE in a crucial World Cup Qualifier in Sydney on March 28. Click here for tickets