Talking Points: Alessandro Circati, young talent time, returns, absences and injuries

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Graham Arnold announced a youthful 23-player squad as the Subway Socceroos prepare to face Argentina at the Workers' Stadium in Beijing on Thursday, 15 June.

Watch the video above or read on to find out what the boss had to say ahead of our meeting against the reigning World Champions next week.

On Alessandro Circati's decision to commit to Australia:

I'll be honest, it's been 12 months of communication with the kid. Obviously had two big decisions to make, whether it was Italy or Australia, but about two weeks ago, he rang me up and he said, he's had a great time to think about this big decision for a young kid, and he said, he wants to play for Australia. His heart has told him and he believes that he wants to play for Australia, and he's passion straightaway to come in was great. Well, I said okay, if I put you in this camp, are you ready? And he said, 100% and it's great, great to get him on board. Because as you can see by the squad, it's a younger squad, but I'm also obviously looking at one eye on the World Cup 2026 and getting players ready for that. And I don't believe there's a better way to test them out and against the World Champion. So having Alessandro in camp with us will be fantastic.

On the young talent currently in the Australian football ecosystem:

It's where we're going. In terms of football in Australia. I think that it's getting, obviously, after the World Cup in Qatar, there's a lot of hype around football in Australia and kids and when you look at today, and there'll be some selections there that you see that are not with me, but they're with the Under 23s. I have this major importance on the Olyroos to qualify for Paris because I know what a successful Olympic campaign can do and when I say that the successful Olympic campaign in a lot of ways it's just qualifying and getting that extra pathway and longer pathway but also the belief that it gives the players when they go on the big stage and they're playing against the you know, so called bigger names that they believe that they belong and you know, and your Tilio and young Garang Kuol and those boys that have gone across there (to France) the reason Jordy Bos stayed with me is obviously Aziz Behich is out with an injury and also you know, Jordy is heading off. He couldn't get across to Toulon in time but also he's heading to Westerlo straightaway. So he's got to get across to Belgium earlier but obviously with a FIFA window we have the power there to stop him from going straight away and using him.

On several experienced players missing due to injury:

They're purely injured the lot of them and you've got to look at the program they've had over the last 12 months. There's been a World Cup and a heavy World Cup straight back to club land, playing a lot of football and you know I expected this would happen that they needed a break but the all of them are legitimately injured. And they've got not badly injured. Craig Goodwin obviously needs an operation Cameron Burgess was on the list as well at Ipswich and he's had to have a hernia operation as well. So they're all got legitimate injuries. There's no one rested because you know, the one side of me is obviously developing Australian kids and giving them that chance. And as I said, I've got one eye on the 2026 World Cup but when you pick your national team, you pick the best available and this is the best squad available.

On Andrew Redmayne's absence:

Well, that is one that you know, there is question marks on players certain players that if they will make 2026 and Andrew Redmayne today's 35 So at the end of the day, it's that side of it, we know what Redders can do and in cups and tournaments and gives Tommy Glover and young Joe Gauci this opportunity to come into camp because as I said, I've got one eye on the World Cup 2026 And who will be available if something happens to Maty Ryan who's next? And the only way I can find that out is in friendly matches, and I don't want to be doing that and World Cup qualifiers. I've got to do that in so called friendly matches. And you know, Tommy Glover has had a very good season, so has Gauci. And I think watching the grand final the other night if it wasn't for Tommy Glover, it would have been 10-1 or 11-1 so you know he's had a very good season and he definitely deserved his call-up.

On Denis Genreau's return to the national team:

He's doing exceptionally well. And you know, it was a tough decision for me to leave him out of the World Cup, but it's important that you reconnect with the kid as soon as possible. And if there's one little bit of a payback for some of them, that were left out of the World Cup is to play against Argentina and the world's best. And Deni's been fantastic this year. He had an operation while we were at the World Cup, and he's come back very well. And again, he's thoroughly deserved his call up.

On the midfield depth without the experience pair of Jackson Irvine and Aaron Mooy:

Aiden O'Neill's been doing exceptionally well, Cam Devlin's playing at a good level every week, Denis Genreau as Vince asked. I actually think he's more of a six than an eight. So now we've got that position and Keanu Baccus. So most important thing for this with short prep, going into China and being able to do this, is the players come in with really good energy. And conditions will be a little bit humid and warm. But you know, with the younger players who've got that, that energy in them that they'll run all day and fight and it's going to be great. I'm just so excited, I'm getting goose bumps now that we can play the World Champions so soon after a World Cup and get revenge.

On ambitions for this game:

I want do better than what we did against Ecuador, you know, and I thought that three halves out of the four against Ecuador were very good. And again, it's about bringing these kids into the environment and giving them this opportunity. Because unless you give those opportunities in life, you never know what will happen. And you know, I've never been one to just sit back and go with the old or go with the same once again, it's about again improving the team, the depth of the team. And as I said, we've got the World Cup qualifiers starting in November. It's not like they're a year away. So you know, we've got to get onto this as quick as we can, create the depth, we have the depth and move forward.

On the benefit the young players will gain from facing the World Champions:

It's just like, as I said, It's a fantastic opportunity for all of us. And, you know, as I said, the fact that we're playing against the world champion straight after a World Cup is a one off, I don't think it's ever happened before for the Socceroos and Argentina had a big role to play in that to play against us. And when I met Lionel Scaloni at the World Cup coach's review and how impressed he was with us and was pretty much their choice. And because we hadn't lined up a game in June at that stage that they helped choose us. So it's a fantastic opportunity for us to go out there. And as I said, Give it everything we've got. These young boys will bring energy galore and I can't wait.