Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury grateful for chance in young opening XI

IT was more proof of Ange Postecoglou’s preference for a line-up of youth, putting his trust in a defence with an average age of just 24 to open the Asian Cup.

Socceroos training

IT was more proof of Ange Postecoglou’s preference for a line-up of youth, putting his trust in a defence with an average age of just 24 to open the Asian Cup on a momentous night for Australian football.

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Trent Sainsbury is grateful for the chacne Ange Postecoglou has given him.

The back five selected to take on Kuwait last Friday night counted just 52 caps between them, as Trent Sainsbury took the centreback’s role alongside Matthew Spiranovic.

Compare that with Holger Osieck’s last competitive game in charge, the World Cup qualifier against Iraq in June 2013, where the back five’s average age was 34, and there is a decade’s worth of difference.

If Sainsbury’s style on the ball is emblematic of the way Postecoglou wants to play, his selection was still something of a surprise after Alex Wilkinson’s appearances at the World Cup — at least to the outside. But Spiranovic, the senior figure at 26, said the players had been warned to expect the unexpected.

“Ange has made it clear at the start of the camp that every player would get called upon in this tournament, that everyone had to have that focus and be ready because at any time we could be needed,” he said.

“You saw last game there were a few surprises from the outside but we know that anything is possible in terms of selection.

Matthew Spiranovic in commanding form against Kuwait.

“The whole back four, we hadn’t played together and it always takes time to get on the same wavelength in that situation. It will only get better, but it was a good start for all of us.”

Nor was Sainsbury taken aback at getting the call, though the pain of missing the World Cup through a knee injury gave his selection a particularly pleasing aspect.

“I wasn’t surprised — I’d done enough to earn selection and it shows that Ange has the confidence in me so I’m happy with that,” he said.

“It’s the old saying, horses for courses. Players suit different leagues — you see in Championship football, say (in England), the big burly defenders — whereas in others they tend to be smaller but really good on the ball. Ange has chosen that style of football, to play out from the back, and I think it suits me and Matt really well.

“Age isn’t a huge issue, it all comes down to confidence I guess — you can’t be shy out there or you’ll get eaten alive. We haven’t played many games together, but there’s 100 per cent trust there because we know each other’s ability.

“The knee injury was devastating for me when that happened and the World Cup was coming around. But at the same time I knew that if I got through it there’d be brighter days ahead — essentially you hit rock bottom and there’s only an upward direction from there.

“To get the spot the other night was special, in front of friends and family — a chance to play a game and enjoy it.

“Now it would be nice to get a few games under our belt to form a strong bond. Conceding was disappointing the other night, we want a clean sheet now.”

Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Socceroos defender Trent Sainsbury grateful for chance in young opening XI