Asian Cup 2015: Alex Wilkinson gets Socceroos chance thanks to Matthew Spiranovic’s suspension
THE Asian Cup chance that Alex Wilkinson has been craving for has arrived, but not in the manner the former Mariners skipper would have liked.
THE Asian Cup chance that Alex Wilkinson has been craving for has arrived, but not in the manner the former Central Coast Mariners skipper would have liked.
Having started in 10 successive matches for the Socceroos prior to the Asian Cup, Wilkinson did not see a minute of action in Australia’s three Group A matches, having been relegated to third-choice centre-back behind Trent Sainsbury and Matthew Spiranovic.
But with Spiranovic suspended for Australia’s quarter-final with China on Thursday night at Suncorp Stadium, 30-year-old Wilkinson will be reunited with his old Mariners teammate Sainsbury in the heart of Australia’s defence.
“Unfortunately for Spiro he is suspended, and it opens up a spot for me,” Wilkinson said in lamenting in the manner of Spiranovic’s absence.
“Obviously you never want to sit on the bench and it’s disappointing, but Spiro and Sains have done really well in the first three games and it is great to see them working up a really good partnership.
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“I’ll look to go in and do my best, and fill in like we have done all tournament.
“The depth in squad is good and we have seen when players are rested or not playing, people have stepped up and fitted in seamlessly, and that’s why I’ll be doing.”
The Mariners’ flavour to Australia’s stocks will be further boosted by the likely return of ex-Central Coast star and Socceroos skipper Mile Jedinak,as well as constant presence of the Gosford-based A-League club’s former goalkeeper Mat Ryan.
Wilkinson (Joenbuk Hyundai Motors, South Korea), Sainsbury (PEC Zwolle, the Netherlands), Ryan (Club Brugge, Belgium) and Jedinak (Crystal Palace, England) have all moved on to greener pastures.
But they remain proud of their Central Coast pedigree.
“I was at the club when Trent first came through … we know each other really well and get on really well,” Wilkinson said.
“(It’s) great Matty’s doing so well and (also) Mile. We’ve got a few boys who donned a Mariners jersey. It’s great to see products from the club going through and making it to rep honours.”
Ryan said a Mariners’ reunion on Thursday night would be a “nice little touch” .
“Fingers crossed we can recover well,” the keeper said after Australia’s 1-0 loss to South Korea.
Spiranovic, who is banned for one game after picking up his second yellow card of the tournament in the Socceroos’ weekend defeat, had no doubt Wilkinson would perform well against China.
“The boys that have come in have done the job, and I’m sure that Wilko will be no different,” Spiranovic said.
“He’s got a lot of experience in Asia so I’m sure we’ll be OK.”
Originally published as Asian Cup 2015: Alex Wilkinson gets Socceroos chance thanks to Matthew Spiranovic’s suspension
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