Breaks in A-League has potential to propel Australia’s youth teams back to the international spotlight

LIVE CHAT: THE introduction of FIFA international windows in the A-League has the potential to propel Australia’s youth teams back into the international spotlight, writes DAVID DAVUTOVIC.

Socceroos Mile Jedinak celebrates after scoring his third goal with Socceroos Robbie Kruse during the Australia v Honduras World Cup decider at ANZ Stadium, Sydney. Picture: Brett Costello

THE introduction of FIFA international windows in the A-League has the potential to propel Australia’s youth teams back into the international spotlight.

The last few months have been educational from a youth development viewpoint, and undoubtedly progress has been made.

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The emergence of Daniel Arzani, Nathaniel Atkinson (Melbourne City) Jacob Italiano (Perth Glory), Ryan Strain (Adelaide United), Lachlan Wales (Central Coast) and Joey Champness (Newcastle Jets) has arguably been the highlight of the A-League season.

Imagine watching all of these young guns together in a Young Socceroos or Olyroos shirt playing regularly during FIFA breaks against quality international opposition, without a club v country war requiring arbitration.

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A ‘Festival of Football’ during international breaks can provide up to nine days of thrilling content, which can be moved or even auctioned around to various locations around Australia.

The Socceroos and Matildas are the main international drawcards, but make no mistake, the Olyroos, Young Socceroos, Joeys and Young Matildas have the potential to pack boutique stadiums.

Olyroos coach Ante Milicic. Pic: Getty Images

Daniel Arzani’s emergence has been a highlight of the A-League season. Pic: AAP

Older generations became accustomed to dieting on a healthy exposure of youth football — the Young Socceroos impressing in the FIFA U20 World Cups on home soil in 1981 and ’93 (the ’93 tournament was one of my first football memories) or their extraordinary run at Portugal 1991, the Joeys’ run to the final at the FIFA U17 World Cup in ’99, or the Olyroos’ regular Olympics appearances and preparation games to boot.

The younger generation has been robbed of this opportunity.

Australia’s group stage exit at the AFC U23 Championships was not as catastrophic as some have painted.

The Ante Milicic coached team played well, but lacked the killer instinct that x-factor attackers and/or regular first-team football can provide.

Imagine the season ran longer or if the likes of Arzani (he wasn’t in the squad but will be part of the Tokyo 2020 qualifiers) and Champness had broken into senior football earlier, as would likely happen if there were more teams and/or less overlap between the A-League and international calendar.

City coach Warren Joyce revealed that Arzani has been affected by being away for seven weeks during two Australian youth camps — City and the Wanderers lost eight players apiece to the Young Socceroos tournament in October.

Sam Kerr and the Matildas are a major drawcard of Australian football. Pic: Getty Images

This is not a new issue — Stefan Mauk, Jason Geria, Scott Galloway, Connor Pain and many others have lost precious A-League minutes due to being away and coaches planning without them.

FIFA breaks are viewed with negativity, but they can in fact sensationally revolutionise Australian football.

With FIFA’s match calendar mandating three international breaks during the A-League season and five incorporating pre-season, these would provide Australia’s youth coaches with sufficient time to run training camps.

It would also alleviate the need for A-League coaches to plan and prepare for ensuing seasons knowing that they will be missing a chunk of Australian youth players.

From a commercial viewpoint, it could give Football Federation Australia a valuable commercial asset in light of revenue concerns ahead of the A-League’s imminent transition into independence.

There are challenges that must be workshopped, but it’s time to start the discussion before Tokyo 2020 and the 2019 FIFA U20 World Cup qualification gets away from us.

Ultimately it’s the Socceroos who will benefit, and Asian youth results indicate that qualifying for Qatar 2022 will be no cakewalk.

The Socceroos could benefit from greater exposure for youth teams. Picture: Brett Costello

THE FIFA WINDOW ‘FESTIVAL OF FOOTBALL’

STANDARD FIFA INTERNATIONAL WINDOW

*A-League/W-League rounds conclude on the Sunday

Tuesday — Mini Matildas / Joeys (U17s)

Wednesday — Young Matildas / Young Socceroos (U20s)

Thursday — Matildas / Olyroos

Friday — Mini Matildas / Joeys (U17s) / Socceroos

Saturday — W-League and A-League All-Stars games (vs local XI)

Sunday — Young Matildas / Young Socceroos (U20s)

Monday — Matildas / Olyroos

Tuesday — W-League and A-League All-Stars games (vs local XI) / Socceroos

Wednesday — Mini Matildas / Joeys (U17s)

*Friday — A-League/W-League resumes

FIFA INTERNATIONAL LATCH CALENDAR FOR 2018-19

2018

September 3-11

October 8-16

November 12-20

2019

March 18-26

June 3-11

September 2-10

October 7-15

November 11-19

Originally published as Breaks in A-League has potential to propel Australia’s youth teams back to the international spotlight