Socceroos v New Zealand: Graham Arnold‘s selections provide clues as to FIFA World Cup planning

Garang Kuol, Mitch Langerak and Adam Taggart are among the fascinating Socceroos selection for NZ friendlies two months out from the World Cup, writes ADAM PEACOCK.

A teenager born in Egypt, a Scottish international, a Korea-based defender who grew up in America and an unretired star from Japan.

The Graham Arnold-led Socceroos era had been trademarked by scouring the globe for options to provide depth, and so it continues with ten new players brought in to a 31-man squad for next week’s friendly games against New Zealand; the last outings before November’s World Cup.

As revealed by CODE Sports on Tuesday, 17-year-old striker Garang Kuol, born to South Sudanese parents in Egypt, has been called up after his eye-catching cameo for the A League All Stars against Barcelona in May.

Kuol, who turns 18 tomorrow, has yet to start an A League Men’s game, but has been picked on his unlimited potential, as much as anything else. Eligible for South Sudan and also Egypt, debuting Kuol in the New Zealand games won’t tie him officially to Australia, but will go a long way to doing so. A similar sentiment existed in 1996, when the late Eddie Thompson capped Harry Kewell, to ward off interest from England.

Garang Kuol of the Central Coast Mariners has been selected in a key Socceroos squad before even starting an A-League game. Picture: Joe Allison/Getty Images

Kuol’s Central Coast teammate, 27-year-old Jason Cummings is also in line for a debut. Cummings, a livewire striker on the pitch, and character off it, has represented Scotland twice. But due to his Australian born-mother, he is able to switch allegiance because those games weren’t in official tournaments. Cummings scored 10 goals for the Mariners last season and gets his chance ahead of Garang Kuol’s brother Alou, who can count himself unfortunate to miss national selection.

Alou is capable of the ridiculous, as displayed by his scorpion kick goal at the recent under 23 AFC Championship. He recently sat on the bench at German Bundesliga club Stuttgart, who have him training full-time with the first team, but playing on weekends with their second team in order to keep up match minutes.

Importantly, Arnold’s first choice striking option, Japan-based Adam Taggart, is back after a series of niggling injuries.

Central Coast Mariners striker Jason Cummings has earned a Socceroos squad call-up right before the World Cup. Picture: Ashley Feder/Getty Images

Goalkeeper Mitch Langerak, in terrific form with Japanese club Nagoya, has also returned to the national team set-up after retiring during the COVID-19 pandemic, sighting Japan’s strict quarantine rules which would have separated him from his young family for an unreasonable amount of time if he travelled with the Socceroos.

Langerak, though, will keep the pressure on captain Maty Ryan, who has established himself as clear the number one for the Socceroos and has moved to Copenhagen in Denmark in search of game time.

Langerak has had plenty of that over the last five years in Japan, and is the reigning J League keeper of the year. ‘Grey Wiggle’ Andrew Redmayne is the third of the keepers, meaning Danny Vukovic, who recently returned from Europe to link up with Central Coast Mariners, is an unlucky omission.

Mitchell Langerak in action for Nagoya Grampus. The Japan-based goalkeeper has ended a brief Socceroos retirement that he announced last year. Picture: Masashi Hara/Getty Images

Italy-based duo Alessandro Circati and Cristian Volpato are not in the squad.

CODE Sports understands Volpato is leaning towards playing for Australia, but is still wary of making a final call at this stage of his career. Roma, his club, aren’t overly enthusiastic about him travelling halfway around the world in international breaks while he’s trying to establish himself in Jose Mourinho’s first team set up.

Circati, a central defender, has impressed in Italy’s second division with Parma, but like Volpato has represented Italy at youth team level.

Cristian Volpato (R) of AS Roma celebrates a goal scored by teammate Eldor Shomurodov (L) during a Europa League group match against PFC Ludogorets Razgrad last week. Picture: Vasile Mihai-Antonio/Getty Images

The mercurial Tom Rogic isn’t in the squad as he restarts his club career in England with West Bromwich Albion. Rogic, who pulled out of the Peru playoff squad in June without reason, has made his peace with Arnold and declared himself available for the Socceroos again but this camp comes too soon, having just signed with West Brom this week.

Rogic has 13 games to get up to full speed and, looking at this squad, his creativity would be a welcome addition to complement the likes of Ajdin Hrustic, now playing in Italy, and Aaron Mooy, who appears a concrete selection in midfield.

Tom Rogic poses with a West Bromwich Albion jersey outside the club’s training ground in Walsall. The star playmaker is walking a fine line towards World Cup selection. Picture: Adam Fradgley/West Bromwich Albion FC via Getty Images

The friendlies against New Zealand will go a long way to whittling down the 35 players or so in contention to the final squad 26, named on November 14, for the World Cup.

Arnold is expected to use primarily a European-based side next Thursday in Brisbane, and release some players early to go back to Europe so they don’t miss too much training time and get frozen out of all-important game time in the lead up to November. Many a Socceroo’s club career has been derailed by a late return from another hemisphere.

Central defensive positions are critical. Staying in Europe to recover from injury is Harry Souttar, almost back from a busted ACL, while Kye Rowles is out of a broken foot, which is expected to heal in time for the World Cup. Souttar and Rowles are arguably Arnold’s first choice options, depending on the form and fitness of Trent Sainsbury.

So without Souttar and Rowles, Harrison Delbridge, who formed his talent in the United States at high school and college, has been plucked from Korea’s first division, while the adaptable Thomas Deng is back after a layoff and performing strongly with Japanese second division side Albirex Niigata.

Harrison Delbridge, now playing in Korea’s first division, in action for Melbourne City in 2020. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Arnold has long said making the Tokyo Olympics with the Olyroos would pay off for the Socceroos program in years to come, and he’s accelerated that process further by choosing three midfielders from that group for the New Zealand games.

Keanu Baccus, who has caught the eye for St Mirren in Scotland, the robust Hearts-based Cam Devlin and Connor Metcalfe, a slightly more attacking midfield option, is also recalled just months into life at new club St Pauli, where he plays with Socceroos teammate Jackson Irvine.

Tyrese Francios, who recently went on loan from Fulham in the Premier League to Gorica in Croatia, provides depth with Baccus and Devlin in a defensive midfielder role, long an area of concern for Arnold.

Keanu Baccus in action for St Mirren during a Scottish Premiership match. He has impressed since joining the club from Western Sydney Wanderers. Picture: Craig Foy/SNS Group via Getty Images

One starting position for the World Cup that is far from settled is right back and Ryan Strain, a teammate at St Mirren with Baccus, is in the squad to challenge Nathaniel Atkinson and Fran Karacic.

Seven players from the squad which qualified against Peru in June have missed out.

Rowles, Gianni Stensness and Craig Goodwin are injured.

Jason Davidson and Kenny Dougall can count themselves unlucky, as they are starting regularly at their clubs in Europe, while A League Men’s players Nick D’Agostino (Melbourne Victory) and ‘keeper Vukovic, are also omitted.

Their World Cup hopes aren’t extinguished but Rogic, Rowles and Souttar aside, it’s hard to imagine many outside this 31-man squad having the time to impress before the World Cup starts.

Kye Rowles (R) had impressed for Hearts and the Socceroos before being struck down by injury while playing in Scotland. Picture: Mark Scates/SNS Group via Getty Images

Full squad

Goalkeepers: Mitch Langerak (Nagoya Grampus, Japan), Andrew Redmayne (Sydney FC, Australia), Maty Ryan (FC Copenhagen, Denmark)

Defenders: Nathaniel Atkinson (Hearts, Scotland), Aziz Behich (Dundee Utd, Scotland), Harrison Delbridge (Incheon Utd, Korea), Milos Degenek (Columbus Crew, USA), Thomas Deng (Alberix Niigata, Japan), Fran Karacic (Brescia, Italy), Joel King (Odense, Denmark), Trent Sainsbury (Al Wakrah, Qatar), Ryan Strain (St Mirren, Scotland), Bailey Wright (Sunderland, England)

Midfielders: Keanu Baccus (St Mirren, Scotland), Cameron Devlin (Hearts, Scotland), Tyrese Francios (Gorica, Croatia), Denis Genreau (Toulouse, France), Ajdin Hrustic (Hellas Verona, Italy), Jackson Irvine (St Pauli, Germany), Riley McGree (Middlesbrough, England), Connor Metcalfe (St Pauli, Germany), Aaron Mooy (Celtic, Scotland)

Forwards: Martin Boyle (Hibernian, Scotland) Jason Cummings (Central Coast, Australia), Mitch Duke (Fagiano Okayama, Japan), Garang Kuol (Central Coast), Mat Leckie (Melbourne City, Australia), Awer Mabil (Cadiz, Spain), Jamie Maclaren (Melbourne City, Australia), Adam Taggart (Cerezo Osaka, Japan), Marco Tilio (Melbourne City, Australia)

Originally published as Socceroos v New Zealand: Graham Arnold‘s selections provide clues as to FIFA World Cup planning