Garang and Alou Kuol named for Olyroos but European-based stars missing

The Australian men’s Olympic qualification bid has been dealt a blow with several young stars unavailable for a key lead-in tournament.

Olyroos coach Tony Vidmar says the inability to pick several young stars for a Saudi Arabia tournament is “disappointing” but he will trial several new faces as his side prepares for a Paris qualification fight.

Vidmar was left unable to select some of Australia’s best European-based talent in his final squad before the under-23 Asian Cup next month after clubs blocked the release of players due to the tournament falling outside of FIFA’s international window.

Players who loom as integral to Australia’s Olympic hopes, including Serie B defender Alessandro Circati and Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Cameron Peupion, were missing from a 26-man squad named for this month’s West Asian Football Federation under-23 championship on Friday.

Highly rated Australian centre-back Alessandro Circati will not be available to help the Olyroos qualify for the Paris Games after Serie B club Parma decided not to release him for the Asian Cup next month. Picture: Ryan Pierse / Getty Images

The tournament is the last opportunity for Vidmar to assess the Olyroos’ playing stocks before the Asian Cup, where a top-three finish would secure Olympic qualification or a fourth-placed finish would send the Olyroos into a playoff match against an African nation.

Vidmar said he couldn’t pick any players who were set to be ineligible for the Asian Cup in April as he felt for those missing “on a personal level”.

“Unfortunately, the Asian Cup falls outside of a designated FIFA window, which presents challenges in players seeking releases from their respective clubs to join us in Qatar,” he said.

“It’s certainly disappointing not to have access to all those who are eligible for the Asian Cup, and on a personal level, I feel for those players who won’t have the opportunity to experience the tournament and reap the benefits in terms of their continued development.

Exciting forward Garang Kuol has been picked but Marco Tilio (left) is set to miss the Olyroos’ Paris qualifying bid with a hamstring tendon injury. Picture: Mark Kolbe / Getty Images

“It was something we always knew would be a possibility, so there has been a lot of planning that has gone into our preparation over the last 12 months, built on the understanding of the circumstances we could face regarding Asian Cup selection.”

Teenage Socceroos prodigy Garang Kuol was named in the squad despite struggling for minutes at his Dutch loan club Volendam and is set to reunite with his older brother Alou in attack at the West Asian championships.

But Melbourne City star Marco Tilio’s hopes of playing at either tournament have been shattered by a hamstring tendon injury that City confirmed on Friday.

The 22-year-old winger, who is on loan from Celtic and has seven Socceroos caps, will be sidelined for up to six weeks.

Despite his injury there was no room in the squad for Adelaide United teen star and future Bayern Munich player Nestory Irankunda.

OLYROOS SQUAD: Patrick Beach (GK), Hosine Bility, Giuseppe Bovalina, Lachlan Brook, Cameron Cook (GK), Jourdan Courtney-Perkins, Louis D’Arrigo, Kacob Farrell, Jake Girdwood-Reich, Steven Hall (GK), Corey Hollman, Jake Hollman, Jacob Italiano, Alou Kuol, Garang Kuol, Lucas Mauragis, Nicolas Milanovic, Mark Natta, Jahce Novello, Alexandar Popovic, Adrian Segecic, Ryan Teague, Nishan Velupillay, Thomas Waddingham, Patrick Yazbek, Rhys Youlley.