Next-gen Socceroos can step up against Honduras

An experience gulf will pose a greater challenge in the Socceroos’ World Cup playoff with Honduras than the hostile locals.

The Socceroos at a training session at Francisco Morazan stadium in San Pedro Sula

As the Socceroos assemble in San Pedro Sula it seems a gulf in experience will pose a greater challenge in their World Cup playoff with Honduras than the so-called hostile local environment.

Coach Ange Postecoglou led the first group of players into the central American republic on Monday ahead of Saturday’s first match in the two-legged playoff.

A-League players and Asia-based pair Trent Sainsbury and Milos Degenek were among the first to arrive. Most European stars were to expected yesterday.

Mitch Langerak’s journey is long. The gloveman flew from Valencia to Frankfurt to Paris before a trans-Atlantic flight to Mexico City and on to Honduras.

He was one of six players, including Tim Cahill, Tomi Juric, Alex Gersbach, Mathew Jurman and Nikita Rukavytsya, to miss the first training at San Pedro Sula.

The 16 on the ground completed light drills and praised the welcome from locals. There has been no repeat of the ugliness that marred Australia’s 2001 World Cup playoff with Uruguay, when Paul Okon’s team were spat on and violently jostled upon ­arrival.

Despite the local publication of the Socceroos’ itinerary, accommodation and training schedule, Sainsbury says they’ve been treated respectfully.

“People keep hyping up that this is a really dangerous place to come and it’s going to be really hostile. I don’t see it that way ... everyone’s really friendly,” he said.

“It’s a nice place with nice weather. I’ve been happy with the way it’s gone so far and I think we’re looking good.”

When the entire squad assembles, they’ll find a much-changed Socceroos from their last clutch qualifier four years ago.

If Tim Cahill — said to be an “outside chance” of playing after rolling his ankle in the A-League on Friday night — is correct, no one who started the final game of the 2014 qualification effort will take the field.

That was at ANZ Stadium against Iraq, when substitute Josh Kennedy’s late header ensured Australia’s place in Brazil.

The player turnover owes much to Postecoglou’s transformation of the side and the absence of Mark Milligan, Mat Leckie (suspension) and Robbie Kruse (injury). But it also underlines a lack of qualification experience.

Sainsbury said the side would overcome those concerns. “Ange has done a great job of bringing in players at younger ages and developing them,” he said.

“We’ve got a really strong leadership base.

“The older boys — Milligan, Kruser, Lecks — are very experienced ... Not being here, it’s a loss for us but at the same time we’ve got a lot of boys that have been around for a long time now ... they can step up and fill the void.”

Cahill spent most of his flight with his legs elevated as he tries to recover from his ankle injury.

Honduras have announced a surprise recall for striker Eddie Hernandez, who is set to recover from a fractured cheekbone.

Hernandez has scored six goals in 19 internationals and was a key player in Honduras’ past two ­qualifiers, scoring a goal in the 1-1 draw with Costa Rica and providing an assist in the 3-2 win over Mexico that secured their playoff spot. However, he was overlooked due to a facial injury when coach Jorge Luis Pinto named his squad to play the Socceroos.

The injury means Hernandez will need to wear a protective mask should he be selected.

Goalkeeper Kevin Hernandez has also been brought into the squad. The 31-year-old is the custodian at Honduran club Real Espana, whose field the Socceroos are using as a training base.

AAP