Socceroos boss Tony Popovic searching for a 20-goal season from Aussie attacker
Staying in the A-League for another season and scoring 20 goals could earn talented young Australian forwards a place at next year’s World Cup.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Socceroos coach Tony Popovic has warned the A-League’s quartet of emerging Australian goalscorers to think carefully before making a move to an overseas club ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup.
The top four names on this season’s A-League goalscoring chart are all young Australian attackers hopeful of being part of Popovic’s World Cup plans should the Socceroos qualify.
Sydney FC’s Adrian Segecic and Adelaide United’s Archie Goodwin scored 13 regular season goals each and will share the Golden Boot, while Western Sydney’s Nicolas Milanovic and Western United’s Noah Botic each netted 12.
Of the four, at least three – Segecic, Botic and Milanovic, whose move to Scottish club Aberdeen has all but been confirmed – seem set to head overseas ahead of the 2025-26 season.
“If they choose to go overseas, really the question is ‘why am I going overseas’?” Popovic said.
“Am I just going to be a bit-part player? Or if I can go overseas, where I know the sporting director and the coach want to develop me, that (still) may mean you still don’t get minutes, but that they really want you at the club, they see you as being part future of the club … those discussions are very important for the player and the agent and the clubs involved.
“If that’s not clear, then they’re doing well in the A-League, and we are showing that A-League players will get a chance to play for the Socceroos, so players can’t use that as a reason (by saying) ‘I’m going overseas so I can get into the Socceroos’.
“It’s proven now that you can be an A-League player and not only play for the Socceroos, that’s one part, to participate, (but) the boys that are playing at the moment from the A-League, they’re actually making major contributions, so they should be confident that if they decide to stay here and play, they have a chance.”
While pleased to have so many young Australians at the top of the goalscoring list this season, Popovic said their next challenge – if they were to remain in the A-League – was to become a 20-goal-per-season scorer.
Since the 2015-16 A-League season, Golden Boot winners have on seven occasions scored 20 goals or more.
“I’m glad that they’re scoring, and they’re certainly on the (Socceroos) radar, but their challenge will be, next (season) can they go to 20 goals?” Popovic said.
“They’re doing great. Can they back it up next (season) and add more goals?”
Popovic said young Australian players needed to make the most of the extra game time they were now getting at A-League clubs who had been forced to give emerging young talent more opportunities due to restricted budgets.
“The bosses of the clubs and people that are putting money into the game, they’re finding it very hard. but from the playing side, the young players are really flourishing at the moment,” Popovic said.
“If you’re a good young player in Australia, at the moment, you should be really happy.
“You can question sometimes the quality of the games, but you can’t question young players getting an opportunity.
“You can see there is a lot of potential out there, and all the (A-League) coaches are doing great jobs with young talent.
“From a playing point of view, and as Socceroos coach, I’m delighted.”
Originally published as Socceroos boss Tony Popovic searching for a 20-goal season from Aussie attacker
‘We deserve finals spot’: Reds coach
There is no doubt in Carl Veart’s mind that his Adelaide United team is worthy of a place in this season’s A-League finals series.
Chelsea sink champions Liverpool, Man Utd crash at Brentford
Chelsea improved their chances of qualifying for the Champions League with a vital 3-1 victory over Liverpool, while Manchester United’s winless league run reached six games.