Not sure if it’s just me but the last season or two there seems to be more young talent getting game time and looking collectively better than what we’ve seen since the A-League started.
Mo Toure & Josh Rawlins were named as the top 17 year olds in the country in the Guardian.
Who do you think will have a career at a good level overseas? Who is going to be mainstays in the Socceroos in the future? Lets say A-league U21 players.
The Toure brothers are obvious candidates. Al-Hassan had an injury problem last season right?
Will Rawlins be first choice this season?
King has played 55 games before turning 21 and looked pretty good at the Olympics.
Wood has done fantastically for an 18 year old. 4 games in under 500 minutes.
Tilio looking ready for a breakout season since he moved south.
Was it Raphael Borges Rodrigues who looked good in that City game with all the kids?
Do you think Glover is the long term successor in goal?
There were a fair few years that the lost generation between NSL and HAL created a gap.
This was compounded by conservative managment that took the safe journeyman option over rough unproven potential.
Partially I would say COVID and salary cap reductions, and concessions rewarding promotion from within have allowed more youth a chance but there have always been good quality young players in the league but I would say that the biggest improvement is the academy systems starting to bear fruit.
The pandemic was a god send for the IUALM (aka the HAL). Got rid of a decent amount of ‘solid A-League citizens’ who chased the money in India or whatever they could get in Europe and forced clubs to play more teenagers and guys in their early 20s. And the 5 subs as well was a big factor.
And it all led to probably the best season ever in terms of entertainment.
Tilio is nailed on for the Socceroos this season, King too. I think Gauci at United looks a good long-term bet to go onto big things.
I’m hoping Paddy Wood becomes the first forward that’s properly made it through our youth ranks.
Nathanael Atkinson could fight hard for Karacic’s RB spot in a year or two. He should be looking to get out of this league sooner rather than later, though.
As for Glover, no he isn’t the long-term replacement for Ryan. Ryan still has about a decade left in him, and I don’t think anyone is seriously on the horizon to replace him. Glover may be good for 15-20 caps, though.
A lot of the young City boys have as lot of promise in them. I’ve really enjoyed watching Stefan Colocovski, and thought he was pretty good in the Grand Final. He’s been capped by the Macedonia U21s, but I think we’d be insane not to throw him into our U23 set up. Can see a lot of the City youth heading overseas at some point, but hopefully it’s when they’re ready and we don’t see them go over for a glorified holiday, only to come back in 12-18 months time.
Archie Goodwin burst onto the scene with Newcastle, and from the little I saw of him he looks like a pretty good striker. Only 16, and bursting with raw talent, but a couple more good seasons at the Jets, and I think one of the big 4 A-League clubs will come sniffing.
Quite liked the look of Dylan Wendall Halls at Brisbane. Will be interesting to see if he kicks on at Western United.
For us, King is going places, it’s only a matter of time. Hopefully Patrick Wood can keep developing into a strong CF.
Ive totally blanked since the end of last season, but there was one kid in midfield for Perth who was class. On top of him & Rawlins (who got found out a bit but fuck me he is a genuine kid still), they had a few other youngsters who had lots of potential.
Parsons looked like a gun when he first got into the Brisbane side. He’s had 34 total minutes for us and is firmly behind ALF, Wood, Mak and JK in the middle, plus Lolley, Burgess and Segecic for the wide roles.
15 months later and some have stalled - some new names come out of nowhere.
Kuol obviously jumped the queue for the socceroos. Again have to keep my hopes for him in check because he really looks like he could be special. So mature & calm in his decisions for such a young guy.
Nestory Irankunda seems to have a brutal shot and something about him. Scored a hat full in the U17 Asian Cup qualifying - 8 goals in 3 games. Hopefully he can keep developing apace.
Goodwin I think spent a fair bit of last season injured right? Not a lot of game time for him over the last 18 months.
Triantis seems to be getting a lot of praise. Haven’t seen a lot of him though. Any opinions there?
Triantis doesn’t look at all out of place and seems comfortable on the ball. If he can keep improving, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him disappear overseas in short order.
Jordan Bos also looks really good. Our LB stocks look to be in really good shape for the next decade.
