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Tag: Mat Ryan

  • Graham Arnold turns to next generation of Socceroos as Man City teen, 17-year-old star called up

    Graham Arnold turns to next generation of Socceroos as Man City teen, 17-year-old star called up

    Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has wasted little time in gifting the next generation of national heroes an opportunity with Alexander Robertson called up to the squad and Nestory Irankunda selected as a train-on player for the upcoming Ecuador fixtures.

    Also called up to the squad for the time is Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci as well as Melbourne City duo Jordy Bos and Aiden O’Neill.

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    Irankunda isn’t officially in the squad, but Arnold views the window as a golden opportunity to give the 17-year-old valuable experience with some of Australia’s most seasoned professionals at the top of their game.

    Robertson, on the other hand, has been in fine form for Manchester City’s under-23 squad and recently earned a spot on the bench for Pep Guardiola’s side in the first leg of their Champions League tie against RB Leipzig.

    The Maroubra-raised teen’s selection is noteworthy given he was eligible for Scotland, Peru and England, even representing the Three Lions at youth level.

    However, Arnold believes that once Robertson puts on the Socceroos jersey for the first time and “feels the emblem on his heart, there’s only one nation he will play for.”

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    “I’ve probably been talking to him for over 18 months and it was a matter of one step at a time,” Arnold said.

    “This time when I called him and told him I wanted to pick him for these Ecuador games, straight away it was, ‘Arnie, I can’t wait.’ He was looking forward to it so much.

    “His agent Paddy Dominguez has been fantastic with the communication through that by keeping me informed of where the kid’s at and his dad Mark.

    “It’s great that the kid, I do believe, is aligning himself with Australia. I’m pretty sure once he puts that Socceroos shirt on and feels the emblem on his heart, there’s only one nation he will play for.”

    Critics may question Robertson’s selection given he is yet to log any first team minutes for City and has just 143 minutes of senior football to his name from an ill-fated loan spell with Ross County in 2021.

    Yet the fact Robertson is rubbing shoulders with the likes of Erling Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne daily out on the training pitch and learning from one of the greatest coaches of all time is enough reassurance for Arnold in his selection.

    Alexander Robertson has made the bench for Manchester City’s first team on a handful of occasions. (Photo by Charlotte Tattersall/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    “When you’re playing and training with those types of players every week, he’s there for a reason,” Arnold said.

    “And that reason is obviously that Pep Guardiola rates him highly and sees what quality he’s got.

    “He’s more an attacking type, 8/10 midfielder, gets in the box, scores goals and makes assists as well. He’s got a good flair about him.”

    As for fellow teenager Irankunda, the invitation to the Socceroos camp is the latest chapter in the Adelaide United youngster’s meteoric rise to prominence.

    However, Reds boss Carl Veart has made no secret the teen star has plenty of learning to do and pointed to a higher work rate as one clear area for improvement in Irankunda’s game.

    When questioned if the youngster’s call-up is largely to show Irankunda a glimpse of what is required on the field to reach the top of football, Arnold agreed.

    But he reiterated it’s also a chance to learn what is also required off the field to succeed too.

    “It’s how Maty and Aaron and these guys who have been professionals for a long time and have achieved these things, it’s what it takes day to day to be a professional footballer and I think he will learn very quickly off that,” Arnold said.

    “Yes, he is in there as a train-on, at this moment.

    “There is two games, the back-up of the games are very short. We play Friday and Tuesday.

    “There will be a good chance for the second game especially that he’ll be in the squad.”

    FULL SOCCEROOS SQUAD FOR ECUADOR FRIENDLIES

    GOALKEEPERS

    Mat Ryan

    Andrew Redmayne

    Joe Gauci

    DEFENDERS

    Nathaniel Atkinson

    Aziz Behich

    Jordy Bos

    Milos Degenek

    Thomas Deng

    Harry Souttar

    Bailey Wright

    Kye Rowles

    MIDFIELDERS

    Keanu Baccus

    Cameron Devlin

    Jackson Irvine

    Connor Metcalfe

    Aaron Mooy

    Aiden O’Neill

    Alexander Robertson

    Riley McGree

    FORWARDS

    Brandon Borrello

    Jason Cummings

    Mitchell Duke

    Craig Goodwin

    Garang Kuol

    Awer Mabil

    Marco Tilio

    Nestory Irankunda (train-on)

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  • ‘He’s done extremely well’: A-League star in line for Socceroos call-up as veteran GK retires

    ‘He’s done extremely well’: A-League star in line for Socceroos call-up as veteran GK retires

    Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci is likely to be named in the Socceroos squad for this month’s two-game series against Ecuador following veteran gloveman Danny Vukovic’s decision to retire from international football.

    Capped four times and part of Australia’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup squads, 37-year-old Vukokic said the time had come for him to depart the Socceroos scene and “present an opportunity to the next generation of talented Australian ’keepers”.

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    “There will never be a greater honour in Australian men’s football than pulling on the Socceroos’ jersey and representing your country on the international stage,” Vukovic said

    “I’ll forever be grateful to the coaches who have entrusted me to represented Australia at both youth and senior level and my teammates along the journey.”

    The Central Coast Mariners custodian was set to have been included in the Socceroos squad for the March 24 (Sydney) and March 28 (Melbourne) games against Ecuador, with national coach Arnold intent on rewarding Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad with selection.

    Danny Vukovic has announced his international retirement at age 37. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

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    “Subject to availability, the aim is to select the same squad from the World Cup in Qatar for this upcoming series against Ecuador, but unselfishly, Danny made the decision to decline the invitation and instead open up the chance for another goalkeeper to be part of the camp and impress for future honours,” Arnold said.

    And it seems that 22-year-old Adelaide gloveman Gauci will be first to get that “chance” by being named with Mat Ryan and Andrew Redmayne as the goalkeepers in the national squad on March 14,

    “We’re still got to select the squad, but he (Gauci) has done extremely well this year with Adelaide and even last season, and he’s a youngster,” Arnold said.

    “We do have a big hole in the goalkeeping department. You’ve got older goalkeepers over the age of 30, there’s nothing (much) in the late 20s … and then it’s the young ones.

    “(Socceroos goalkeeping coach) John Crawley is on to that and we’re looking at those goalkeepers, and we’ll give them a chance through this year.”

    Gauci and another contender to replace Vukovic in the national squad, 24-year-old Tom Glover, will be on opposing sides at Coopers Stadium on Friday night when Adelaide United hosts A-League leaders Melbourne City.

    Glover was Australia’s goalkeeper at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in an Olyroos squad that also included custodian Ashley Maynard-Brewer, who is on the books of English lower division club Charlton.

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  • PL boss’ rave review of ‘class’ Souttar; Aussie’s all-time goal celebration: Roo Radar

    PL boss’ rave review of ‘class’ Souttar; Aussie’s all-time goal celebration: Roo Radar

    There were goals, assists and clean sheets galore for several of our Socceroos stars.

    Check out how some of the Aussies abroad performed over the weekend in the latest edition of Roo Radar!

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    In the Premier League, Leicester City’s Harry Souttar made his home debut for the Foxes against Tottenham Hotspur.

    Despite the teams’ vastly different positions on the ladder, it was Leicester who showed Spurs how it’s done in an emphatic 4-1 victory.

    Souttar had a major hand in the Foxes’ third goal, as it was his ball over the top of Spurs’ backline that put Leicester striker Kelechi Iheanacho through on goal in first-half stoppage time.

    The towering Aussie also kept Spurs superstar Harry Kane quiet throughout the game in an impressive display as the Foxes have two wins and eight goals scored from the two games Souttar has played in.

    Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers described Souttar’s performance as “class” as the Socceroo continues to prove he belongs at this level.

    “He’s calm in possession, he passes the ball well from behind, he makes a great pass for our third goal,” Rodgers said.

    “I’ve been absolutely delighted with him, he’s settled in really, really well.”

    Harry Souttar has his first Premier League assist. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    In the Championship, Middlesbrough midfielder Riley McGree continues to impress under Michael Carrick as the Aussie got on the scoresheet in his side’s 3-1 win over Cardiff City.

    McGree was pivotal to Boro’s opening goal when he played a neat one-two with Marcus Forss which put the Aussie into space before cutting the ball back in the box, although forward Cameron Archer got a toe on it to officially be credited with the assist.

    The Aussie midfielder was a constant menace throughout and got the goal his performance deserved in the 90th minute when he was on hand to convert from teammate Matt Crook’s ball across the face of goal.

    McGree then delivered a rather unusual celebration in front of the travelling Boro faithful as Carrick’s side sit in third on the Championship ladder.

    Several Socceroos north of the border were in action and put in impressive shifts.

    Celtic star Aaron Mooy’s absurd run of form continued as he provided the assist for the Hoops’ first of five goals in a 5-1 win over St Mirren in the Scottish Cup.

    Mooy was slipped in on the right hand side before crossing the ball into the path of Celtic striker Daizen Maeda who slid the ball into the back of the net.

    The assist was the latest goal involvement for the 33-year-old, who now has nine goal involvements in last 11 games across all competitions.

    Aaron Mooy continues to chalk up goals and assists. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    Hearts midfielder Cameron Devlin also played a part in his side’s Scottish Cup clash, scoring the Jam Tarts’ second goal in a 2-0 win over Hamilton Academical.

    Elsewhere across Europe, there were more goals, a clean sheet and a welcome return for one Socceroo.

    Connor Metcalfe made it two goals in two 2. Bundesliga games for St. Pauli in their 1-0 win over FC Kaiserslautern.

    The midfielder throw a small feint that left his marker for dead as St. Pauli defender Eric Smith played a perfectly-weighted pass over the top of the backline for Metcalfe to run on to.

    Metcalfe didn’t even need to take a touch to control it as he curled home a first-time effort to score the only goal of the game.

    In the Eredivisie, Socceroos gloveman Mat Ryan kept his first clean sheet for his new team as AZ Alkmaar thrashed Excelsior 5-0.

    The win keeps AZ in second place on the ladder, just two points behind league-leaders Feyenoord and one point ahead of Dutch giants Ajax in third.

    Midfielder Denis Genreau logged his first Ligue 1 minutes since October as the silky Socceroo got 27 minutes of action for Toulouse in a 3-1 win over Rennes.

    Genreau recently underwent groin surgery and will hope for more time on the park in the coming months.

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  • McGree’s all-time assist in ‘brilliant, all-action display’ as MOTM Mooy’s purple patch continues: Roo Radar

    McGree’s all-time assist in ‘brilliant, all-action display’ as MOTM Mooy’s purple patch continues: Roo Radar

    It was a weekend to remember for several Socceroos midfielders as Harry Souttar’s Premier League debut got off to a horror start.

    Catch up on the biggest performances from our Aussies abroad in the latest edition of the Roo Radar!

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    Aaron Mooy’s rich vein of form for Celtic continued with a man of the match display as the Aussie star scored in Celtic’s 4-1 rout of St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership.

    A beautifully-lofted pass from Hoops star Jota found Mooy who had slipped in behind a napping St Johnstone backline.

    The 33-year-old took a touch to control his teammate’s pass before lobbing it over St Johnstone goalkeeper Remi Matthews’ head and into the back of the net for Celtic’s third goal inside 40 minutes.

    Mooy’s goal was his fourth in seven Scottish Premiership appearances and his sixth in eight across all competitions.

    Although he didn’t find himself on the scoresheet, Riley McGree also turned in an eye-catching performance in Middlesbrough’s 3-0 win over Blackpool in the Championship.

    McGree provided the assist for Chuba Akpom’s second goal of the game for Boro thanks to some terrific give-and-go work from the Socceroo.

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    Teesside Live’s Middlesbrough reporter Craig Johns gave McGree a rating of eight out of 10.

    “Another brilliant, all-action display,” Johns wrote.

    “He just seemed to cover every blade of grass in the final third of the pitch. Wherever the ball was, he was.”

    The Northern Echo’s Dominic Shaw also rated McGree’s performance the same, stating “Blackpool couldn’t get a grip of his movement.”

    As McGree dazzled in the second tier in England, fellow Socceroo Harry Souttar made his Premier League debut for Leicester City away to Aston Villa.

    It was a nightmare start for Souttar who gave Villa the lead in the 32nd minute thanks to an own goal as he turned in Ollie Watkins’ cross into the back of the net.

    Thankfully his teammates were able to spare his blushes as they roared back to secure a crucial three points in a 4-2 win over Villa.

    Souttar had a rough start to life in the Premier League. (Photo by Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

    While Souttar scored at the wrong end of the field, one member of the Australian contingent at 2. Bundesliga side St Pauli found the back of the net with a stunner in a 2-0 win against Hannover 96.

    On just his third start since joining St Pauli, Connor Metcalfe got his second goal for the club as he curled in a delightful effort with his left foot just inside the right edge of the box.

    Although he was initially flagged for offside, the goal was eventually awarded as fellow Socceroo Jackson Irvine raced over to celebrate Metcalfe’s strike.

    Elsewhere, Socceroos skipper Mat Ryan made a massive save as AZ Alkmaar drew 1-1 with FC Volendam in the Eredivisie.

    There was little Ryan could do to keep out the opener, but he came up big in the 66th minute.

    The Aussie had to produce a smart stop to prevent a 20-yard thunderbolt from flying past him and it came at a crucial moment to keep the score at 1-0, as AZ would score a late equaliser.

    Ryan’s side sit in second place in the Dutch top flight, just two points off league-leaders Feyenoord.

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