Discovering Socceroos talent an art in itself

Looking on from the sidelines, as planes passed overhead the Mehmet Ali Yilmaz Complex on the very edge of the Black Sea, it became clear.

De Silva

Much is expected of Daniel De Silva as he is fast-tracked into the Socceroos set-up (Image: FFA) Source: FFA

In the oppressive June heat at Trabzonspor’s practice facility, the Young Socceroos conducted their final training before facing Columbia the next day, in the FIFA World Youth Cup 2013.

While Han Berger told the other journalist in attendance of the need for young players to stay in Australia, extolling the wonder of the National Curriculum, I focused on the scrimmage and one teenager shone.

Even then, Daniel De Silva showed he wouldn’t be kept from Europe for much longer.

In conversation before the game, I drew surprise suggesting Australia youth coach Paul Okon would start De Silva against Colombia, and admittedly his man-of-the-match performance provided thrilling vindication.

It subsequently thrust an air of expectation around a mere teenager ever since, and his introduction to the Socceroos squad never seemed a case of if, but when.

At ground level, he looks every bit the archetypal modern attacker: diminutive with a fine change of pace, smooth first touch, and an ability to penetrate either passing or with ball at feet.

Fairly or unfairly, he thus became a literal poster child for the mainstream Australian football public craving an identity shift, until Massimo Luongo’s performances at the Asian Cup shifted their attention.
Ahead of the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifier against Kyrgyzstan in Bishkek, it strikes as oddly fitting De Silva was selected to replace the injured Luongo.

What, however, of the other debutant in camp?

For the Perth-born duo, De Silva and Tomislav Mrcela’s paths to last week’s preparations in Dubai couldn’t be more different.

While De Silva was attracting the interest of Europe’s giants in Turkey two years ago, Mrcela was coming off a season that saw NK Mosor relegated from the Croatian Second Division.

Having lived in his family’s native home since 1996, the 24-year-old Mrcela spent a number of years in the lower leagues, with a series loan spells at the Druga HNL’s southern clubs, namely Imotski and Mosor.

No longer under RNK Split’s books, his consequent transfer to Dragovoljac was able to put him in the window, so to speak.

Mrcela was the one shining light in an otherwise grim season for Dragovoljac, who finished bottom in its return to the Prva HNL in 2013-2014.

Competitive disparity aside in Croatia’s first league, Mrcela’s performances were enough to attract the interest of Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou, and Lokomotiva Zagreb.

Lokomotiva’s links with Dinamo Zagreb worked against him initially, with then coach Tomislav Ivkovic favouring Dinamo loanees Josip Calusic and Herdi Prenga as the central pairing.

It's understod Mrcela was at first regretful of the transfer to Lokomotiva, primarily seeking a move overseas at the end of the 2013-2014 season.

However, his qualities at centre back eventually found their way into regular first team football, missing only three games after Lokomotiva’s 5-2 home loss to Hajduk Split in Round 4.

Lokomotiva capped off a solid year with qualification to the UEFA Europa League, and with respect to his Socceroos call-up, it’s richly deserved.

Like De Silva, Mrcela has all the tools a manager would seek from a player in his position: a mix of height, mobility and game-sense, along with an ability to advance play from defence.

In spite of what Mrcela being the comparative enigma to De Silva, in the eyes of the Australian public, says about an inevitable bias towards easily accessible leagues, a few things can be taken out of their selections.
Firstly, it highlights the level of detail Postecoglou and his support staff is putting into scouting.

Naturally if you cast a wider net in this sense, there’s a greater chance of finding adequate talent, and with the lingering threat of losing dual-citizens, Postecoglou’s team is doing what it can to keep Australia on their minds.

With any other manager, frankly, it would have seemed unlikely Mrcela, Chris Ikonomidis or Luongo received call-ups at this stage of their respective careers.

Added to that, I’m continually brought back to that training session in Trabzon.

De Silva and Mrcela’s course to this point personally reaffirmed that, ultimately, different players flourish in different environments.

Homogeneous criteria at Australian football’s youth levels are, consequently, a near antithesis to the multicultural patchwork that the Socceroos represent.

Traditionally for a national youth coach, it’s a job well done if three players from a respective team can progress to the senior side.

While we can argue whether streamlining development and teaching Australian kids the perceived ‘right’ way to play will be for the betterment of our game, history has taught us all players travel different paths to various national team set-ups.

In light of tomorrow’s match against Kyrgyzstan however, we can only hope the Socceroos’ path is to victory.

:: Ante Jukic is a guest contributor on TWG


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5 min read
Published 16 June 2015 12:11pm
Updated 16 June 2015 5:07pm
By Ante Jukic

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