Holger Osieck has missed a trick by refusing to include a host of aspiring Socceroos in the latest national squad.
Harry Kewell and Tim Cahill are the two stand-out omissions but Middle East target Lucas Neill will get the chance to captain his country for the 50th time and fellow veteran Mark Schwarzer could win a 99th cap.
The pair both deserve every pat on the back going but news soccer networks are asking when an opportunity will come for those young Australians who had hoped to make a senior breakthrough?
It suggests Osieck is happy to stick with what he knows rather than risk blooding young and hungry Australians.
Next week’s friendly against Scotland in Edinburgh at Easter Road was the perfect opportunity for Osieck to experiment and tell some of these hopefuls that he is aware of them. Nothing wrong with a bit of arm-around-the-shoulder treatment.
Instead, tried and trusted internationals such as Scott McDonald and Neil Kilkenny are recalled, while no members of the Olyroos (Under-23s) squad get their graduation, much to the frustration of many who enjoy betting on soccer.
This is the same as, say, a young striker hoping to earn a promotion to the Manchester United first-team while his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, is busying himself for a deal to bring in want-away Arsenal talisman Robin van Persie.
The former Under-17 and Under-20 youth player Jason Davidson is a debutant, while the other uncapped players in the squad are goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak (Borussia Dortmund), utility Chris Herd (Aston Villa) and fullback Ryan McGowan (Hearts).
It means the likes of former Melbourne Heart striker Eli Babalj (Red Star Belgrade), Mustafa Amini (Borussia Dortmund), Matthew Leckie (now on loan at Frankfurt), James Holland (now with Austria Vienna) or South Korea-based centre back Luke De Verewill miss out.
Socceroos squad: Mark Bresciano, Alex Brosque, David Carney, Jason Davidson, Adam Federici, Chris Herd, Brett Holman, Mile Jedinak, Neil Kilkenny, Robbie Kruse, Mitch Langerak, Scott McDonald, Ryan McGowan, Lucas Neill, Sasa Ognenovski, Mark Schwarzer, Archie Thompson, Carl Valeri, Luke Wilkshire, Rhys Williams.
