Coach Pim Verbeek doesn’t want Australia (23/10 to qualify from Group D) fans to get too carried away with the selection of teenager Tommy Oar in the provisional squad of 31.
At 18, Oar is the youngest member of the party and has only one cap to his name. But he has been receiving rave reviews in the media for his performances in his domestic competition and in Holland.
Oar, who starred with Brisbane Roar in the A-League in his native country, recently joined FC Utrecht in the Netherlands and had been regarded as an outsider to make the provisional squad.
But he has drawn favourable comparisons with the young Harry Kewell, who rose to prominence with Leeds United in the Premier League.
Oar signed a five-year deal with Utrecht to move during the summer transfer window, the left winger having played 26 games and scoring twice for Brisbane as well as playing 16 games for the Australian under-20 side.
In March, he was awarded the Rising Star for the best young player of the season, and named to the bench of the A-League Team of the Year. He was invited for a trial at Utrecht, where he impressed the coaching staff enough to be offered a contract.
Internationally, he was called up by the Socceroos for a 2011 Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait without getting any game time. He made his full debut in Australia’s 1-0 win against Indonesia in the final Asian Cup qualifier.
Verbeek said Oar’s emergence was a very promising sign for the national team, although he said Oar was not guaranteed a trip to South Africa.
“It’s great for Australian football we have a player like him, just 18 years old, who made a big impression in a few weeks playing in the Netherlands.
“We can all remember the game against Indonesia, but still he has to show that he is not only a talent but also a great player.”
Much depends on whether Oar will be involved in Australia’s next friendly match against New Zealand on May 24.
Verbeek is likely to use that game to give as many of his contenders some game time as possible, and will make his final decision about his 23-man World Cup squad soon after the fixture.
The final squad of 23 has to be submitted to FIFA by June 1, which potentially gives the national team coach one more chance of looking at those who are on the fringes of the squad, as Australia will face Denmark in South Africa on that date.
Australia face Germany (7/2 to be eliminated at the group stages) in their opening group stage match of the World Cup in Durban on June 13, before taking on Ghana in Rustenburg and Serbia in Nelspruit.
ToteSport bookmaker will give you £60 in Free Bets. Click here to check them out.