Irunkunda out as Popovic dispenses tough love.
Nestory Irunkanda has been omitted from the latest Australian squad as coach Tony Popovic wants him to stay in Germany to ease himself into the Bayern Munich squad and set up
Tony Popovic was known for his tough and uncompromising attitude when he was a central defender with Premier League Crystal Palace and with the Socceroos.
And the national team boss has quickly shown he is not afraid to make the difficult calls and dispense with ''tough love'' to even the best known or promising of Australian players during his short spell in charge of the national team.
The main talking point of the squad he has selected for the crucial World Cup qualifiers against Saudi Arabia in Melbourne next week and then Bahrain in the Middle East was the absence of teenage sensation Nestory Irunkunda.
The topic of the Bayern Munich player's presence - or lack of it - seemed to take up most of Popovic's media call as he unveiled his selection, so much so that the coach remarked on the number of times he was being asked to justify, explain or talk around the decision to leave the former Adelaide United youngster out.
In truth, anyone who had watched the past two games - the win over China in South Australia and the highly creditable draw with Japan in Saitama - would hardly have been surprised.
For all his potential, his pace, power and unpredictably, Irunkunda remains a very raw commodity and didn't contribute all that much as Popovic marked his first two matches with a four point haul. Those results have been enough to put Australia right back in the race for direct World Cup qualification in what is, at the moment, turning out to be a more evenly matched qualifying group than expected.
Of course Popovic is too diplomatic to say that in public, but his reasoning behind leaving the teenager in Europe does stand up.
“We just feel it’s an opportunity for him to settle in at Bayern, get the development that he needs there, the growth... just settle into a new culture, a new country, a new language,” he said.
''Hopefully this will help him grow and settle and we still hope that we really see this potential moving forward for the national team in the years to come.
''It doesn't change anything from our perspective. He’s learning to be a good young professional at one of the best clubs in the world. It’s a fantastic opportunity. We’re all proud of him, we’ll monitor him and support him and hopefully watch him grow for the next phase.”
There is no doubt that Irunkunda will be disappointed, but if he takes the opportunity there is, as Popovic says, a lot of upside for him.
Many of the Bayern first team squad will be away on international duty, opening up opportunities for youngsters like Irunkunda to work with the first team coach Vincent Kompany on a personal basis for a near two week period.
Not only will he get exposure to Kompany's guidance and assistance but he will also be able to learn first hand from other first team squad members just how demanding the expectations are for a first team player at the highest levels in Europe.
While fans will perhaps feel aggrieved that they are being denied the chance to see one of Australia's brightest prospects the setback, if it might be described that way, could help propel Irunkunda forward if he takes the learning opportunity he has been handed.
While Irunkunda has been left out another bright Australian young prospect, Cardiff City's Alex Robertson, is absent for another reason - he is yet to make himself available for selection.
Once more Popovic was not dishing out any soothing words or making excuses for the midfielder's non inclusion.
''That sits in his hands now. If he wants to play for the Socceroos he has to make himself available,” Popovic said. “So this is an Alex issue. It's Alex's decision on what he wants to do. If he wants to make himself available for the Socceroos then we can look at whether we select him. At the moment we don't have that option. We will keep monitoring him and let's see what happens in the future.''
However, Popovic, as he did before his first games in charge, is always keen to stress the primacy of desire to play for the country.
''You have to respect the shirt, the badge, you have to respect the honour of playing for the Socceroos, and we also have to respect the fact that everyone can make their own choice and their own decision,” he remarked.
Robertson has played in friendlies for the Socceroos but is not yet formally tied to the country: he is also eligible for England, Scotland and Peru.
Several other players from Popovic's first squad after he succeeded Graham Arnold are also missing: Daniel Arzani, Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, Sam Silvera, Luke Brattan, Keanu Baccus, Gianni Stensness and Thomas Deng are the players left out.
In come the uncapped Anthony Caceres, Max Balard and Hayden Matthews, as well as forwards Martin Boyle, Brandon Borrello and Kusini Yengi, and defenders Milos Degenek and Rhyan Grant.
Popovic is keen to see how the likes of Balard, who has moved to Europe this season, Sydney FC's Matthews and his club mate Caceres figure in an international camp environment.
''Max Balard looks like he has gone from strength to strength in the Netherlands....Caceres is there because he deserves an opportunity to come in, for us to see him, observe him, and once you’re in camp, you’re a chance to play,” he detailed.