Welcome to A-Leagues life, where KEEPUP brings you all the latest news and goings on at your club.
The Isuzu UTE A-League season kicked off last week and after the Central Coast Mariners’ opener against Newcastle Jets was washed out, the wait to see a teenage sensation in action will go on.
It’s a situation Nick Montgomery addressed midweek.
‘WE DIDN’T HAVE FOOD, WE WERE TOUGH KIDS’: A TASTE OF A-LEAGUES ALL ACCESS – NANI
The Liberty A-League campaign gets underway next month and preparations have begun for the extended 2022-23 season – whilst a Melbourne Victory A-League Men star made his intentions clear to compete for a Socceroos shirt at the World Cup.
This is how the week is shaping up across the A-Leagues.
Will Daggers be on the plane to Qatar?
Nick D’Agostino made his debut for the Socceroos in March – a World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia.
It was just reward for his fine form at A-League Men level for Melbourne Victory.
The 24-year-old striker, however, was not involved in last month’s pair of international friendliest against New Zealand as Arnold gave a host of new faces a chance to stake their claims for World Cup selection.
D’Agostino scored in Victory’s thrilling season-opening 3-2 victory at Sydney FC last week and he is not prepared to give up on his Qatar 2022 dream just yet.
“That’s one of my main goals. I want to get back into that squad,” D’Agostino, who scored 10 ALM goals last season, told The Global Game.
“I didn’t make the last camp. It didn’t make me sad. It made me more eager to start the season well and score goals.
“As a number nine, that’s my job. I have to keep performing on the pitch, keep putting the ball in the back of the net and do as much as I possibly can to get on that plane. To get that seat.
“I’m working as hard as I can. Arnie knows the way I play and how I can impact the team. It’s up to me in the end to make up his mind for him.
“I’m looking forward to the responsibility and challenge of leading the line and hopefully I can bang in a couple more this weekend.”
D’Agostino has made four carries ending in a goal in the ALM since the beginning of 2022, the most of any player in the competition in that time, per Opta.
Victory welcome Western Sydney Wanderers to AAMI Park on Saturday night.
Kuol called up by Young Socceroos? ‘We didn’t have a say on it’
He is the name on everyone’s lips after making his Socceroos debut and agreeing to join cashed-up Premier League outfit Newcastle United.
But the Mariners are set to be without Garang Kuol, and Nectarios Triantis, until the Perth Glory fixture on October 23 after the pair were named in the 23-player Young Socceroos squad headed to Kuwait City for the 2023 AFC Under-20 Asian Cup qualifier between October 14 and 18.
Mariners head coach Nick Montgomery, however, said Kuol could miss two matches, impacting his hopes of forcing his way into Graham Arnold’s FIFA Men’s World Cup squad and shortening the window for which Central Coast supporters can catch him in action before his big January departure.
“Do I agree with it? Probably not,” Montgomery told reporters on Wednesday when asked about Kuol’s Young Socceroos inclusion.
“I think playing against men and first-team football is vital to their development. But it is what it is, we didn’t have a say on it.”
Bad weather postponed last week’s F3 Derby, with the Mariners now scheduled to kick-off their season away to Wellington Phoenix on Sunday.
Montgomery added: “For Garang, he made his Socceroos debut and he has an opportunity in the A-Leagues against men in a top professional league in the country and put himself in Graham Arnold’s thoughts.
“But that’s been taken out of his hands and taken out of my hands from playing in the A-League, where everyone wants to see him play. It’s frustrating but there’s an agreement in place where we couldn’t not let the players go.
“For them, they’ll miss one game, possibly two with jetlag. That only leaves four games before the World Cup break. We will give Garang every opportunity when he gets back.”
Roar and Glory women hit the training track
The 2022-23 A-League Women season is shaping up as the biggest one yet, with the whole of the campaign free to watch on 10 Play as well as Paramount+.
This upcoming campaign will feature 11 teams following Western United’s inclusion, 20 rounds – beginning November 19 – and with the Grand Final to take place on the weekend of the 29-30th of April 2023.
The 20-round season will feature 18 regular-season games per club, with 16 weekend rounds and two midweek rounds, with free entry for all registered junior players ahead of next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup Down Under.
As well as showing every game of the Liberty A-League live and free on 10 Play and live on Paramount+, the Saturday afternoon games will feature in a new ‘goal rush’-style show, switching from game to game as the action unfolds and with the host and experts having a two-way live conversation with the audience during the simultaneous games.
And teams, including Brisbane Roar and Perth Glory, have checked in for pre-season training this season.
The Roar are at home to Newcastle Jets in their opening match of the season at Perry Park on November 19, while the Glory visit Canberra United the same day at McKellar Park.
Roar raid Gotham for a new hero
Brisbane Roar have a new goalkeeper after bringing in American Hensley Hancuff on loan from NWSL outfit Gotham FC.
For Hancuff, it’s a chance for the 22-year-old to chase her dream abroad.
“I’m coming down to expand my palette in the soccer world, have some experiences in other countries and get some games under my belt! I’m a young goalkeeper in the NWSL so it’s my responsibility to go out there and chase my dream,” said Hancuff, who was drafted by Gotham in March.
That’s not the only signing in the league on Wednesday.
Western Sydney Wanderers announced the arrival of forward Holly Caspers on a two-year deal from Canberra United, after re-signing Football Ferns midfielder Malia Steinmetz.
In Canberra, the club retained the services of Laura Hughes for the forthcoming campaign.
Attention Wanderers fans
A unique moonlight experience awaits Wanderers fans in Western Sydney.
With the Wanderers, who began their ALM campaign by edging Perth Glory 1-0 last week, on the road in Melbourne, fans in Western Sydney have the chance to watch on a big screen in an outdoor setting at Wanderers Football Park.
Western Sydney have won four of their last six A-League Men games against the Victory (D1, L1) after winning only one of their 17 previous games against them (D4, L12).
