Retired Socceroo Tommy Oar says Anthony Caceres, Marin Jakoliš and Reno Piscopo have all put themselves in selection contention for Australia’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers thanks to their respectively strong starts to the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season.
The Socceroos face Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in the November international window, beginning with a crucial clash against the Saudis at AAMI Park on Thursday, November 14.
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The most recent international window in October was Austraila’s first under new head coach Tony Popovic, who called five Isuzu UTE A-League players into his maiden Socceroos squad: Jason Geria, Luke Brattan, Aziz Behich, Nishan Velupillay, and Daniel Arzani.
But since the October camp, the 2024-25 Isuzu UTE A-League season has swung into action. Popovic has attended several league fixtures through the first three rounds of the campaign as players around the league looked to impress the new national team boss.
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Speaking on this week’s episode of Total A-Leagues, Oar identified two Isuzu UTE A-League players from last month’s Socceroos squad as locks to return to the national camp and highlighted Macarthur Bulls winger Jakoliš, Sydney FC midfielder Caceres and in-form Melbourne Victory creator Piscopo as potential bolters for selection.
“Geria and Velupillay I think are nailed on for this squad,” Oar said on Total A-Leagues. “Their form so far in the A-League season has been tremendous and they were also really good in the last Socceroos camp so I think they can be expected to be picked.
“This is a really good window for the Socceroos from an A-League perspective because it’s the first window where Popovic has A-League players playing match minutes.
“The last window, the A-League hadn’t started yet, so this might give a good indication of how willing Popovic is to give A-League players a chance.
“(Luke) Brattan as well, he was unlucky in his debut to play such a difficult game against Japan but we all know how good he is. I think he can expect to be in the squad as well.”
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Sydney FC star Caceres is a fascinating prospect for Socceroos selection; a genuine star of the league, the 32-year-old has never represented Australia at any level but after Sydney’s 3-2 win over Brisbane Roar last weekend, Sky Blues coach Ufuk Talay went in to bat for his key midfielder, saying: “I’m not the Socceroos coach but I’d definitely be pleased if (Caceres) got the opportunity.”
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On Total A-Leagues, Oar added that Caceres’ technical ability makes him a perfect candidate for Socceroos selection.
“If you look at Popovic’s comments after the Japan game, he said he does like to have one of those technical midfielders in the line-up,” Oar said. “He gave Brattan an opportunity in the last game but Caceres is very much (from) the same mould.
“I’m a huge admirer of Anthony Caceres, he’s very underappreciated in the A-league. The thing about him is he’s technically so good that he makes difficult things look easy, so he doesn’t necessarily get the recognition from that because it looks easy.
“Technically he’s so comfortable in tight spaces and tactically, I feel he’s matured a lot over the last few seasons as well.
“He would absolutely not look out of place in the Socceroos squad and I’ll be all for his selection.”
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Former Olyroos creative midfielder Reno Piscopo has made a brilliant start to life at Melbourne Victory and has one goal and one assist on the board through three games in navy blue and white.
A stunning match-winner in Victory’s 2-1 win over Macarthur in Round 3 put Piscopo right back into the Socceroos selection debate – but Oar would like to see more consistency from a player who has shown immense potential in bursts throughout his career to date.
“We’ve seen glimpses of it over the last three or four years in the A-League, but it was the consistency that is the issue,” Oar said.
“It’s obviously still very early days in this season but he’s been tremendous in all their games so far. He’s playing with a lot more energy as well, I feel like he might be fitter than he has been in previous seasons which Patrick Kisnorbo obviously values highly.
“Popovic I’m sure has his eyes on him.”
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And then, there’s Macarthur star Jakoliš. The 27-year-old is the form player of the Isuzu UTE A-League, having scored three goals and notched two assists since his off-season move from Melbourne City.
Jakoliš is Croatian-born but has an Australian father and expressed his desire to represent the Socceroos as early as 2023 when he first signed for City.
“It might be one window too soon (for Jakoliš),” Oar said.
“If he maintains this form he has shown for a few more weeks he’ll probably be a certainty in the next squad.
“Last season he only managed two goals in the whole season, it was probably not the output he wanted but he has started this season on fire.
“The thing that’s impressive about him is he gets tangible results; every time he attacks he has end product.
“You saw the cross he put in last week for the goal (Valere Germain’s against Victory), the goals he has been scoring, you feel like with him he’s capable of getting assists and goals which is something the Socceroos have struggled with of late.”
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The Socceroos face Saudi Arabia at AAMI Park on Thursday, November 14 (8.10PM kick-off AEDT) before a trip abroad to face Bahrain on Wednesday, November 20 (5.15am kick-off AEDT).
Australia sit second on the six-nation qualification Group C on five points, level with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain and five points behind Japan. The top two nations in Group C will qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, with the third and fourth-placed teams from all three groups advancing to a fourth round of qualifying in the Asian Football Confederation.
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