Young gun’s shock call-up as Utd ‘plan’ revealed; worrying blow for breakout star — Roo Radar

With an international break hitting pause on Europe’s top leagues and the Socceroos preparing for friendlies against Venezuela and Colombia in the United States, it is time to check in with Australia’s male footballers plying their trade abroad.

A youngster with one of the world’s most famous club has caught the eye, while a breakout star has suffered an unfortunate injury setback.

Foxsports.com.au looks at how our Socceroos have been faring overseas in the latest edition of Roo Radar!

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ENGLAND

Manchester United teenager James Overy was the eye-catching name in Socceroos boss Tony Popovic’s latest squad, and the 18-year-old defender likely to represent his country before playing first-team football for any club in the world.

The Perth-born youngster never featured in the A-League despite coming through Perth Glory’s academy, but his appearance for Glory in a friendly against Premier League side West Ham in 2023 caught the eye of English talent scouts and set him on the path to joining one of the biggest clubs on the planet.

The right-back, who has also played as a winger and a left-back, initially played for non-league side Newton Abbot Spurs, in the 10th tier, when he made the move to England last year, but soon enough was snapped up by United on a four-year deal.

Overy has trained with the first-team squad on several occasions since joining the Red Devils as well as lacing up the boots six times for the U18s and twice for the U21s this season.

He has also featured at youth level for Australia in both the U18s and then took part in the U20 World Cup in September, but he also played U18 football for Scotland due to his mother’s heritage.

“He’s worth having a look at,” Popovic said.

“I’m open minded about what that looks like for the immediate future and long term.

“Watching him closely in Chile, I was impressed.

“We have good contacts at Manchester United, so we know what he’s doing at training.

“He’s in the process where he’s getting called up (to first-team training) a lot more often.”

“They have a plan with him, like they do with all their youngsters, but he’s Australian and we’re delighted with the progress he’s making,” Popovic added.

“We can see the physical gains he’s making in terms of his loading at training, and how well he’s adapting to that and the rigours of a Premier League top club training.”

In the Championship, fellow wunderkind Nestory Irankunda is getting plenty of minutes under his belt for Watford.

The former Bayern Munich squad member dazzled for his new club with a pair of stunning free kicks against Swansea and Southampton in his third and fourth outings for Watford.

The 19-year-old has not found the back of the net since at club level, nor has he provided an assist since his second game, but he is getting time on the pitch, making ten starts and coming off the bench five times so far this season.

Swansea skipper Cameron Burgess has started, and played the full 90 minutes, in all 15 league matches so far this season.

The 30-year-old centre back’s finest performance of the season came in the Carabao Cup, however, when he scored a double to down Nottingham Forest when Ange Postecoglou was still in charge.

Fellow centre back Lewis Miller is also enjoying a consistent run, starting the last nine matches for Blackburn Rovers, who have won three of their last four.

Miller’s Blackburn were beaten by Callum Elder’s Derby and the 30-year-old celebrated a Socceroos recall with an assist as well as playing the entire 90 minutes.

Riley McGree made a lively return from injury for Middlesborough in their 2-1 win against Birmingham City on the weekend, starting for the first time this season and playing a little more than an hour.

Teammate Sam Silvera came off the bench and played 64 minutes in the same game, his tenth appearance of the season.

Hayden Matthews is receiving limited minutes for Portsmouth the 21-year-old defender has made only five league appearances so far this campaign, three of which have been off the bench.

Aston Villa loanee Joe Gauci has made nine appearances for League One side Port Vale, keeping three clean sheets and conceding 11 goals.

That record was looking far more flattering two games as a go as Port Vale have been beaten 4-0 and 3-0 in their last two outings.

Also in League One, Alex Robertson has started the past two matches for Cardiff City after overcoming injury problems earlier in the season.

NETHERLANDS

Jordan Bos had been on fire for Feyenoord in the Eredivisie, winning player of the month for September - the first Australian to receive the honour in the Dutch top flight.

The 23-year-old left back has been sidelined since October 26, however, as he sustained a hamstring injury in a 3-2 loss to PSV.

Last season Bos missed four months with a hamstring issue while with Belgian side Westerlo.

“Of course we’re concerned,” Popovic said.

“We don’t want any players to get injured, and he’s a young player that we’ve seen perform at such a high level.

“From where he was at Westerlo … he was a good player, and now he’s gone to Feyenoord, and he’s taken his game to another level, so it’s disappointing for him.

“It’s also part of football as well, and I’m sure with our medical staff in constant dialogue with Feyenoord’s, they’ll try and do everything they can to stop this happening and try to just support him.

“He’s a very explosive player, so that can happen. Unfortunately, it’s happened to him a couple of times now, and we’ll just make sure that we can support him any way off the field, but also in any of his rehabilitation, so that we can help him get back bigger and stronger than what he is now, which will make him a great player for us at the World Cup.”

Ajdin Hrustic meanwhile has provided five assists for the season, including one on the weekend for Heracles Almelo, who sit at the bottom of the table but have won their last two league matches.

Max Balard has made 11 starts for NAC Breda, and the 24-year-old showed his versatility in their last outing by shifting from defensive midfield to centre back.

In the Belgian second tier, Josh Nisbet has started in all 15 games for Roda JC, providing two assists.

GERMANY

Connor Metcalfe started for the first time this season for Bundesliga outfit FC St Pauli in their 2-1 loss to Freiburg on the weekend.

The 26-year-old midfielder came off the bench in nine previous matches, but marked his start as a winger with an assist.

Teammate Jackson Irvine played 22 minutes off the bench in his third appearance since returning from injury, all of which have been as a substitute.

SPAIN

Mat Ryan has played ten matches in La Liga for Levante this season, keeping two clean sheets and conceding 18 goals.

The goalkeeper did his best in their last outing, against Atletico Madrid, making eight saves but they were beaten 3-1.

SCOTLAND

Martin Boyle has donned the captain’s armband in recent times for Hibernian, and has scored twice in 12 appearances in the Scottish Premiership this season.

The 32-year-old shone in Europe earlier in the season, scoring three goals in UEFA Conference League qualifiers.

Teammate Jack Iredale, who has been called up to the Socceroos squad for this month’s friendlies, has made ten starts as a centre back in 11 appearances in the league this season.

Hibernian won 3-0 against Keanu Baccus’ St Mirren on the weekend, Baccus has made eight starts in nine appearances in midfield this season.

Apostolos Stamatelopoulos has scored four goals and provided two assists in 11 appearances, including eight starts, so far this league campaign for Motherwell.

Cameron Devlin has been a key feature for unbeaten league leaders Hearts, starting all 12 matches in midfield.

Kusini Yengi has not made an appearance for Aberdeen since September.

UNITED STATES

Aiden O’Neill played a key role as New York City FC defeated Charlotte FC 3-1 to book their place in a second consecutive Eastern Conference semi-final.

O’Neill made 44 off 46 passes in an impressive display in midfield, where he was present for the entire match.

Patrick Yazbek started for Nashville in their 4-0 loss to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami that ended their playoff campaign.

DENMARK

Goalkeeper Paul Izzo has conceded 17 goals and kept two clean sheets in ten Superliga appearances for Randers FC.

His teammate Mohamed Toure meanwhile has scored four goals and provided four assists in 14 outings, 12 of which have been starts.

The 21-year-old has been in good form of late, scoring a double earlier this month in a 3-2 loss to Viborg FF.

NORWAY

Nick D’Agostino has scored three goals and provided an assist in ten Eliteserien outings for Viking despite only starting once.

His teammate Gianni Stensness made his first start for the season at centre back in the weekend’s 3-0 win against HamKam after missing the majority of the campaign with a knee injury.

POLAND

Deni Juric, who has been called up to the national squad for this month’s friendlies, has scored three goals across all competitions for Polish side Wisla Plock this season.

The 28-year-old is the brother of former Socceroo Tomi Juric.

CROATIA

Fran Karacic has made ten league appearances for Hajduk Split, scoring a goal and an assist, but the right back has only played seven minutes in their last four league matches.

Teammate AnthonyKalik, who was in the national squad for September’s international window, has started just once, coming off the bench eight times and scoring one goal this league season.

CZECHIA

Garang Kuol has only come off the bench three times for Sparta Prague in the Czech top flight with his only start coming in a cup game.

The 21-year-old winger joined Sparta Prague on multi-year contract from Newcastle United at the end of August.

AUSTRIA

Marco Tilio has scored once for Rapid Vienna this season, but has been an unused substitute in two of their last three league games, and in their last two UEFA Conference League matches.

JAPAN

Jason Geria returned to the starting line-up for Albirex Niigata’s last two J1 League matches.

The 32-year-old defender has made 22 appearances this season, 15 of which have been starts.

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