Irvine a chance first up
GOALSCORING midfielder Jackson Irvine could be the shock inclusion for Australia’s World Cup clash against 1998 champions France, as Bert van Marwijk’s selection dilemmas go down to the wire.
Irvine, 25, epitomises the David v Goliath nature of the Kazan Arena showdown, having taken an arduous road to Championship side Hull City via Scotland after he was overlooked by ALeague clubs.
Now the man who was cut by Celtic in 2015 after one senior game is competing with the current star of the Glasgow club, Tom Rogic, for the “number 10” (attacking midfield) role.
Captain Mile Jedinak is a 50-50 prospect to start on Saturday after Massimo Luongo was preferred in the two friendly games, with Trent Sainsbury to wear the captain’s armband if the Aston Villa midfielder starts on the bench.
Teen Daniel Arzani could play an impact role after his stunning cameo in the 2-1 win over Hungary on Sunday, which included a goal and secondary assist.
Rogic started the two preRussia friendlies and appears the slight frontrunner, but Irvine has always been in the reckoning after making an instant impact, scoring in van Marwijk’s Socceroos debut, a 4-1 Oslo defeat against Norway in March.
While Rogic is the assist maestro who the Socceroos try to free up and exploit, Irvine’s industry, scoring nous and set-piece prowess offers a different threat, with van Marwijk to decide which attacker to unleash against the French.
“We have to play with the same organisation no matter who the opponent, but (within that) you can have variations,’’ van Marwijk said. ‘‘When, for example, Rogic and Irvine play in the same position, it’s completely different.
“It’s the same when (Aaron) Mooy and Jedinak play in the same control position in the midfield. You get another type of playing but the organisation is the same.’’