Tend to agree. With Forest still to be apparently under some Financial Fair Play trade restrictions (limits the number of new players they can bring in), plus European football (they should go deep in the Conference League) the Woodsman may carry a heavy club workload this coming season.
If Ryan Thomas is going to be allowed to skip the Sept window before an AWs return, why not captain Wood. Let Barba, Waine, Mata and maybe even Dyer audition for the WC striker backup spots.
Only thing is it sounds like it will be the Socceroos in September. NZF will be more keen on that than Football Australia. The Socceroos last played a non AFC team nearly 2 years ago now (AWs at Brentford). Poppa will be dead keen to have them play big teams from other Confeds, as much as possible before June 2026. Just like NZF wanted the AWs to play Ivory Coast & Ukraine.
Truth be told in the 3 recent Trans Tasman games (Suncorp, EP & Brentford), the Socceroos have done it easy. Even with a 2nd string outfit at EP. AWs no goals & barely a shot on target. We are ranked 86th. Them 24th. Those 3 games were in some Australian football quarters, seen as a bit of a waste of time/valuable window.
I think NZF would need to promise a full strength AWs lineup (ie the squad in Toronto), for Football Australia and Poppa to agree to the Sept games.
If Ryan Thomas is going to be allowed to skip the Sept window before an AWs return, why not captain Wood. Let Barba, Waine, Mata and maybe even Dyer audition for the WC striker backup spots.
Only thing is it sounds like it will be the Socceroos in September. NZF will be more keen on that than Football Australia. The Socceroos last played a non AFC team nearly 2 years ago now (AWs at Brentford). Poppa will be dead keen to have them play big teams from other Confeds, as much as possible before June 2026. Just like NZF wanted the AWs to play Ivory Coast & Ukraine.
Truth be told in the 3 recent Trans Tasman games (Suncorp, EP & Brentford), the Socceroos have done it easy. Even with a 2nd string outfit at EP. AWs no goals & barely a shot on target. We are ranked 86th. Them 24th. Those 3 games were in some Australian football quarters, seen as a bit of a waste of time/valuable window.
I think NZF would need to promise a full strength AWs lineup (ie the squad in Toronto), for Football Australia and Poppa to agree to the Sept games.