I genuinely think we are a stronger team than Australia now. I know it's 'only' Samoa we faced, but we have some serious talent.
Rubbish. On paper they are yes, a shadow of their Golden Generation culminating at the 2006 WC. That team chokka full of EPL players, and really quality ones like Viduka, Kewell & Cahill.
But they still a level above us. In the 3 matches we have played the Socceroos since 2022 we have barely troubled them (zero goals, and barely a shot on target), and our team hasn't changed or improved that much since then.
Their November squad
https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/socceroos-squad-confirmed-november-saudi-arabia-bahrain
The Aussies have a depth in players we can only dream of. As they should with 11 ALM clubs to our 2, and a far greater number of players spread over Europe. We have players struggling to get mins at their European/MLS/ALM clubs (Surman, Garbett, Waine, Smith), or players in lower leagues (Crocombe, Bell, Just, Singh, Rogerson, FDV, Sail) that Poppa just wouldn't have to pick.
Poppa can set the bench mark higher, just because of the greater depth at his disposal. Not performing at your club, sorry I'll pick the guy who is.
A prime example is Max Balard who has only just broke into the Socceroos, and is playing every minute for NAC Breda in Holland this season. He sat on the pine the other night against Saudi Arabia. Meanwhile his club team mate Garbett, is struggling to get mins at Breda, yet Garbs has played 27 games for the AWs now.
Gauci considered good enough to week in, week out sit on the bench for Villa. Paulsen has been loaned back to the ALM.
Stamenic is one that would be good enough for Australia I'm guessing even if he's not starting much in Greece. The Socceroos have struggled to replace Mooy and a lesser extent Rogic. Mooy is the biggest absentee from their Qatar WC team that nearly took Messi's Argentina to ET. But otherwise the core of that team is still around, another pointer they are still for sure better than us. Libby similarily might get into their squad as well. Wood a given. Old maybe.
On the other hand Payne or Roux wouldn't be near a Socceroos squad. Gillion would need 2 standout years in the ALM, before being close to an Australian callup.
Us at full strength, playing well, them understrength and not playing well, we could sneak a result. Might even score a goal. But overall they are currently still a level above. Playing in AFC is much harder than we think. Just because we know zero about the Saudi players, doesn't mean they ain't good. The Qatar WC drove that home.