Harry Kewell has urged Socceroos coach Graham Arnold to force rising AS Roma star Cristian Volpato into a decision on his international future by picking him for the World Cup – but he fears the influence of Italian legend Francesco Totti could lead him to snub a call-up.
Kewell also endorsed the likely selection of English Premier League-bound teenager Garang Kuol, saying his pace “terrifies defenders” and would suit Australia’s tactics in Qatar.
Volpato and Kuol, both 18, are among the most exciting talents to have emerged from Australian soccer for many years – but while the latter has already been capped, and is a strong chance to be named in Arnold’s 26-man squad on Tuesday, the former has rebuffed previous approaches to play for the Socceroos in World Cup qualifying, according to sources, to keep his options open with Italy.
Discarded by the academies of Sydney FC and Western Sydney Wanderers, Volpato has become a favourite of Roma coach Jose Mourinho, who sent him on at half-time in their UEFA Europa League clash with Bulgarian side Ludogorets on Friday morning. Down 1-0 at the break, Volpato’s introduction helped spark a 3-1 comeback win for the Serie A outfit. He was substituted with 10 minutes to go as Mourinho explained he “hasn’t learnt” how to play in a team that has to defend.
However, like Kuol, his game-changing ability off the bench could be useful for the Socceroos at the World Cup. There are also longer-term considerations if Arnold can convince him to wear green and gold.
“He’s starting for AS Roma, [and] he’s starting for Mourinho. So there must be something,” Kewell told the Herald and The Age in an interview to promote this month’s Sydney Super Cup featuring Celtic, where he is an assistant to Ange Postecoglou.
Cristian Volpato’s goal and assist for Roma heightened Australian interest in the youngster before the World Cup.Credit:Getty
“Mourinho doesn’t put soft-mentality players in. He likes that hard-working mentality, solid, do-your-job kind of thing. If he’s progressing in that team, there’s something about him.
“If Arnie turns around and says, ‘Here’s this jersey, you are going to play, you are going to get minutes, you are going to enjoy this, come and be a part of the next generation boom in Australia’ – fantastic. But then he may be thinking, ‘Well, he’s Italian, he plays in Italy, it’s an honour for them as well’.
“He’s going to have to make a decision, but he has to make it quick because the one thing is you don’t want to be playing each country off with each other. Just pick it, and let it be.”
Football Australia sources say the federation feels it has done all it can to win over Volpato. It has deployed Socceroos great and board member Mark Bresciano, who had a stellar career in Serie A, to sell him the merits of playing for Australia.
Harry Kewell with Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.Credit:Getty
While Volpato has said no to the Socceroos in previous windows, and is believed to be somewhat disillusioned with Australia due to his experiences in A-League academies, it would be difficult for the Sydney-born teen to turn down a guaranteed spot at a World Cup in favour of hoping to play at one in the future for Italy, the reigning European champions who did not qualify for Qatar.
But the midfielder, who has made one start and scored one goal this season, has Totti – the scorer of the penalty that knocked Australia out of the 2006 World Cup – as his agent. Having already represented Italy at junior level, Kewell is concerned that Totti’s influence could sway Volpato away from the country where he was born and raised.
“They will 1000 per cent be pushing for him to be Italian. There’s no question about that,” Kewell said.
“So we’ve got to get in there, somehow. But they’ll probably be barricading the doors up. If Totti’s his agent, then, wow – I thought we’d have a 50-50 [chance] but that should probably knock it up to like 90 per cent Italy.
“I was my own person, I made my own decisions. Hopefully he’ll make his own decisions. But when you have such strong characters, in Totti, who has god-like stature at AS Roma, and then you’ve got another manager who has won competitions after competitions … they’re in your ear, day in, day out. It’s very hard for an outsider to be able to come in there and change his mind.
“So it will be difficult but, hopefully, he listens to both sides before he makes a decision.”
As for Kuol, Kewell has been thrilled by his rapid rise. The youngster has made a great start to the A-League season for Central Coast Mariners before his January switch to Newcastle United.
When Kuol made his Socceroos debut against New Zealand in September, he became the youngest player to represent Australia since Kewell got his first cap as a 17-year-old in 1996.
“We put records out there to be broken … to challenge younger players. That means they’re doing something better than you, which I like to see. And I’m glad he’s done that,” he said.
“I’m glad he’s got his move. To be part of a club like Newcastle, that is going to be going places, is huge.
“The experience he’s going to gain [if selected for the World Cup] is going to be huge. No one will know too much about him.
“The one thing that scares a lot of defenders in this world [is] speed. If you have speed that terrifies defenders, that is a possibility that can be sitting on the bench … we may have to play balls into the channel, and we’re going to have to use speed to get out of there.
“We do have quick players like [Awer] Mabil and [Martin] Boyle. But to do that for 90 minutes is hard – so maybe fresh legs, last 20 minutes, be able to bring some young kid on to be able to just freshen it up. Why not?”
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