Son of a gun called into Socceroos training squad
Paul Okon-Engstler, a 20-year-old midfielder on the books of Portuguese side Benfica, was on Friday named to attend a Socceroos camp in the United Arab Emirates later this month.
Okon sr is part of Tony Popovic's coaching staff and while his son is unlikely to receive a call-up proper for next month's must-win World Cup qualifiers with Japan and Saudi Arabia, he is clearly viewed as a player of potential.
Okon-Engstler was part of the Young Socceroos squad which won the U20 Asian Cup earlier this year.
Hibernian defender Jack Iredale and Aberdeen-bound Western Sydney Wanderers playmaker Nicolas Milanovic are also called into the Socceroos' set-up for the first time.
The squad is drawn from players whose seasons in the A-League Men or Europe have already finished.
"I'm very grateful to Football Australia for their support with this training camp which is invaluable for the players and staff ahead of our games in June," Popovic said.
"We've got players finishing up their seasons at a range of different times, so it's important they remain physically and mentally sharp in the weeks leading up to the final squad selection.
"I'm looking forward to the chance to work together for an extended period.
"There are also a lot of players who are currently in-season with their clubs, and we'll be monitoring them closely over the coming weeks."
Striker Kusini Yengi, who was released by Portsmouth earlier this week, is included after injury curtailed his involvement in the March qualification window.
Encouragingly for Popovic, Middlesbrough's Riley McGree and St Pauli's Connor Metcalfe are back in the fold as the Socceroos boss looks to cover the loss of Jackson Irvine.
Irvine will miss the June 5 clash with Japan in Perth and the June 11 meeting with Saudi Arabia in Jeddah with a foot issue.
Two wins will guarantee the Socceroos qualification for next year's World Cup in North America.
SOCCEROOS TRAINING SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Mat Ryan, Joe Gauci, Paul Izzo, Tom Glover.
Defenders: Milos Degenek, Jason Davidson, Cam Burgess, Lewis Miller, Ryan Strain, Alex Gersbach, Jack Iredale.
Midfielders: Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Keanu Baccus, Anthony Caceres, Max Blard, Nectar Triatnis, Paul Okon-Engstler.
Forwards: Martin Boyle, Adam Taggart, Brandon Borrello, Kusini Yengi, Nicolas Milanovic.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
14 hours ago
- Perth Now
Wallaroos crush Wales in final World Cup warm-up
The Wallaroos have enjoyed a morale-boosting 36-5 win in Sydney to level their two-match women's rugby Test series with Wales. On a cold and wet Friday night at North Sydney Oval, full of red jerseys with the British and Irish Lions in town to take on the Wallabies on Saturday, Australia responded in the best possible way to their 21-12 upset loss in Brisbane last week. Both sides made a host of changes from the Ballymore clash, and visiting coach Sean Lynn was forced into an early substitution, with Georgia Evans replacing the hobbling Alex Callender. Against the run of play on 16 minutes, 2024 Wallaroos player of the year Maya Stewart, back from knee surgery and starting in the side's final Test before the World Cup gets under way in England next month, dived over in the corner. Another winger in Jasmine Joyce-Butchers scored in her 50th Test for Wales, before flyhalf Faitala Moleka extended the hosts' lead and Samantha Wood slotted her second conversion for 14-5. After Welsh prop Gwenllian Pyrs was shown a yellow card and sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on, Aussie hooker Katalina Amosa, No.8 Tabua Tuinakauvadra, twice, and replacement flanker Ashley Marsters crossed the stripe for Jo Yapp's side in the second 40 to give the majority of the 4561 crowd a happy start to the weekend. The final missed conversion with two minutes remaining meant Wales' 37-5 defeat last September in Cape Town remains their record loss against Australia. The Wallaroos will now focus on Samoa in their opening World Cup pool game in Salford on August 23.
The Advertiser
a day ago
- The Advertiser
It would be tragic not to tour Australia: Farrell
Coach Andy Farrell has insisted that the debate over Australia's future as a British and Irish Lions tour destination is "insulting". The Lions are seeking to complete a series whitewash when the rivals clash for the final time in Sydney on Saturday. Australian rugby is facing significant challenges on and off the field and is the weakest of the three nations visited by the elite of British and Irish rugby, with South Africa and New Zealand completing the 12-year rotation. Furthermore, there is growing support for the Lions to visit France because of the strength of their national side and club game, as well as the commercial possibilities. The Wallabies answered their critics at Melbourne Cricket Ground by taking the second Test to the wire in an all-time classic before falling 2-0 behind in the series when Hugo Keenan struck with 51 seconds left. When asked if Australia had earned the right to host another tour, Farrell replied: "It was never off the agenda, in my opinion. "Every single team, country and province have their ups and downs but Australia - the sporting nation that they are - are always going to come back. "Have a look at the year they've got coming up. Come the 2027 World Cup they're going to be a force to be reckoned with, 100 per cent. "It would be tragic not to tour here. We've had a blast. To me its insulting to talk about it in that kind of way." Farrell's success as Lions head coach - as well as his obvious passion for the concept - makes him overwhelming favourite to lead the next tour to New Zealand, but he is refusing to look beyond attending an Oasis concert at Croke Park upon his return home. "Would I do this again? Give me a break would you! Let me get through Saturday. I have absolutely loved every single minute and I knew I would because I just love everything that the Lions is about," he said. "Thinking about the future is not something that is on my mind until I get home and have a bit of reflection on the whole thing. "I'm definitely going to Oasis and that's why I'm going home! I'll be taking a few friends. There are a few coaches here that are trying to get on the bandwagon." Coach Andy Farrell has insisted that the debate over Australia's future as a British and Irish Lions tour destination is "insulting". The Lions are seeking to complete a series whitewash when the rivals clash for the final time in Sydney on Saturday. Australian rugby is facing significant challenges on and off the field and is the weakest of the three nations visited by the elite of British and Irish rugby, with South Africa and New Zealand completing the 12-year rotation. Furthermore, there is growing support for the Lions to visit France because of the strength of their national side and club game, as well as the commercial possibilities. The Wallabies answered their critics at Melbourne Cricket Ground by taking the second Test to the wire in an all-time classic before falling 2-0 behind in the series when Hugo Keenan struck with 51 seconds left. When asked if Australia had earned the right to host another tour, Farrell replied: "It was never off the agenda, in my opinion. "Every single team, country and province have their ups and downs but Australia - the sporting nation that they are - are always going to come back. "Have a look at the year they've got coming up. Come the 2027 World Cup they're going to be a force to be reckoned with, 100 per cent. "It would be tragic not to tour here. We've had a blast. To me its insulting to talk about it in that kind of way." Farrell's success as Lions head coach - as well as his obvious passion for the concept - makes him overwhelming favourite to lead the next tour to New Zealand, but he is refusing to look beyond attending an Oasis concert at Croke Park upon his return home. "Would I do this again? Give me a break would you! Let me get through Saturday. I have absolutely loved every single minute and I knew I would because I just love everything that the Lions is about," he said. "Thinking about the future is not something that is on my mind until I get home and have a bit of reflection on the whole thing. "I'm definitely going to Oasis and that's why I'm going home! I'll be taking a few friends. There are a few coaches here that are trying to get on the bandwagon." Coach Andy Farrell has insisted that the debate over Australia's future as a British and Irish Lions tour destination is "insulting". The Lions are seeking to complete a series whitewash when the rivals clash for the final time in Sydney on Saturday. Australian rugby is facing significant challenges on and off the field and is the weakest of the three nations visited by the elite of British and Irish rugby, with South Africa and New Zealand completing the 12-year rotation. Furthermore, there is growing support for the Lions to visit France because of the strength of their national side and club game, as well as the commercial possibilities. The Wallabies answered their critics at Melbourne Cricket Ground by taking the second Test to the wire in an all-time classic before falling 2-0 behind in the series when Hugo Keenan struck with 51 seconds left. When asked if Australia had earned the right to host another tour, Farrell replied: "It was never off the agenda, in my opinion. "Every single team, country and province have their ups and downs but Australia - the sporting nation that they are - are always going to come back. "Have a look at the year they've got coming up. Come the 2027 World Cup they're going to be a force to be reckoned with, 100 per cent. "It would be tragic not to tour here. We've had a blast. To me its insulting to talk about it in that kind of way." Farrell's success as Lions head coach - as well as his obvious passion for the concept - makes him overwhelming favourite to lead the next tour to New Zealand, but he is refusing to look beyond attending an Oasis concert at Croke Park upon his return home. "Would I do this again? Give me a break would you! Let me get through Saturday. I have absolutely loved every single minute and I knew I would because I just love everything that the Lions is about," he said. "Thinking about the future is not something that is on my mind until I get home and have a bit of reflection on the whole thing. "I'm definitely going to Oasis and that's why I'm going home! I'll be taking a few friends. There are a few coaches here that are trying to get on the bandwagon."
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
It would be tragic not to tour Australia: Farrell
Coach Andy Farrell has insisted that the debate over Australia's future as a British and Irish Lions tour destination is "insulting". The Lions are seeking to complete a series whitewash when the rivals clash for the final time in Sydney on Saturday. Australian rugby is facing significant challenges on and off the field and is the weakest of the three nations visited by the elite of British and Irish rugby, with South Africa and New Zealand completing the 12-year rotation. Furthermore, there is growing support for the Lions to visit France because of the strength of their national side and club game, as well as the commercial possibilities. The Wallabies answered their critics at Melbourne Cricket Ground by taking the second Test to the wire in an all-time classic before falling 2-0 behind in the series when Hugo Keenan struck with 51 seconds left. When asked if Australia had earned the right to host another tour, Farrell replied: "It was never off the agenda, in my opinion. "Every single team, country and province have their ups and downs but Australia - the sporting nation that they are - are always going to come back. "Have a look at the year they've got coming up. Come the 2027 World Cup they're going to be a force to be reckoned with, 100 per cent. "It would be tragic not to tour here. We've had a blast. To me its insulting to talk about it in that kind of way." Farrell's success as Lions head coach - as well as his obvious passion for the concept - makes him overwhelming favourite to lead the next tour to New Zealand, but he is refusing to look beyond attending an Oasis concert at Croke Park upon his return home. "Would I do this again? Give me a break would you! Let me get through Saturday. I have absolutely loved every single minute and I knew I would because I just love everything that the Lions is about," he said. "Thinking about the future is not something that is on my mind until I get home and have a bit of reflection on the whole thing. "I'm definitely going to Oasis and that's why I'm going home! I'll be taking a few friends. There are a few coaches here that are trying to get on the bandwagon."
