Door opens for Aussie shake-up as Socceroos starter, veteran set to miss Paraguay showdown

WORLD CUP DAILY: Star on serious charges cops icy snub

DAD’S EPIC RESPONSE TO NATIONALITY QUESTION

Alessandro Circati’s father has delivered an epic response to sceptics questioning the Socceroos defender’s nationality, declaring that “he’s Aussie, he’s not Italian”.

Born in Italy, Circati was 16 months old when he moved to Perth in 2005, where his father Gianfranco briefly represented Perth Glory.

He represented Italy’s national Under-20 side, but has since make 15 appearances for the Socceroos, including a stint as captain.

“He’s Aussie, he’s not Italian,” Gianfranco told reporters on Tuesday.

“He’s been having a mullet for the last six or seven years. I’m not very happy with that.

“It doesn’t matter where you were born, it depends on were you were raised, how you were raised.

“I don’t agree with people who say if you weren’t born in Australia, you’re not Australian.”

However, Gianfranco confirmed some members of the extended family back in Italy were surprised by Circati’s decision to represent Australia

“At the start, they didn’t understand his decision to play for Australia,” he added.

“But after talking to him, obviously they realised that now, deep down, he’s not Italian.”

‘CHEATING THE GAME’: AUSSIES WON’T PLAY FOR THE DRAW

The World Cup’s new structure, which sees tied teams advancing on their head-to-head result rather than goal difference, has created a unique dilemma for Australia and Paraguay ahead of Friday’s game in Santa Clara.

Both on three points, Australia and Paraguay only need a draw to qualify for the knockouts, while even a narrow defeat could be enough for the Socceroos to feature in the Round of 32.

It would therefore be advantageous for the Socceroos to wind down the clock and play for a draw, which would guarantee Australia second place in Group D.

However, Socceroos defender Jason Geria denied that Australia would consider parking the bus if the situation arose.

“I think you’re sort cheating the game in a way if you’re looking to just call a truce with 10 minutes to go,” he said.

“That doesn’t seem right in my opinion.

“Yeah, we could both progress with a point, that’s evident, but I don’t think it’s in us to just concede or just take the foot off the gas.

“We want to win every game, regardless of who the opponent is or what the situation is.

“So I don’t think if it is one-all or nil-all with five minutes left or 50 seconds left, it’s going to be us taking the foot off the bell. I think we want to win this game. So that’s how we’re going into it.”

AUSSIE GREATS CALL FOR MULTIPLE SOCCEROOS CHANGES

Former Socceroos goalkeeper Mark Bosnich has called on Australian coach Tony Popovic to make multiple changes to the team line-up for the final group-stage match against Paraguay in Santa Clara.

Bosnich believes that Nestory Irankunda and Connor Metcalfe, who both scored goals during the Socceroos’ 2-0 victory over Turkiye but started on the bench for Australia’s loss to the United States, should return to the starting XI for Friday’s game.

“It’s quite simple,” Bosnich said on SEN’s Gloves Off.

“Number one I’d bring back Irankunda and I would say Connor Metcalfe. And I would somehow try to fit in Volpato. I know that will be difficult with the balance.

“We’re coming up against a team who don’t play too dissimilar to the way we play. A team that will be looking a little bit more to win than we, because we know a draw will guarantee us second place.

“Definitely Irankunda and Metcalfe, in my opinion, have got to start. I don’t think there should be any question about that.

“If Irankunda gasses out, like people have said, then take him off. Quite simple. But you start with your best players and he’s arguably our best player.”

He added: “In terms of the midfield, if they do go with Volpato then he will need people around him to do the running for him.

“You need two runners in behind him to let him do what he does with the ball which is an absolutely wonderful quality.

“I think the future is Volpato, Irankunda and Mo Toure. Those three up front would be absolutely outstanding.

“For this game it might be a game too soon to perhaps do that with Volpato but you might have to bring him on anyway because if we’re losing we don’t want to finish on three points.”

Meanwhile, Bosnich also floated the possibility of teenager Lucas Herrington potentially replacing fellow defender Cameron Burgess.

“Whether you want to bring in Herrington at the back, that’ll be a decision that’s a toss-up. I would lean towards perhaps yes,” he said.

“No disrespect to Burgess. It maybe needs a little bit of refreshing there. He did nothing wrong as well.”

Another Socceroos goalkeeping legend, Mark Schwarzer flagged yet another change he’d make for the clash — Mat Ryan for Patrick Beach.

Beach has been a shock first-choice goalkeeper at the World Cup over the Socceroos captain, playing one of the games of his life in the first match against Turkey.

Writing for Football360, Schwarzer said he holds nothing againt Beach, but believed Popovic needs to opt for experience against Paraguay.

“I’d be tempted to go with almost exactly the same team that started the first game against Turkiye, but I would look at bringing in Maty Ryan instead of Patrick Beach,” he wrote.

“Not because Patrick Beach has done badly, I think he’s done really, really well. But in these games, you pick your most experienced players.

“There is a valid argument to say you go for your most experienced. That would mean even though Beach has done really, really well, you might look to bring Ryan back into the side because of that experience at that level. Whether that happens or not, and that’s got nothing to do with Patrick Beach’s performances, is a tough one.

“With Maty, it’s just his experience on such a big occasion in a must not lose game.”