It says something about the depth of Australian football that in the final match before the start of the Socceroos' World Cup qualifying campaign, the selectors can pull out three names which would be foreign to all but the most hard core of Australian football fans.
James Wesolowski, Nathan Coe and Adam Federici may not have the fame of Viduka, Kewell and Cahill, but while dutifully plying their trade in Europe, they are developing the type of skills and experience which could see them carry Australia to future success. Much has been made of the A-League players in the wake of the Asian Cup, but the truth is that our best players are still better served developing in Europe, and exposing themselves to a higher level of football.
Federici is considered the heir apparent to Mark Schwarzer, and has been playing second fiddle at Premier League club Reading, only starting in a couple of Carling Cup games so far this season. But at 22, and with the likelihood of three more seasons in the EPL ahead of the World Cup, he could be the man to finally displace Schwarzer. The current No.1 may have been a great servant for his country, but by the time 2010 rocks around, he would most likely not be playing top-flight English football.
Australia took three keepers to the last World Cup - Schwarzer (now 35), Zelkjo Kalac (soon to be 35) and Ante Covic (now 32). In the squad for next week's friendly against Nigeria at Craven Cottage, there is Schwarzer, young gun Federici (22), and the surprise-packet Coe (23).
Coe has been playing at FC Copenhagen, making his debut less than two months ago. He took his chance to show his skill between the posts and clearly Rob Baan, manager for the final match before the official start of the Dick Advocaat era, was impressed. Australia has a habit of producing excellent goalkeepers, and Coe is no exception.
Wesolowski has always been a precocious junior talent, heading to England to Leicester City at age 15. He has had a horrid run with injury, breaking his leg twice and suffering subsequent hamstring problems. But like fellow Socceroo Patrick Kisnorbo, his performances for Leicester have been pleasing and the 20-year-old will get his chance to at least train among his national heroes in the next week. He has been touted as the next Harry Kewell by some.
The major criticism levelled at the Socceroos in the recent Asian Cup was a lack of imagination at the selection table, especially in the first two games. When Graham Arnold turned to his lesser lights later in the tournament they performed brilliantly, and a few people were left scratching their heads and wondering what could have been had Arnold gone with the players who wanted to be there, rather than those who thought they were entitled to be there. In selecting these three players, Baan has shown a willingness to look to the future. Let's hope Advocaat continues in the same vein.
Baan has also shown a willingness to take on the big clubs in the club versus country row. David Moyes, having just got Tim Cahill back, would not be keen to see one of his star players return to the Socceroos camp, even if it is just down the road. But Cahill is fit, and is an Australian player, so should be playing for his country. He is also probably the most important player in the Socceroos campaign to reach the next World Cup.
On the other side of Stanley Park, Rafa Benitez would hardly be jumping for joy to see Harry Kewell heading off for national duty just two weeks after getting back to full fitness. But there should be no favours afforded to Kewell by the national side. He has always said it is an honour to represent Australia, and considering the match is in London, there is no excuse.
Australia is missing Brett Holman, Mark Viduka, Jason Culina, Mark Bresciano, Brad Jones, Michael Petkovic and Vincenzo Grella. That's quite a hole to fill, especially in midfield. But up front will be Scott McDonald, THE man of Scottish football at the moment, and the hero of the green half of Glasgow. McDonald's uncomplicated way of finding the back of the net regularly was exactly what Australia missed in the Asian Cup.
The combination between he and Josh Kennedy seems a natural one, and given Kennedy's reasonable form for Nurnburg of late, this could be the start of something special. Australia could be carried to the World Cup again on the back of a flood of goals created by two of the least fashionable players in Europe. The gangly redhead and the tiny marksman from Melbourne, combined with the determined brilliance of Tim Cahill, could finally give Australia the confidence to run at players in attack and create the goals that were lacking in Bangkok and Hanoi.
This may also be the last chance for Scott Chipperfield and Mile Sterjovski, both World Cup players, to prove they are up to being a part of a marathon qualification campaign.
This match will not be an easy task for the Socceroos. Nigeria is known as the most talented side in Africa, in terms of the quality of players out on the pitch. The ability to get those 11 players to combine to produce the best football has always been the biggest challenge, but the African Nations Cup in Ghana is only two months away and Berti Vogts, the first non-Nigerian manager since 2000, needs to show that the traditional African powerhouse can get the job done.
While 21 million Australians will be eager to see where the Socceroos are at, there will be 140 million-odd Nigerians doing the same thing. The one thing Australia should have learned from the Asian Cup is never underestimate the pride other nations have in the performance of their national teams.