‘He’s done extremely well’: A-League star in line for Socceroos call-up as veteran GK retires

Adelaide United goalkeeper Joe Gauci is likely to be named in the Socceroos squad for this month’s two-game series against Ecuador following veteran gloveman Danny Vukovic’s decision to retire from international football.

Capped four times and part of Australia’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup squads, 37-year-old Vukokic said the time had come for him to depart the Socceroos scene and “present an opportunity to the next generation of talented Australian ’keepers”.

“There will never be a greater honour in Australian men’s football than pulling on the Socceroos’ jersey and representing your country on the international stage,” Vukovic said

“I’ll forever be grateful to the coaches who have entrusted me to represented Australia at both youth and senior level and my teammates along the journey.”

The Central Coast Mariners custodian was set to have been included in the Socceroos squad for the March 24 (Sydney) and March 28 (Melbourne) games against Ecuador, with national coach Arnold intent on rewarding Australia’s 2022 World Cup squad with selection.

“Subject to availability, the aim is to select the same squad from the World Cup in Qatar for this upcoming series against Ecuador, but unselfishly, Danny made the decision to decline the invitation and instead open up the chance for another goalkeeper to be part of the camp and impress for future honours,” Arnold said.

And it seems that 22-year-old Adelaide gloveman Gauci will be first to get that “chance” by being named with Mat Ryan and Andrew Redmayne as the goalkeepers in the national squad on March 14,

“We’re still got to select the squad, but he (Gauci) has done extremely well this year with Adelaide and even last season, and he’s a youngster,” Arnold said.

“We do have a big hole in the goalkeeping department. You’ve got older goalkeepers over the age of 30, there’s nothing (much) in the late 20s … and then it’s the young ones.

“(Socceroos goalkeeping coach) John Crawley is on to that and we’re looking at those goalkeepers, and we’ll give them a chance through this year.”

Gauci and another contender to replace Vukovic in the national squad, 24-year-old Tom Glover, will be on opposing sides at Coopers Stadium on Friday night when Adelaide United hosts A-League leaders Melbourne City.

Glover was Australia’s goalkeeper at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 in an Olyroos squad that also included custodian Ashley Maynard-Brewer, who is on the books of English lower division club Charlton.