Ante Suto battles for Australia World Cup spot as Martin Boyle puts arm around hurting Hearts man
Socceroos to name squad by end of the week
This is set to be one of the biggest weeks of Hibs forward Ante Suto’s career as he tries to cement his place in the Australia squad for the upcoming World Cup.
Suto is currently in the United States on a training camp with the Socceroos. Head coach Tony Popovic will name his squad for the tournament on Monday, June 1 and the Easter Road hitman is desperate to be part of it.
Hibs do have a nailed-on Australia at the World Cup. Barring a horrible turn of events with injury, Martin Boyle - fresh from signing a new contract that keeps him in Leith for another year - will be part of the Socceroos set-up. The 33-year old missed the World Cup in Qatar four years ago due to knee ligament rupture but capped 41 times by Australia, he remains front and centre of their squad.
Suto is at the opposite end of the spectrum. He was given his maiden Australia call-up in March, two months into his Hibs career, and set foot in the land of his father for the first time.
Born and raised in Croatia, he was keen to explore his options with the Socceroos. He didn’t play in friendlies against Cameroon and Curacao, but did enough to earn a place in Popovic’s training camp. Now it is about proving his worth.
Australia are not blessed with strikers. Boyle and Awer Mabil have ten goals each to their name. Their experience also will keep them in the group. Melbourne Victory’s Nishan Velupillay has scored three goals in six appearances, and the great hope is 20-year-old Nestory Irankunda, who is at Watford. Five goals in 13 matches is a good return. He’s on the plane.
So Suto is probably competing for a final spot in Australia’s armoury. Wisla Plock’s Deni Jurić is likely his biggest competitor for a place.
Suto scored four goals in 14 appearances for Hibs - many from the bench - after making the switch from Slaven Belupo in January. He can play wide or as a No 9, which may give him a better chance of selection.
Speaking from Australia’s training camp in the States, Boyle spoke highly of Suto. “We’ve got a good connection, managed to link up a few times [since signing], said Boyle. “He did make an instant impact. I’ve got no doubt with a good pre-season, he will hit the ground running. He’s competing for a spot at the World Cup and hopefully he takes his opportunity.
Suto is not the only man from an Edinburgh club hoping to make the final cut. Hearts midfielder Cammy Devlin, capped four times and in good form, is also over in Sarasota, Florida, with the Socceroos. Boyle admitted that he’s had to rally round Devlin after Hearts lost out on the title to Celtic on the final day of the season.
“Obviously it was the ending that we probably wanted in terms of,” Boyle smiled in an interview with the official Socceroos channel. “But you do feel sorry for your teammates that come in here: Cammy Devlin. We’ve put an arm around him. He’s a strong boy and a terrific player.”
Australia face Mexico on Friday night at the Rose Bowl in a friendly, which will be the last chance for Australia’s fringe men to shine. Popovic will then decide who will be in the mix for the Group D clashes with Paraguay, Turkey and the US.