Football Australia have asked us to nominate our Centenary 11 (plus 12 reserves) to help commemorate the two match series against New Zealand in September. Some might call it a jingoistic and cynical marketing exercise to help ramp up enthusiasm for the World Cup, but not me.

So here are my selections…

This is exceedingly difficult, not least as there is little or no footage of the earlier Socceroos. But having watched the Socceroos since 1974, I’ve decided I am justified in erring towards more recent players as, frankly, the game has evolved. Players reach significantly higher levels of technique and capacity these days, notwithstanding natural talent, so that’s my focus (except in a couple of cases).

I’m also going with a 442 for my first XI.

Goalkeepers

Corry, Zabica, Schwarzer, Bosnich, Ryan

Mark Schwarzer, for me, is the standout Australian goalkeeper. Almost singlehandedly kept Boro and Fulham in the EPL for years and made numerous key penalty saves to get us to World Cups (or Olympics). Definitely rated in the UK as the greatest ever Australian keeper.

Robert Zabica makes my reserve team. Probably the most spectacularly agile Australian keeper I’ve ever seen. (I have one of his shirts.)

Some will point to Bozza’s performances in the EPL as worthy of distinction, but he never did it for Australia – was a traffic cone against Iran in 1997.

Defenders

Marston, Wilson, A Davidson, Wilkshire, Neill, Tobin, Moore, Ivanovic, Yankos, Sainsbury, Chipperfield, Ognenovski, Rowles, Lazaridis

Straightaway, people will be raising an eyebrow at Rowles’ inclusion. That’s how highly I rate him already. He will be an outstanding Socceroo and almost certainly captain, for many years. Sue me if I’m wrong, but he doesn’t quite make my XI.

Lucas Neill, at his peak, was an outstanding defender of the highest quality. Preferred to play CB but I’ll pick him on the right where he pips Luke Wilkshire.

I’ve never seen Joe Marston play but based purely on his massive reputation (and his selection in Preston’s team of the C20), he demands selection. Alongside him I would pick the wonderful Milan Ivanovic, just ahead of Moore, Yankos, Sainsbury, Tobin, Rowles and Wilson. Ognenovski had a fabulous end of career purple patch (including Asian player of the year) but didn’t do it long enough.

Left back has to go to Chippers. Had a fantastic few years either side of the 2006 World Cup. Super solid in defence and dangerous going forward – chimed in with a couple of valuable goals. Just beats Stan Lazaridis.

Midfield

Barnes, Wade, Bresciano, Zelic, Okon, Grella, Jedinak, Mooy, Kewell, Skoko, Culina

This is getting so tough now.

We’ve had a lot of very gifted midfielders, especially over the last 30 years. Murray Barnes and Paul Wade were both long term Socceroo captains but, despite their service, they were still part time players and didn’t enjoy the elite environment in which more modern players thrived.

It is impossible not to pick players of the quality of Bresciano, Okon and Zelic, three of our greatest Socceroos, so the decision comes down to who else gets picked in my four man midfield.

Players like Grella, Jedinak, Mooy, Skoko and Culina would walk into any Socceroos side of any era, but they don’t make my Centenary First XI. The last spot goes to Harry Kewell because he was (for me) the greatest player we ever produced, and I have others I want to pick up front.

Forwards

Warren, Baartz, Abonyi, Cahill, Viduka, Patikas, Arnold, Kosmina, Thompson

Jimmy Patikas didn’t score that many goals or even play that many games for the Socceroos, but he was my favourite player for a while (and I’ve always had a soft spot for Olympic). Outrageously skilled and might’ve absolutely thrived if he was playing these days. He doesn’t make my team, alas.

Probably the first Socceroos game I remember watching (as a very wee tacker) was the game in which Ray Baartz was injured. I had, however, already noted what a fantastic player he was and so many people talk about him as the great tragedy of Australian football. We are so crap at producing strikers but he was as close as we came to the genuine article. He has to be included.

Which is kinda unfair to Atti Abonyi, despite his outrageous skill. Atti got most of his goals against (what might be called) lesser teams but he does go awfully close.

As for Johnnie Warren, no-one had a bigger heart, but I don’t think he was up to the standards of the guys I’ve picked ahead of him.

Arnie and Kossie were long term number 9s and gave great service, but they didn’t have the X factor I’m looking for. Archie scored 28 goals in 54 games which is an outstanding return, but they were mostly against Oceania teams.

It comes down to Abonyi, Viduka and Cahill for the last spot, and while I think Viduka was a super skilled striker, Australia has never had a more effective goal scorer than Timmy Cahill. He has to make the team. (Sorry Atti…)

So there we have it:

Schwarzer

Neill, Marston, Ivanovic, Chipperfield

Bresciano, Zelic, Okon, Kewell

Baartz, Cahill

My 12 reserves would be:

Zabica

Yankos

Tobin

Sainsbury

Lazaridis

Grella

Mooy

Culina

Wade

Barnes

Abonyi

Viduka

So those are my 23 angels all fighting for space on the pinhead. It was a difficult choice, not least as you could still pick a fantastic Socceroos XI from those who’ve entirely missed the cut.

Special mention to Kye Rowles.

P.S. I would have picked Craig Johnston if he’d played just one second for the Socceroos. How bitter he must have felt when (Englishman) Martin Potter won the World Surfing Title.

Adrian's books can be purchased at any good bookstore or through ebook alchemy. His first sci-fi novel (Asparagus Grass) will be published by Hague Publishing in 2022.