Jason Culina

Culina was a star of Australia’s disappointing Asian introduction, playing every minute of the Socceroos four matches. What should have followed was a prolonged European career, but instead Culina showed a trait very few Australian footballers have ever shown, rejecting a contract extension at Dutch powerhouses PSV Eindhoven to return to Australia as Gold Coast United’s marquee signing

Unfortunately not even Culina’s selflessness could keep Clive Palmer’s lovechild afloat, and blighted by injury and fallouts with coaches, Culina eventually retired.

The son of Branko Culina always seemed destined to go into coaching, but what’s more surprising is that Jason chose to start at the bottom. A year after his retirement, Culina began coaching at a private boy’s school in Sydney, before moving onto a technical director role at St. Josephs College.

Finally, he recently re-joined his father to coach Fraser Park FC in the National Premier League NSW where he’ll come up against Michael Beauchamp this season, as he completes his coaching badges.

Vince Grella

A brilliant defensive midfielder, Grella was the unsung hero of Australia’s 2006 World Cup campaign, and the only Australian to make the preliminary FIFA team of the tournament.

Despite obvious talent, during his international career Grella was often the victim of the overshadowing forces around him, otherwise known as the likes of Harry Kewell, Mark Bresciano and Brett Emerton.

But even though Grella’s Italian career largely echoed that of Bresciano, with similar success in stints for Empoli, Ternana, Torino and Parma – captaining the latter – Grella’s tactical acuteness deserves special recognition within this XI.

Unfortunately for Vince, his international legacy – and 46 caps – may have been far greater had he not suffered from the endless injuries that eventually forced his retirement, at the age of 32.

Nowadays, Grella lives in Italy, is a player agent associated with Frank Trimboli, yet still finds time to represent ‘Team11’, a potential A-league expansion based in Grella’s former home, Dandenong.