Former Socceroos captain and legend Paul Wade believes Riley McGree is ideally placed to become the nation’s next midfield general in the post-Mile Jedinak era.
“Riley’s versatile, and this is a great time for him over the next three years for the Socceroos.”
SEE RILEY'S PAGE ON THE OFFICIAL ADELAIDE UNITED SITE
McGree made his A-League debut for Adelaide in 2015/16 and joined the Belgian club Club Brugge in 2017.
He returned for spells with the Jets - where he scored a Puskas Award-nominated goal in 2018 - and Melbourne City before the Reds signed him last season.
McGree was recently the subject of reports that a handful of clubs in Turkey, Germany, and Scotland were circling, ready to offer the Reds $5m for their Socceroo (though the club played down the stories).
He was first called up to the Socceroos under Ange Postecoglou in 2017, with the teen an unused substitute for two Socceroos World Cup qualifiers against the United Arab Emirates and Iraq in March that year.
Last year, however, he caught up in an alleged dating app scandal while on duty in Asia with the Olyroos.
“He did the wrong thing, he paid the price but that’s in the past. He is the future of the national team’s midfield,” added Wade.
Wade, who featured at the Seoul Olympic Games in 1988, two World Cup campaigns in 1990 and 1994, believes with the current squad Arnold will be able to qualify the Socceroos directly for the November 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
PAUL WADE'S OFFICIAL SITE FOR LIFE SKILLS AND MOTIVATION
“I love this new era. Arnie’s got them going in the right direction,” said Wade.
"And Riley will play a big part in the Socceroos' midfield on the road to Qatar."
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