Socceroos call-up a 'surprise' to Langerak
Mar 24, 2017 - 4:34 PM Mitch Langerak is unsure if he's unseated Mat Ryan as Australia's first-choice goalkeeper but admits his call-up to face Iraq came as a surprise.In a match where coach Ange Postecoglou gave the Socceroos selection picture an almighty shake-up, his decision to start Langerak ahead of Ryan for Thursday's 1-1 draw in Tehran was perhaps the biggest shock of them all.
Ryan has done little wrong on the road to Russia but Langerak - who has started every match this season for Bundesliga promotion contenders Stuttgart - has been knocking at the door for a while.
The 28-year-old took his opportunity with both hands, keeping the Socceroos in the game with several strong saves.
"It was a little bit of a surprise but in no way was I not prepared or anything like that," he said.
"As a goalkeeper you train from a very young age to be aware that you can come in at any moment in any game and also starting."
Langerak had not started for Australia since October 2014 and his only match involvement since then was off the bench in a friendly against Macedonia.
He only found out he would be facing Iraq on the day of the game, which became a slog due to a horrendous surface at PAS Stadium and constant showers.
"It's not something you'd like to wake up to in the morning of the game and see that it's been raining all night," he said.
"The pitch was a disaster, it was all very difficult. I spoke to the back three a few times, we just agreed any backpasses we'd put outside the goal because it was a mudbath there.
"Every time I had the ball under my foot in the centre of the goal, I had to try and get it wide into some decent grass to be able to strike it. It certainly wasn't easy."
Postecoglou said his decision to go with Langerak was based on the team's new 3-4-3 system, which is vulnerable to attacks out wide, with the rationale that the former Melbourne Victory shotstopper's strong aerial ability was what they needed.
But whether he sticks with him for Tuesday's crunch clash with the UAE in Sydney remains to be seen.
"He picks his line-up he thinks will get the job done on that day. It's in three days' time, I'm not even thinking about that at the moment," Langerak said.
Source: AAP
No one has shouted yet.
Be the first!
Be the first!
Related News
- FFA wins club v country stoush Dec 29
- FFA wins Olyroos arbitration Dec 29
- Game-starved Maclaren open to loan deal Dec 21
- Australian or not, hire the best man: Ange Dec 21
- Cheap shots tried to undermine me: Ange Dec 21
- Matildas tee up next opponents Dec 18
- Mooy bags a brace as Terriers beat Watford Dec 16
- Matildas go to fourth in world soccer Dec 15
- Arnold dismisses report of Socceroos offer Dec 13
- Scolari linked to Socceroos coaching job Dec 12
- In-form Meredith targets Socceroos recall Dec 12
- Socceroos coach must be Aussie: Merrick Dec 12