Olyroos coach Tony Vidmar says "bigger picture" thinking on Nestory Irankunda's national team future is behind absence from his squad for the Under-23 Asian Cup, for which a host of European-based talent have been blocked from selection.
Seeking to qualify for the Paris Olympics, Vidmar unveiled a 23-player squad for this month's tournament on Thursday, one made up largely of members of the team that reached the final of March's WAFF Championship in Saudi Arabia. Staged from April 15 to May 3, the three highest finishers at the championships will automatically qualify for Paris, while the fourth-placed nation will face African nation Guinea in a playoff for the final slot on offer.
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With A-League Men clubs required to release players as per terms of the unbundling agreement between the league and Football Australia, 15 members of the squad ply their trade in the Australian top flight. Marco Tilio, Jacob Farrell and Ryan Teague all return after injury ruled them out of action in March. However, despite scoring a maiden senior hat trick for Adelaide United over the weekend, Irankunda has been omitted.
Resisting external pressure to call him up for both U23 and senior internationals, Football Australia has remained steadfast in their decision to take a cautious approach with the 18-year-old soon-to-be Bayern Munich player, earmarking a steady progression through its junior pathway that emphasises his long-term well-being and expectation management.
"I've met with Nestor on a couple occasions in the past months and it's just such an emotional player -- and what's happened to him this season -- I think he's on a roller coaster 24/7," Vidmar explained on Thursday.
"I'm definitely looking at the bigger picture. We want Nestor to be a 10-year plus Socceroo, year in and year out. He's going to be the future of the national team. And we just have to be mindful of what we do with him in the national team space and at the moment and we don't want to damage him.
"He's just turned 18 and that's a big ask for him to come in and all these expectations from people outside. Because I asked him about the expectation, and it's been challenging for him. And to throw that on a young kid, it can do more damage. We know the talent that he has but we are very confident with the squad that we have."
Vidmar wouldn't shut the door on Irankunda coming into consideration for Paris should the Olyroos qualify, with the 76-time Socceroo emphasising the frequent communication he has with his fellow South Australian.
"The human being is number one, the person," he said. "He's been through so much this year. I'd hate to be in his shoes. He's just being prodded at, everyone's poking at him. Everyone wants a piece of him.
"Yes, I understand being playing for the national team is a huge thing. And I've spoken to him about that. I think he just wants to play football for his club and then get ready for the next part of his journey. He's just turned 18.
"I could be selfish and just bring him in for the sake of it but dealing with players and having that relationship with them, you find out so much more about them. And we feel that the bigger picture is the [senior] national team, the Socceroos.
"You want to be talking about him for the next 15 years as a national team player. Not one that [international duty] becomes a difficult thing for him to do because he's dealing with a lot. And that's something that we have to be aware of. And as national teams, that's our focus. That's our number one, and we were looking down the road for him."
Newcastle United winger Garang Kuol, on loan at FC Volendam, headlines the overseas-based contingent that Vidmar has been able to call upon, alongside the likes of Reims forward Mohamed Toure (on loan at Paris FC), Borussia Mönchengladbach's Jacob Italiano, and Gwangju FC defender Alex Popovic.
However, six players -- Alessandro Circati, Nicholas Bilokapic, Calem Nieuwenhof, Cameron Peupion, Nectarios Triantis, and Patrick Yazbek -- were noted by Football Australia as not being released by their clubs.
"It's the second biggest tournament after a World Cup and we're in a situation where you're robbed of your best players," said Vidmar. "That's going to be another discussion point with the European clubs."
Vidmar indicated that he had already assurances from "a couple" of clubs that they would release players for the Olympics proper -- European clubs are not obligated to do so -- even if it was couched in the qualifier that clubs could change their minds.
With the Socceroos set to face Bangladesh and Palestine in World Cup qualifying in June but already qualified for the next stage, the coach also flagged discussions with Socceroos boss Graham Arnold on how that window could integrate with preparation for July's Olympics.
Australia's squad for the Under-23 Asian Cup
Goalkeepers: Patrick Beach, Cameron Cook, Steven Hall
Defenders: Jordan Courtney-Perkins, Jacob Farrell, Jake Girdwood-Reich, Jacob Italiano, Mark Natta, Alexandar Popovic, Callum Talbot
Midfielders: Louis D'Arrigo, Jake Hollman, Adrian Segecic, Ryan Teague, Jordi Valadon, Rhys Youlley
Forwards: Lachlan Brook, Alou Kuol, Garang Kuol, Nicolas Milanovic, Mohamed Toure, Nishan Velupillay