U-17 Class of '99 - Where Are They Now?

One afternoon late in November 1999 I received a call out of the blue from my Sydney-stationed mate Michael Vincent regarding the final of the FIFA U-17 World Championship held in New Zealand that was being played between mighty Brazil and the Joeys of Australia. I wasn't even aware the game was being televised, such was my lax attitude to youth football last century (perhaps it had something to do with losing to Iran). I caught the last 10 minutes of the match, with the teams locked in a spellbinding 0-0 draw. It was thrilling stuff: an Australian national team on the cusp of a World Cup victory?!

As history is there to tell us, Australia eventually lost the game after a long penalty shootout saw the Brazilians put 8 in the back of scrawny Jess van Strattan's net compared to the 7 we could slot past his opposite number. I think it's appropriate, as we stand on the eve of the commencement of the A-League (arguably the best thing to happen to local soccer since that fateful day), to cast an eye over the lads who played against Brazil. Surprisingly, almost half of them are still sniffing around the local scene.

Goalkeeper Jess van Strattan, a several time hero against Brazil, is still mixing it up with Serie B outfit Hellas Verona, the Millwall of Italian football (i.e. the team nobody likes). He's not seeing much time as the backup to young Italian starlet Gianluca Pegolo (who is just 24) and must surely be looking to move on.

Adrian Madaschi has just made an offseason move to FC Dundee in the Scottish Premiership after two successful years with Partick Thistle and a few years in the wilderness in Italy (with Atalanta, Monza and Pistoiese) before that. Another year as a centre half at this level and he should be ready for a big step up.

Along with Jabcob Burns, Danny Milosevic (now with the New Zealand Knights) and Jamie McMaster, Shane Cansdell-Sherriff was a part of the Australian Leeds contingent who never quite made it in the EPL. Things are going much more favourably in Denmark, where he is a regular with AGF Aarhus.

Aaron Goulding remains with Adelaide United where he is a mainstay in the defensive setup. Unlike the rest of the backline against Brazil, he hasn't been able to turn it up a notch and make an impression overseas.

Mark Byrnes is one of the elite defenders of the new A-League. Byrnes can play anywhere across the backline, but it looks like Victory will position him in the centre where he will anchor a formidable backline.

Jade North has gone from coast to coast, switching from the NSL's Perth Glory to be with the Newcastle United Jets. He's a part of Aussie Gus' first full national team training squad, but his prospects for serious match time are quite limited behind the likes of Lucas Neill and Brett Emerton ... unless he can successfully convert to a left-side role?!

Tall central midfielder Wayne Srhoj is one of three Australian's still contracted to FC National Bucharest in Romania. Unlike the other two (Ryan Griffiths and Michael Thwaite), he wasn't selected in Hiddink's squad.

In addition to Goulding, Adelaide United also has talented midfielders Lucas Pantelis and Louis Brain on their roster -- that's 30% of the starting outfielders who almost won a World Cup! Much has been made of Pantelis' limited opportunities on the left flank this preseason under coach John Kosmina. Brain has also been a little starved, with Ross Aloisi, typically a defensive midfielder, stealing some of his thunder in the attacking midfield position. It remains to be seen how often Kossie will pull these two guns out of the holster.

Scott McDonald is probably the golden nugget of the squad that faced Brazil. The only piece of the puzzle missing for him is an international call-up. It's nice to see Sydney's Petrovski rewarded with a place in the squad, but should McDonald have been overlooked?

Striker Dylan Macallister now spends his time with Norwegian club SK Brann. Macallister has scored a couple of goals, but unfortunately he's stuck behind Bengt Saeternes and Robbie Winters (both of whom have been capped as full internationals) in the rotation up front. Brann is a fairly decent team, though, and if Macallister is patient it seems that his time will come.

Iain Fyfe, recently praised for his solid performances for Sydney in the World Club Championship qualifiers and A-League preseason games, was among the substitues for the Brazil game. Of the other two subs, Joshua Kennedy is plying his trade with Dynamo Dresden in the German second division after once being contracted to top flight VfL Wolfsburg. Chances are promising that he'll make an impact this year. Unlike any of the other Joeys from 1999, Joe Di Iorio, another ex-Bundesliga player (with Werder Bremen) has truly fallen off the radar. Di Iorio, whose goal sealed the 1-0 victory over Qatar in the quarter final of the World Championship, was last seen playing with Richmond in the Victorian State League Division One (a step down from the Victorian Premier League)! (Incidentally, ex-Socceroo Joe Spiteri also currently plays at this level.) He has certainly been pumping in the goals, though. Just last week (August 5), Di Iorio claimed a hat trick against Northcote City. Here's hoping we see more of him in the future, such that the legacy of Australia's most successful international team may continue to prosper.