Graham Arnold challenges former Telopea High Student.
FourFourTwo have a story on Canberra's Nikolai Topor-Stanley.
GRAHAM Arnold has challenged Nikolai Topor-Stanley to prove he is the solution to Australia’s left-back puzzle.
The Perth Glory defender earned his first senior Socceroos cap in the goalless draw with Singapore and was part of the squad which emerged from China with a priceless point in the pursuit of World Cup qualification.
Now his Olyroos coach wants him to build on that opportunity and progress to the point where he is really banging on the door for a regular spot.
While Pim Verbeek has plenty of options in certain areas of the pitch, he does not have an endless procession of left-backs to choose from.
Although Topor-Stanley is also comfortable as a central defender, it is at full-back where Arnold wants to see the 23-year-old really nail down his international future.
It has been a contrasting year for Topor-Stanley. He was part of a Perth Glory side that avoided the wooden spoon by the skin of its teeth but recently scooped the club’s player of the year award.
He was also a regular member of Arnold’s Olympic side that triumphed in its pursuit of Olympic qualification.
The recent trip to Singapore and then China was his first taste of the bigger international stage and now he’s had a taste, he’s hungry for more.
Topor-Stanley told au.fourfourtwo.com: “It was a great experience and invaluable for my development, just to be part of the group and to have another opportunity to learn.
“It’s a massive stepping stone for me to be alongside the best that Australia’s got.”
While happy to be alongside the big names, Topor-Stanley is in no-one’s shadow.
He said: “Arnie (Graham Arnold) has told me there’s a scarcity of left-backs out there and I should really strive to improve my game and really cement that position as my own.
“At the moment I’m just happy to be staying fit and getting as much game time as possible. Obviously the Olympics is coming up and I’m looking forward to that. The draw is coming up soon and I’m sure we’ll either get Brazil or Argentina, as always.”
Topor-Stanley was joined on the Socceroos trip by several A-League colleagues and he feels that one player in particular has helped the domestic league’s cause tremendously.
He said: “Jade (North) did really well and it just proves that the A-League has the talent to step up.”
3 comments:
hi eamonn, looks like hyphen has kept on improving himself since he went to the glory.
but i am following things from afar over here in japan. so i have some questions for someone who gets to watch games.
do you think hyphen`s best position is left back? i wonder if this advice from graham is in his best interest. from what i have seen, the guy is pretty big with good aerial skills, and mobile ... for a big man. and has good skills ... for a big man. are there any successful famous full backs with those attributes you know?
i wonder if nikor`s choice is between being an okay left back, or a good centreback.
sometimes players who change positions work out great, toure at arsenal is one. others don`t.
thanks
clayton
Amazing the old web this week alone I've had a friend listening on the pod in South Arfica, contact from Singapore and Thailand and yourself from Japan
Nikolai according to Steve O'Connor (AIS Coach) was very fast, no problem with his speed..but I reckon most good full backs or great ones probably start as wingers and then drift back as they move to professional football.
This gives them that extra attacking flair going forward. Nikolai is no Roberto Carlos, but he is quick has great touch, he gets up the park can create. He can be exposed by a really quick sharp winger, but there aren't many of them around and he can recover well. He scores as we know.
Is he a better centre back, logic would suggest that's where he
'll end up.
cheers
Eamonn
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