Conventional wisdom suggets Nathaniel Atkinson - who also plays his club football in Scotland - might be a lock for a starting spot at right-back for Australia’s Group D duels with champions France, Tunisia and Denmark in Qatar come November-December’s main event.
 

STRAIN IN THE FRAME

 
  • Ryan Strain has emerged as a genuine World Cup contender after impressing for St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership.
 
  • The full-back is competing with Nathaniel Atkinson and Fran Karasic to be the starting right-back for Australia in Qatar.
 
  • Strain is uncapped but was scouted by Socceroos assistant Rene Meulensteen recently and offers pace and penetration down the right.
 
Brescia’s Fran Karacic looms as his understudy - but St Mirren flier Strain’s call-up for this month’s double header with New Zealand has thrown a cat among the pigeons, and shown coach Graham Arnold is open to shaking things up at the eleventh hour.
 
An instant hit with the battling Buddies - where fellow September call-up Keanu Baccus is a teammate - the profile of the ex-Adelaide United  and Maccabi Haifa wingback has been on the rise since joining a 13-strong invading army of Aussies in the Scottish Premiership.
 
But it’s Coventry-born Strain’s performances in six appearances so far for the mid-table side unfashionably located on the fringes of Glasgow which caught Arnold’s attention, offering a second bite to the 25-year-old who was forced to pull out of a camp early in qualifying because of a hamstring injury.
 
Can he bring something different to the table? Plenty believe so, including Strain himself.
 
“I’ve been in decent form and I was hoping for the call up - and it’s brilliant to be recognized for it,” Strain told FTBL.
 
“I think the opportunity will be there this month to get a bit of a look in. I’m an attacking fullback who can defend also and hopefully I’ll be able to show what I’m about.
 
“There’s three of us going for it (Atkinson and Karacic are the others) and if I get the chance I’ve just got to take it, and make sure I keep putting in 90 minute performances when I’m back at club level.
 
“When you’re kid, the World Cup is the pinnacle. It would be a dream come true. I’m going to give it my all to get there.”
 
The one-time Aston Villa academy product signs off against no less than league leaders Celtic in Paisley on Sunday before boarding a flight home for the September 22 and 25 clashes against the All Whites, aiming to dim Ange Postecoglou’s halo as a parting shot.
 
“This is a massive one for us but being at home we feel like we can get a result and maybe surprise a few people,” he added.
 
“Celtic are coming off the Europa League and maybe we can produce a special performance against them. These are the big games you love to play in.
 
“I’ve got understanding with Keanu down the right. We’ve been linking up well and every game is getting better.
 
“There’s a lot of Aussies in this league - Cammy Devlin at Hearts set a bit of a recent trend, and plenty more have followed.
 
“It’s a good place to develop your game and get noticed a bit. Obviously you had Tommy Rogic over the years, Aaron Mooy is here too now and Ange (Postecoglou) at Celtic is putting us even more on the map.
 
“The fans at St Mirren have taken to both Keanu and myself - the way we play, they like it.
 
“At first it was hard for me because I hadn’t played for a while but the fitness and confidence are coming back.”