http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/strika-eyes-green-and-gold/55944
Strika eyes green and gold
Tuesday, 18 December 2012 2:20 PM
Strika, left, is making his mark at Dinamo Zagreb.
Following the Qantas Socceroos’ qualification for the 2006 World Cup, Mark Viduka suggested the days of players of Croatian heritage choosing to represent the European nation rather than Australia at international level were a thing of the past.
But the lure of continental football remains a huge opportunity for many young footballers of dual nationality, and once they enter the northern hemisphere club system, it becomes more important that the Australian national coaches are able to keep an eye on those that have the potential to represent the green and gold.
One player who appears to be approaching that crossroads is Canberra-born Roko Strika. The 18-year-old is currently impressing with Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb, in the same academy that produced the likes of Luka Modric, Zvonomir Boban and Nike Krancjar.
Strika, a left-footed attacking midfielder, came up through the ranks in Canberra, first with the ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS) before impressing in a trial for Dinamo enough to sign a contract late last year.
But with the FIFA U20 World Cup in the horizon, Andy Bernal, Strika’s Australian-based manager, is hoping the Socceroos coaching staff will make their interest known sooner rather than later.
“Like Tom Rogic, he is a Canberra boy,” Bernal told footballaustralia.com.au. “He’s an attacking no.8 with a beautiful left foot, who wasn’t wanted by the AIS or an A-league club and had to leave to progress his career. Tom did it through Nike Academy selection and now Roko is doing it with Dinamo Zagreb.
“Dinamo is not an easy club to go to; it’s considered one of the best academies in Europe. But they have six or seven full internationals in their first team, and they seem to rate him.
“He’s at the age where it would be great if Paul Okon and the Australian U-20s could have a look at him.”
The word is the Young Socceroos staff are aware of Strika and fellow Aussie Steven Lustica (former Gold Coast United youth player, now with Hadjuk Split), with Aurelio Vidmar having travelled to Croatia after the Qantas Socceroos played Scotland in August.
But with both Strika and Lustica’s teams opting not to field the youngsters with an Australian coach watching on, it seems likely the pair will remain on the fringes until they have the opportunity to show what they are capable of.
“We (Australia) want to keep our best players,” Bernal said. “Roko’s an ACT product, he’s come out of the system here like Valeri, like Rogic, like Lustica.
“Whether the kids want to play for Croatia or not... I think deep down they’re Aussies, all we can do is alert the people in Australia that they’re out there and available.”