A REALITY check for Australia’s youth development, an A-League coach pushes for competition expansion and John Kosmina slams a referee’s decision.

All that and more in A-League Media Watch with the best bits from Fox Sports’ Shootout program.

NUMBER OF AUSSIES IN EUROPE DROPPING: OKON

CENTRAL Coast Mariners coach Paul Okon says he struggles to see many young Australian footballers making the cut in top-flight competitions in the coming years.

The former Socceroo was among a fabled cluster of Australians playing in Europe during the 1990s and 2000s and has recently been involved in Australia’s Under 18s, Under 20s and Under 23s setups.

Okon said the number of Australians playing overseas had gradually dropped in recent years.

“I think if you go back a few years to the number of Aussies playing in the EPL or in top competitions, I think that number is being reduced,” he said on Shootout on Fox Sports on Sunday.

“It’s slowly coming down to we don’t have that many.”

Brad Smith is one of the few Aussies in England’s top flight. Source: Getty Images

Okon attributed the drop-off to young players not spending enough time honing their skills at a junior level.

“For me the big change in the way our youth are coming in through is now we have more accredited coaches, we have more private academies, most of the A-League clubs are coming through with academies,” he said.

“For me it’s too late. When the kids are growing up from the ages of six, seven, eight, nine, 10, it’s what they do at home in their own time.

“It’s not enough for them to go three nights a week coaching or training with their coach. it’s what they do in between.”

Aiden O'Neill of Burnley. (Photo by Chris Brunskill/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

Okon said the Australian system was a “long way” off producing players of the quality of Australia’s “Golden Generation”, which included the likes of Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell, Tim Cahill and Mark Schwarzer.

“We’ve seen in the past that not only have we produced players to go overseas, those players have been world class players,” he said.

“We are a long way from producing players of that level.”

The Olyroos suffered an embarrassing exit in the group stages of the 2016 AFC U-23 Championship, which in turn meant the team failed to qualify for this year’s Olympics.

Then in October, the Young Socceroos failed to reach the knockout phase of the AFC U-19 Championship.

Former Socceroo Aurelio Vidmar spoke out about the result on Twitter, slamming a lack of “intensity and pressure” at club level.

@Val61 @Socceroos can't expect youngsters to play at int. level when their respective competitions are void of intensity and pressure — Aurelio Vidmar (@Viddie67) October 22, 2016

Okon said he agreed players weren’t getting enough high-quality games under their belts.

“I do agree with ‘Viddie’ about our most talented players not playing enough games during the season,” he said.

“There’s two tiers of players: your most talented youth players and then the next ones underneath and it’s how best we manage that and how we get games into those players.”

Paul Okon, playing for Leeds in the Premier League. Source: FOX SPORTS

Okon cited Mariners footballer Liam Rose as an example of a player struggling for game time.

“For me, Liam Rose is an outstanding young talented player but Liam Rose in the past 12 months — and probably I go back even two years — has not played enough football,” he said.

“So if he goes to an international tournament he’s going to struggle.

“But it’s not only Liam Rose, there’s another 10, 11, 12 players there.

“So it’s going to make it very difficult to qualify for these tournaments.”

Jamie Maclaren and Andrew Hoole (7). (Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images) Source: Getty Images

OKON CALLS FOR A-LEAGUE EXPANSION

A solution the Mariners boss and former Socceroos captain says is essential is expansion of the A-League, a key way of providing opportunities for young players to develop.

“I definitely think we need to expand — 10 teams is not enough,” he said.

“Is it viable, is it sustainable? I think that’s probably a question for the FFA.

“I think that they want to see it not a situation like Gold Coast United where they came in for a couple of years and then folded.”

With only 10 top tier teams, there are less opportunities for youngsters to break into A-League football.

As things stand, young players typically spend the winter in state NPL competitions, before playing either in the A-League or National Youth League.

Okon said Australia needed a genuine second-tier competition.

“One area I think is a big concern and where a solution needs to be found is the second-tier competition,” he said.

“What happens underneath the A-League, where kids aren’t ready to make that step and playing in an NPL competition — which for the moment doesn’t cut it.

“I would like to see something done there at that level to make our second division competition professional like other countries around the world, where those players have the opportunity to play year-round competitive football and then make the step if they’re good enough into the A-League competition.”

‘HE SHOULDN’T GET A JOB NEXT WEEK FOR THAT’: KOSSIE

FORMER Adelaide and Sydney FC coach John Kosmina says referee Jarred Gillett “shouldn’t get a job next week” after missing a clear penalty in Saturday night’s game between Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney.

Wanderers forward Jumpei was taken down in the 18-yard box by Jason Geria but the referee awarded a goal kick to Victory, missing the foul altogether.

Speaking on Sunday Shootout, Kosmina refuted the need for a fifth official in that situation, saying Gillett should have spotted the incident himself.

“He shouldn’t be missing things like that,” Kosmina said.

“You shouldn’t have to have another official to make a decision like that and that’s what that comes down to.

“He shouldn’t get a job next week for that.”

Former A-League player Shane Smeltz, a guest on the show, said incidents like the missed penalty were “clear-cut decisions” that didn’t need an extra pair of eyes to officiate.

Meanwhile, ex-Socceroo Ned Zelic questioned why Gillett hadn’t faced the media after the game to elaborate on why he failed to award a penalty.

“It would have been interesting to hear from the referee post-match to explain his decision,” Zelic said.

“There’s no logic to it, really, is there?”

TIME TO GIVE MACLAREN A GO: KOSSIE

KOSMINA said he wants to see Jamie Maclaren start for the Socceroos against Tuesday on Tuesday night.

“I think it's a great opportunity for him and I’d really like to see Ange give him a go,” he said.

“I think he’s starting to find some form at club level.”

Maclaren’s pace and running ability makes him a different prospect to the likes of the injured Tomi Juric and fellow striker Apostolos Giannou, who tend to play more of a traditional role in holding up the ball.

Kosmina said he was excited at the prospect of Maclaren linking up with Tom Rogic and Aaron Mooy.

“He’s a different type of player to certainly Timmy Cahill or Tomi Juric or even Apostolos Giannou,” Kosminda said.

“He’s not a back-to-goal type striker, he’s great at getting in those little spaces in between defenders, making the runs off shoulders.

“He’s an Ian Rush type striker, (making) forward runs (and you) play him in.

“The Socceroos don’t quite actually play that way but I’d love to see him playing with someone like Tommy Rogic and Aaron Mooy for example that can play those clever little passes in between people when he runs onto things and faces goal.”

Kosmina said given the Socceroos were firm favourites for the clash with Thailand, it made sense to give Maclaren a starting role.

“I think it’s time to give him a go, we’ve got to see what he’s like at this level,” he said.

“Given that Thailand have copped a bit of a hiding and they’re probably not going to get a result on Tuesday night, it’s a good chance to blood him, he needs to be found out.”

Okon agreed, saying Maclaren’s pace would be important if Thailand looked to congest their defensive half.

“As Kossie said, I think it’s time to throw him in there,” he said.

“He likes to play off shoulders and with the likes of Aaron Mooy and Tommy Rogic, I think that it can work in their favour.

“I think there’ll be a use for Jamie because Thailand will sit behind the ball and it’s really crucial to find those little pockets of space to play him in and score.”

PAIN’S COMING OF AGE A MATTER OF GAME TIME: OKON

ONE of the revelations of the season has been Connor Pain’s career resurrection at the Mariners.

After playing bit-part roles at Melbourne Victory, Pain traded places with Mitch Austin for a fresh start on the Central Coast.

The winger has been superb for the Mariners, providing plenty of pace and drive down the left hand side.

“It’s no surprise to see what Connor’s doing,” Okon said.

“I worked with him at Young Socceroo level and at Olyroo level and it’s crazy, I think he went something like 12 months without starting a game for Melbourne Victory.

“He’s put six back-to-back games at a high level but he’s still lacking a little bit in fitness which we hope will change come the middle of the season.”

Pain scored a wondergoal for the Mariners against Adelaide, after missing an opportunity to win the game against Western Sydney the week before.

“That goal that he scored last week I think is a reward for the hard work that he’s done,” Okon said.

“Maybe he was disappointed the week before against the Wanderers when he had that chance that he didn’t make it 2-1.

“But we’re really happy with the way Connor’s going.”

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