No repeat: The Socceroos do not want to miss out on another Christian Vieri playing for another national team. We'll never know whether Porta would have solved the Socceroos' attacking problems at the time or would have had an international career similar to Max Vieri's, but that Australia never gave the former a chance is the sorest point of that discussion. It's a story such as his that prompted Ange Postecoglou to vow no talented player of Australian ancestry will be denied an opportunity to represent their national team. Since taking charge of the Socceroos in 2013, Postecoglou has undertaken a lengthy and global project to identify and include as many talented Australians of dual nationality for all levels of the national teams. The fruit of that labour will be displayed in Tuesday's World Cup Qualifier against Thailand where as many as six players that step onto the field could have played for other nations. Key recruitment: Brad Smith played youth international career was with England, before he was brought into the Socceroos set up. Credit:Michael Dodge Scotland capped midfielder Jackson Irvine at youth level, while they also made attempts to lure striker Jamie Maclaren. Apostolos Giannou was brought in having represented Greece's senior team in a friendly, James Jeggo is still eligible to play for Austria while defender Brad Smith's youth international career was spent with the Three Lions of England. Milos Degenek represented Serbia at youth level but has a greater pride in playing for the country that gave his family a chance at a better life.

"It's a great story and it's one that is a good lesson for us. In the past we've kind of lost players like Milos to other nationalities," Postecoglou said. "It's not about convincing them. I think all of them wanted to but some of them, particular guys who leave Australia at a young age, if you don't show them a little bit of care and attention they could be lost. [Degenek's] is a great story. You could see that every time he comes into camp he's really passionate about it and that's the kind of feeling you want in the group." Plugging the drain: Postecoglou determined to prevent Australia's best talent from slipping through the cracks. Credit:Getty Images The likely team sheet for the upcoming qualifier is one that is a fightback against a painful history of a player drain from Australia, and the little work the FFA have done to bring in the broader diaspora. Former Chelsea, Aston Villa and Leeds star Tony Dorigo accepted a call-up to England in the late 1980s. Croatia selected Josip Simunic, Ante Seric and Joey Didulica while Australia snoozed. Ivan Ergic graduated from the AIS and Perth Glory only to represent Serbia while former Besiktas defender Ersan Gulum became a Turkish international after feeling ignored by the FFA. Thats all before mentioning the lack of fight Australia made for stars who were eligible to wear the green and gold such as Greek international Giorgios Samaras and Italian striker, Christian Vieri. "Other nations pretty much try and recruit and look for players that have dual nationality and reach out to them. I don't think that we did and I don't think that was right just to assume that just because somebody plays for a national team at a youth level [they don't want to play for Australia]," he said.

Of those six included in this squad, they didn't need too much convincing to represent Australia, just knowledge that they weren't forgotten by the FFA. "Whenever we've reached out to them they're enormously pleased that we have," Postecoglou said. "We've been fortunate in many senses that somebody like Brad Smith, I remember when we selected him he hadn't played a first team game but England were desperate for left backs and were prepared to fast track him and we hadn't reached out to him." Loading For all the developments of the national team under Postecoglou's era, one of the most long-lasting could be the change of culture such as that on display on Tuesday night. A truly inclusive national team will face Thailand as part of a project that ensure the likes of Porta will never be left in the wilderness without an answer. "What we should do is that anyone who has Australian roots we should reach out to them and tell them they should feel welcomed," Postecoglou said.