IF YOU think the World Cup is a long way off, the planning for it started almost a year ago.

An unprecedented and co-ordinated graduation of players through various junior ranks began this year to expose those marked as future Socceroos to as much international football as possible.

Already this year there have been the under-17 and under-20 World Cups, while the Olyroos will continue their bid to qualify for next year's London Games.

The idea is that a clutch of players will emerge.

While the performances of the two young sides caused a lot of controversy, a number of players have graduated to A-League - and a couple are making their mark in Europe.

It's possible to start imagining how a World Cup squad under Holger Osieck may look in June 2014.

We know Osieck likes clever, nimble players, adaptable and who play in their heads as much as with their feet.

By definition, the more young players who come through, the more members of the existing first team may have to exit as Osieck continues the evolution he has cleverly overseen.

Of the senior players, several have made clear they want to try to play until 2014, but Lucas Neill, Tim Cahill, Brett Emerton and Harry Kewell will be in their mid-30s, and the brutal truth is that it would be a spectacular achievement to make it to Brazil.

Which isn't to say they won't, but the law of averages is against them.

Mark Schwarzer is different, largely because goalkeepers can be older.

Schwarzer would be 42, but he looks set to earn another season with Fulham.

In defence, it gets more complicated. Rhys Williams, Luke Wilkshire, Matthew Spiranovic and Michael Zullo make it in - and there's a strong school of thought that Williams will end up as a centre back.

If he pushes on, Aston Villa's Chris Herd should be involved, plus Luke DeVere and Mark Milligan.

The midfield is likely to have the most familiar look.

Carl Valeri and Mile Jedinak will be there, with Matt McKay, Tommy Oar and Dario Vidosic.

Of the young guns, Terry Antonis promises much.

In attack, Brett Holman, Robbie Kruse, Josh Kennedy and Alex Brosque should still be around, plus Matthew Leckie and a striker who most observers are seriously excited about - Dylan Tombides, assuming his recovery from testicular cancer continues.

But they could come under pressure from Czech-based Kerem Bulut, whose combination of power and poise was one of the few highlights for Australia at the under-20 World Cup.

Other possibles could be Ben Kantarovski of Newcastle Jets, James Holland (currently on loan from AZ Alkmaar), Aston Villa's Shane Lowry, Brent McGrath at Brondby and Nikita Rukavytsya at Hertha Berlin.

Originally published as Osieck evolution under way