‘Very positive’: Hopes gun Socceroo will return

Socceroos forward Kusini Yengi is optimistic that twice-capped teammate Alex Robertson has not been lost to Australian football despite feeling “confused” over his international future.

The 21-year-old Cardiff City midfielder refused to make himself available for the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifiers this month, according to national coach Tony Popovic.

It came after Robertson scrubbed his public Instagram of all Socceroos-related material earlier this year.

Yengi, who played with Robertson after he was loaned by Manchester City to Portsmouth last year, said he was in regular contact with the promising midfielder, who is also eligible to represent England, Scotland and Peru.

“I speak to Alex quite often. We played at Portsmouth last year and we were very good friends,” Yengi said in Melbourne ahead of Thursday’s clash with Saudi Arabia at AAMI Park.

“I think he’s a bit confused at the moment with what he wants and what he doesn’t want. “He’s still young, and he’s still trying to figure out his body and how his career’s going to pan out.”

Yengi said Robertson “obviously has some decisions to make” over whether he returned to Socceroos contention after playing in friendlies against Ecuador and Argentina last year.

“But look, I’d love to play with him in a Socceroos jersey, and I’m constantly telling him to come and play … give me some through balls and give me some assists and things like that,” Yengi said.

“So I’m hoping one day in the future that we’ll see him playing in the Socceroos again.

“He’s very positive. And I think he’s just trying to figure everything out, but I think when the time comes, he will make a decision and he’ll come back and play for us.”

Yengi, who is eager to stamp himself as Australia’s first-choice central striker, said he was “in a lot better place” than he was coming into his previous Socceroos camp when he was red-carded in the shock September defeat to Bahrain.

“I’ve played a lot more games, and my body feels good, and my mind is clear, and I’m looking forward to these games to do well and to help win points and help qualification,” he said.

Diminutive midfielder Max Balard is one of four players vying for their first Socceroos cap against Saudi Arabia on Thursday.

After winning the domestic treble with Central Coast Mariners earlier this year, the 23-year-old sealed an overseas move to Eredivisie side NAC Breda and was immediately dubbed the “Aussie Kante” by local supporters.

“I’m very flattered. I’m just doing my job over there, the coach has given me a lot of confidence, the supporters have been amazing as well,” Balard said.

“When you’re by yourself on the other side of the world, it can be a bit tough sometimes, but for me it’s been very easy … I’ve had an amazing start to life over there and just really enjoying my football.”

Born in Sydney to French parents and brought up in several Asian nations due to his father’s work, Balard returned to Australia as a teenager and joined the Mariners’ academy.

He said he was ecstatic about the chance to represent Australia after a superb 12 months.

“I was in Breda at my house, and I got a text message from Joel (Freeme), the team manager,” Balard said.

“I had to read it twice to make sure I was in the team and wasn’t just on standby … I called my parents straight away to let them know. Thankfully, they were still awake in Australia, so it was a really nice moment to share.”