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A-LEAGUE STANDOUT GETS ULTIMATE ACCOLADE

by Marc Fox

Never mind the incessant speculation linking the classy A-League defender with a spot in Guus Hiddink's World Cup squad, Michael Beauchamp's face conveyed the shock of a bone fide surprise call-up.

The Socceroos travelling to Germany had just been barked over the public address system by FFA Voiceover Man (to the accompaniment of an upbeat dance number) when the cameras refocussed on assistant coach Graham Arnold, centre stage on the hastily constructed platform on the tarmac at Sydney airport.

As scribes rustled their notes searching for the lead story (Mile Sterjovski's international recall or perhaps the inclusion of uncapped Dinamo Dresden giant Josh Kennedy?), Arnold gladly accepted the camera's gaze.

He told the expectant media throng - who perhaps the marketing men were hoping that by now would be whipped into some kind of frenzy - that those who could count would have noticed that only 21 names had been announced.

Arnold then proclaimed that, yes indeed, two A-League players had been selected for Hiddink's Germany-bound group.

Without further ado, heads turned towards the Qantas jumbo stationed to the right of the stage, from which Beauchamp and Mark Milligan stepped into the substantial glare of the beating sun and media spotlight.

It could have been the murky conditions inside the plane but as they came into view, you got the feeling the pair had been wide-eyed on more than one occasion over the previous 24 hours. They shuffled down the steps, where first Milligan, the 20-year-old right-back from Sydney FC, was asked whether his call-up had been a shock.

"Absolutely, mate," he replied.

Then onto an equally surprised Beauchamp: "Not many players get to do it - especially from Australian clubs there hasn’t been any at all. So to be among the pack is brilliant."

With the Central Coast Mariners star having made an impressive international debut in February's Asian Cup qualifier with Bahrain, media talk had circled on his likely inclusion ever since. The 25-year-old matured every round of the domestic season and was by common consent the grand final man-of-the-match ahead of Dwight Yorke despite finishing on the losing side.

But it's Beauchamp's route to become one of only 45 Socceroos to have ever been called-up to play in the World Cup that receives admiration. Unlike Milligan who this time last year was playing in the World Youth Championships in Holland, Beauchamp made just one substitute appearance for the under-23s and wasn't included in the 2004 Olympic Games squad. Indeed, the player known fondly as Meggsy hasn’t even always been picked as a defender and played in midfield and upfront for much of his junior years in hometown Sydney.

Nevertheless, he must have invariably commanded first pick in the playground whatever his position. To his natural athleticism (a 191cm, 86kg frame), Beauchamp has learned to control a quick temper while adding a quiet self-assurance even he sometimes fails to recognise. The coaching influence of former international defender Alex Tobin - Australia's most capped footballer - at the Mariners also never goes uncredited.

Life has moved quickly for Beauchamp. Earlier in the season when he was called into a Hiddink training camp, he told this correspondent it was great to be among the "big boys". Well now he's one of the gang too - and following Tony Vidmar's eleventh-hour withdrawal for the squad, might even become of Hiddink's first choice central three at the back against Japan in the tournament opener.

Hyundai A-League Round Nine Summary

Melbourne Victory will be boosted by the arrival of three new forwards for the 2006-07 season. One, World Cup-bound Archie Thompson, is a welcome return after PSV decided against signing the Australian international permanently following a six-month trial. The other two recruits have been scouted from the Brazilian regional leagues - former Atletico Paranaense striker Claudinho and fellow hitman Fred from Guarani.

"I visited Victory training yesterday and all the boys are looking fit and raring to go," Thompson said. "With the new signings coming on board I’m positive we can give the title a real shake next season.”

Melbourne - not helped by Thompson's defection to Europe in an ultimately successful bid to maintain his World Cup credential - ended the inaugural A-League season second-from-bottom after a shocking run of results from October.

Marc Fox

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