World Cup 2014: Out with the old and in with the new as eco-friendly Australia blood youth for Brazil

Brazil has been described as the Socceroos toughest World Cup campaign to date

World Cup 2014: Out with the old and in with the new as eco-friendly Australia blood youth for Brazil

Learning curve: Australia's young guns struggled against Ecuador Photo: AFP

February has been a massive month for the Socceroos. The unveiling of new eco-friendly kit, controversial squad announcements, and a UK-based run out against Ecuador have dominated headlines in a land "girt" by sea.

Football fans love a new kit unveiling. In our socially mediated world the big surprise is often deflated by a million tweets, mentions and retweets before a single camera flashes in excitement. So it was no surprise when Nike launched the new "Green and Gold" kit in the shadow of the Sydney Harbour Bridge but, unlike the Scots, the kit has garnered very positive endorsement.

The cutting edge design (consisting of 18 recycled plastic bottles) shouts sustainability as it pays tribute to the trailblazers of the nation's first World Cup finals campaign. The retro-styled adaptation has the quote, "We Socceroos can do the impossible", from the side's '74 Captain, Peter Wilson, woven into a stylish pennant tab.

Ange Postecoglou announced a youthful squad for the Ecuador match. As he seeks to construct the next generation, long-serving captain Lucas Neil was the most noticeable, though expected, absentee given his stalled on-field career. Postecoglou hasn't ruled out his inclusion in the final squad, but signalled a preference for solid club form over reputation.

Harry Kewell was another exclusion and, despite finding recent form with Manchester City's A-League side, Melbourne Heart, is long odds to be involved. He might be turning the "shrimps on the barbie" with Neil while their young colleagues are shaking their maracas on the Copacabana.

The match itself was one of mixed emotions. The clash between the Aussies and the 24th Fifa ranked Ecuador at Millwall's "The Den", a ground many Socceroos have called home, started with plenty of promise. Newly-appointed captain Mile Jedinak oversaw veteran Tim Cahill become the country's all-time top scorer with a handy brace. Cahill has never really been a "footballer" in the true sense of the word preferring his more reliable cranial asset to that of his feet.

Australians hope his trademark corner-post sparring session will be seen on more than one occasion in Brazil, but with Group B opponents Netherlands, Chile and Spain, not conceding will be the priority.

Belgium-based Maty Ryan had an impressive clean sheet in the first-half between the sticks, before making way for the much less successful Mitchell Langerak in the second. It was an unhappy night for the Borussia Dortmund back up as his sloppy Kung-Fu style challenge, and ensuing red card, saw the momentum shift to Ecuador.

Despite four unanswered goals handed to Ecuador in a cliché-riddled game of two halves, Postecoglou remained upbeat when he noted the friendly was more about blooding youth than the final result. Playing a man down certainly educated the squad in what scenarios can be thrown up in the tough competition of international football.

The Socceroos face South Africa in a farewell friendly at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney on May 26. The game will finish a week-long squad camp, and a great opportunity to continue Postecoglou's 'rebuilding' phase.

The "Bafana Bafana" may not be an ideal opponent given their recent 5-0 drubbing from tournament hosts Brazil, but it could provide the Socceroos with a much-needed shot in the brand new shirt-sleeve before their trek across the Pacific.

The final World Cup squad will continue to divide opinion and spark plenty of debate amongst supporters. But despite our tough Group B predicament, a record contingent of Aussie fans travelling to Brazil will be an encouraging aspect to what has been described as the Socceroos toughest World Cup campaign to date.

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