Bailey Wright deserves a place in Australia's World Cup squad and has timed his returned to Sunderland's first-team perfectly, according to Tony Mowbray. The Socceroos are set to name their 26-man squad at some stage over the next 24 hours for the tournament in Qatar, which gets under way later this month.
And Black Cats boss Mowbray believes Wright's ability and character would be a huge asset for national coach Graham Arnold. Wright has had little gametime for Sunderland this season until recently, but he has started the last three Championship games and is now up to speed.
"I can't see how they won't pick him, if the manager knows the players," said Mowbray. "Because whether he is in the team or not in the team, to have his character and personality around the dressing room is pretty major, I would suggest.
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"He's actually played some games now, so it is not as though the manager of Australia would be looking at it and thinking 'he hasn't played for three or four months, I can't pick him'. He's played and the team has functioned alright.
"Without knowing whether he is in, I would expect him to be in the squad. It would be fantastic for him to go to a World Cup."
Wright was in the Australia squad for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, but was left out of the Socceroos' final squad for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. This time around, he was part of Australia's qualifying campaign and in June he helped his country defeat the United Arab Emirates in an Asian play-off, before securing a goalless draw - and ultimately victory in a penalty shoot-out - against Peru in an inter-continental play-off which secured their place at the finals.
Australia are in Group D, along with current World Cup holders France, Denmark, and Tunisia. If Wright does go to the finals, he will be Sunderland's second representative in Qatar with teenage winger Jewison Bennette last week confirmed in the Costa Rica squad.
Costa Rica face an even tougher task than Australia, having been drawn in Group E alongside Germany, Spain and Japan. Mowbray said: "Whether either Australia or Costa Rica will progress beyond the group stages, I'm not so sure.
"They are both in really difficult groups, but we wish them well. I think Costa Rica have got Germany and Spain in their group, which is really, really difficult, and Australia have got France and Denmark.
"But I think just the experience of being there and playing in a World Cup would be amazing - those are things that you talk to your grandkids about. Good luck to them, and fingers crossed for them."
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