3 minute read

Brisbane Roar coach Ruben Zadkovich will keep putting rising striker Thomas Waddingham "in the deep end" as overseas and Socceroos opportunities beckon.

The "bricks on his feet" will keep Thomas Waddingham down to earth, while Brisbane Roar coach Ruben Zadkovich has pumped up another of the club's home-grown stars as "the best defender in Australian football right now".

The coach is six months into his tenure at the former A-League heavyweights, a relatively lengthy stay for a club that had cycled through five in 21 games last year.

The former Socceroo has recruited from all corners of the globe, but 19-year-old Waddingham and 17-year-old defender Lucas Herrington are both Queensland juniors.

Australian under-20 and under-23 representative Waddingham has already been linked to a move to Tottenham in England, German giants Bayern Munich and Serie A club Udinese in Italy.

Departed Socceroos coach Graham Arnold was keeping a close eye on him before exiting the role now held by former A-League coach Tony Popovic.

Zadkovich expects the physical, instinctive No.9 with a knack for a goal to feature in national team conversations this year.

"In terms of potential, the ceiling on him is very, very high," the coach said ahead of November's season start. 

"Here we put as much pressure and stress on him as we can and see how he copes. 

"Keep him in the deep end with bricks on his feet and struggling to stay afloat.

"We want him to go to the highest level, and he has to handle himself in tough situations."

Returning to the Roar after 11 years from stints in Japan, South Korea and Adelaide, winger Ben Halloran sees what the fuss is all about.

"Ruben's saying that in a 'supportive dad' kind of way," Halloran said of the coach's pressure test.

"It's the right kind of pressure.

"He's probably going to be our No.9 this year, and for us to do well he needs to be getting double-digits in goals.

"To go to the next level you need a weapon ... and he has that instinct.

"In Australia we love getting really excited about players who are going to be the next Mark Viduka.

"But in this environment, this team, we know when to bring him back down to earth, and he has a good head on his shoulders."

Zadkovich also left Herrington blushing at Thursday's media session when he pumped up the teenager's tyres. 

"A respectful, very hard-working, intellectual, on-the-ball player," the coach said of the central defender.

"The ceiling is massive, and to shoot straight from the hip, he's the best defender in Australian football right now; he's got the highest ceiling out of anyone."

Both are set to feature heavily under a coach keen to showcase local talent, but Zadkovich said Waddingham would need to remain patient before the inevitable next step.

"The key is to go at the right time and to the right club, or you can find yourself in some deep water and back here pretty quickly," Zadkovich said.

"There's the right move for Tommy and right business deal for our club, and we've had plenty of interest and it's about the right price. 

"We know what type of asset we have."