The draw means Australia must win their next two World Cup qualifiers in March – against Indonesia (home) and China (away) – to keep their hopes alive at the 2026 tournament in North America.

Ryan’s peak, after three straight games on the bench, was as curious as his first demotion. After the match, he raged at Australia’s inability to manage play and be ruthless at both ends of the pitch, as the international game demands.

“What it takes to win a game of football … it’s more than just being skilled and having talent and being tactically organized and mentally being strong,” he said.

“There are so many layers and details to it, and I think we’re a little ignorant in that regard, as far as closing games … that’s what we need to work on the most. We need to learn a lot, from now to the next window in March, go back to our clubs and work tirelessly to get better and make the Socceroos team the best it can be.”

When Ryan flew back to the Italian capital after the international break, he will have met his third manager at club level this season. The 31-year-old was originally signed by Daniele de Rossi, but the Roma legend was sacked in September. His replacement, Ivan Juric, signed a contract until the end of the season, but only lasted 12 games.

Now Claudio Ranieri is back for his third stint in charge of the club. Ryan will hope he comes with an open mind when it comes to goalkeeping, but unless Svilar’s form suddenly dips, it’s hard to see him getting an opportunity. Their next game is on Monday morning (AEDT) against Napoli.

Despite his barren spell at club level, Arnold still started Ryan in their last World Cup qualifier in September, when Australia lost at home to Bahrain and then drew 0-0 with Indonesia in Jakarta, but Popovic and Frank Juric, the goalkeeping coach Popovic brought him along when he took over, made a big statement by promoting Gauci for the crucial clash with China in Adelaide last month.

Ryan’s position as Australia’s clear number one had been virtually unchallenged for more than a decade, having taken the gloves following Mark Schwarzer’s retirement in 2013 and becoming the fourth most capped skipper in Socceroos history during that period.

It was a callous call, and one that would have been easier to understand had Gauci played regular football for Aston Villa. But he has featured just twice this season, both times in the Carabao Cup. Popovic hasn’t given a clear explanation for why Ryan was let go, saying only that he felt Gauci was “ready to have an opportunity” while stopping short of declaring him his new No. 1.

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A theory, floated by Schwarzer on Optus Football Podcastis that Popovic may have benefited Gauci’s larger frame; he is 194 cm, which is about 10 cm taller than Ryan. “He’s obviously got to like somebody a little bigger in stature and possibly more commanding in his 18-yard box,” Schwarzer said. “That’s the only thing I can think of that is the big difference between the two.”

And yet Popovic went back to Ryan for the rematch with Bahrain – again, without shedding any light on the reasons.

The situation leaves Ryan, Gauci and the rest of Australia’s goalkeeping fraternity a little unsure, and that’s probably a good thing. And now with the Socceroos out of action for almost four months, all they can do to push their case is excel at club level.

Gauci, who appears earmarked as Aston Villa’s goalkeeper for domestic cup competitions, will get his chances – and even if they come in spasms and spurts, he already knows it could be enough to earn a start under Popovic.

But Ryan might have to engineer his chances, and look elsewhere in the January transfer window if they don’t come to AS Roma.

Ryan became a free agent at the end of last season, leaving Dutch club AZ Alkmaar after a year-and-a-half absence – the first club he has played regularly at since being ruthlessly sacked by then manager Graham Potter at Brighton & Hove Albion in 2020.

After three and a half years as a starting goalkeeper in the Premier League, Ryan’s form declined. Potter responded by releasing him and announcing to the media that he had a new No.1; Ryan was suddenly No.3 and told to find another club.

He fled in January on loan to Arsenal, the team he supported as a boy growing up in western Sydney, accepting a reserve role in the hope it would strengthen his “brand” and make him an attractive transfer target. His subsequent move to Real Sociedad resulted in him playing just nine times in all competitions.

After one season there, he left Spain for FC Copenhagen in search of playing time heading into the 2022 World Cup – but he was stuck behind Poland team-mate Kamil Grabara, who cruelly mocked him on social media when he made a handling error that led to a goal and ultimately their exit in the round of 16 at the hands of eventual champions Argentina.

If playing at the next World Cup is on his to-do list, something has to change. And playing for the Socceroos in the March window there too, that needs to change quickly.

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