Bolter Bailey made of Wright stuff

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A HEART-TO-HEART chat over coffee and mineral water at Knox Shopping Centre last June paved the way for defender Bailey Wright's breakthrough season and World Cup selection.

The former Langwarrin defender, who signed for English club Preston North End five years ago after being overlooked for the AIS, was the surprise inclusion in the 30-man World Cup squad.

Wright, 21, will be assessed at next week's training camp in Gosford before Ange Postecoglou decides which defender he will cut before submitting his official 23-man squad to FIFA.

Wright's former VIS coach and mentor Ian Greener recalled their chat during Wright's last return to Melbourne and said the professionalism he had witnessed in Wright as a teenager had not waned.

Now Greener has no doubt Wright can make the jump from England's third tier to marking the likes of Robin van Persie (Manchester United) and Barcelona duo Xavi and Cesc Fabregas.

"I sat down with him when he was home last year at Knox and we discussed the next 12 months,'' Greener said.

"He was always keen to make it as pro, always had a water bottle, always ate the right food instead of McDonald's and other junk food and it was on display again," Greener said. " I had a coffee but he had mineral water.

"I said, 'If you play to your ability anything's possible, right down to inclusion in the World Cup squad'.

"He couldn't think of selection then. He had to think about a consistent season with Preston first and I said if he did that opportunities could present themselves. Now he's reaping the benefits.I think he's ready to play for his country at that level.''

Wright's father Andy was delighted yesterday and recalled his son's hard road to the top.

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The Tyabb-based family rated Wright's World Cup chances as only slim only months ago.

"Before Christmas I thought no way this would happen. It's quite surreal, numbing to be honest,'' Andy said.

Postecoglou said Wright was close to making the squad to play Ecuador in March, but ultimately 52 games in England's take-no-prisoners third-tier had him battle hardened.

It's a far cry from July 2009 — age 16 — when he was forced to train with Langwarrin's seniors after FFA blocked his clearance to Preston North End in what became a four-month saga.

He soon won his first pro contract with Darren Ferguson — son of Sir Alex — and now is a regular in a team hoping to win promotion to the second tier.

But there have been more setbacks.

"FFA wouldn't release him, it was a four-month saga but then it happened out of the blue,'' he said.

"He went straight to the under 18s, then reserves and by the end of the 2009-10 season he was on the bench for the first team," Greener said.

"Then 18 months ago when Graham Westley took over and the new manager wanted to build a winning team and let him and every player bar the keeper go.

"The club owner heard, was irate and demanded Bailey be kept on and he ended up winning young player of the year and has gone on to captain the team.''

Greener signed him for the VIS after a season at Dandenong Thunder's reserves age 14. He described Wright as an old-school defender who always had been hungry to learn.

"He was always a defender, one on one you couldn't find a better player, he was never caught out,'' Greener said.

"Some people said he wouldn't make it because he never had pace but he had speed of thought, he took up great positions.

"He's very coachable, he's shown incredible leadership qualities, at the VIS it was one of his outstanding attributes and Preston's picked up on that.

"He's very coachable and has been for all his career. Where some take stuff for granted, he was always soaking things up and thanking us for advice.''

Now that thirst for knowledge and his determination to improve may hold him in good stead in the Postecoglou regime.

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