Western Utd gun Botic set for Socceroo future: Aloisi

Red-hot Western United striker Noah Botic has the Socceroos in his future if he takes the right steps, says coach John Aloisi.

After scoring in Wednesday night's 2-2 draw with Central Coast, Botic now has seven goals and four assists in 11 games this season.

Having overcome a navicular stress fracture in his foot that ruined his 2023-24 campaign, the 23-year-old has built form and seems destined to represent Australia at some point.

Socceroos great Aloisi, though, indicated March's World Cup qualifiers might come too soon for Botic.

"Whether it's the next Socceroos squad, I'm not sure," Aloisi said.

"We're still trying to get Noah physically to a level.

"I actually think that Noah will be a Socceroo. I do.

"He just hopefully makes the right choices and career path. Hopefully, we can help him improve more, because I know that he's a goalscorer. I've said it all along but we need to help him with that.

"The pressure's not on Noah. The pressure's on us to help Noah. I think we're doing a job to help him along with that and he's improving all the time."

European clubs are circling natural goalscorer Botic, who spent three years at German club Hoffenheim as a teenager.

But Aloisi has consistently stressed he hopes the emerging striker, contracted until season's end, stays in the A-League Men for at least another season.

"I'm hoping that when I talk to Noah, he understands that I'm doing the best for Noah," he said.

"And I really believe that Noah, if he keeps on playing at this level and improving, he's got an opportunity of being a Socceroo, maybe going to the next World Cup."

Botic has been able to run out close to 90 minutes in a string of matches and Aloisi stressed he needed to keep improving his physicality.

"I don't see the hype affecting him. I don't see Noah really thinking about or worrying about it," Aloisi said.

"He just keeps his head down, works hard in training, always looking to improve his game.

"If I felt that it was affecting him, and the performances weren't going to be there, then I would have a word, but I don't need to."

Botic has helped United to third on the table and just five points off top spot heading into the back end of the season.

He scored with a header in the 33rd minute only for the Mariners to quickly hit back with two goals in four minutes from Mikael Doka and Ryan Edmondson.

But United captain Ben Garuccio struck a wonderful free-kick equaliser in the 74th minute to grab a point, leaving Aloisi to enthuse: "There's definitely a good feeling.

"We're not getting ahead of ourselves. We still know there's 11 games left, we still know there's tough opposition to play against, but we're looking forward to the challenge, that's for sure.

"And we're going into games believing that we can beat everyone and anyone."