He may be in top form for both club and country, but the Australian national team’s continued reliance on Mark Schwarzer doesn’t bode well for the Socceroos. At 39, the keeper is unlikely to continue for much longer, and while it is believed his eyes are set on Brazil 2014, the next World Cup would certainly be his last hurrah.

The ugly truth is there for all to see. Schwarzer is not getting younger, and the Socceroos don’t have anyone with experience to take over when the legend does hang up the gloves.

But that is not to say Australia has no replacements waiting in the wings. The likes of Adam Federici at Reading and Brad Jones at Liverpool have both shown they are more than capable of getting the job done.

Further afield, SønderjyskE’s Nathan Coe has made several appearances for the Socceroos over the last year, while a number of experienced A-League stars have consistently put in good performances when called upon.

Several talented youngsters could also pounce on the position, with the likes of Mitch Langerak, Dean Bouzanis, Mat Ryan and Alex Cisak all highly rated keepers who could potentially fill Schwarzer’s position.

Langerak is perhaps the most promising, although he may need to get game time either at Borussia Dortmund or on loan in the near future if the keeper is to press his case. Former Liverpool starlet Bouzanis has fallen off the radar recently, but is still only 21.

The problem now facing Socceroos manager Holger Osieck is how to ease out Schwarzer and give his potential successors the experience necessary to take over from the Fulham.

While writing on this issue for the now sadly defunct Soccer International magazine several months back, I interviewed one of the more controversial figures in Australia football – former AC Milan goalkeeper Željko Kalac.

Now coaching at A-League club Sydney FC, Kalac is one of the more authoritative figures on the matter, given he has a Champions League, Super Cup and World Club Cup under his belt (to name a few), and spent 14 years in the Australian national side.

A man famous for telling it like it is, the goalkeeper was firm in his response to my questioning.

“It’s all good and well that Schwarzer is still fit so he plays, but he can’t go on forever. And someone at the end of the day needs to say we have to start playing young keepers.”

Kalac does however point out the major problem with this argument.

“Schwarzer is better than all of them, so I can understand that [playing him] from a coaching perspective, and that’s the scary part.”

But ultimately, the Socceroo legend won’t budge on the issue.

“My opinion is quite clear. It’s time to give the other keepers an opportunity.”

He may be outspoken, but some of Kalac’s argument certainly rings true. If Osieck doesn’t consistently give another keeper game time between now and Brazil, then the national team is going to struggle – either in 2014, or when Schwarzer steps down (if he stays on for the World Cup).

The dilemma is a sad catch-22: the national team needs their best keeper playing, but as long as he plays on, no-one can gain the familiarity needed for a seamless transition.

Schwarzer can’t continue forever, and while he is currently Australia’s best goalkeeper, at some point Osieck will have to sacrifice immediate benefits for long term gains.

It is not an easy decision, and the Socceroos manager is certainly stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The Fulham star has been a faithful servant for the Socceroos, and should be given every opportunity to go out on top, at a time of his choosing. But ultimately, the call has to be made.

Sooner or later, Schwarzer needs to be moved aside and his successor appointed. Whether that is in the next year or so, or after the 2014 Brazil World Cup, is possibly the hardest decision Osieck will make during his Socceroos tenure.

If he picks the right option, whatever that may be, Schwarzer will go out on top, one of the young hopefuls will get their time to shine and the Australian goalkeeping position will be filled for another 10 years.

But get it wrong, and Osieck’s decision could impact the Socceroos for a decade to come. The German-born manager only needs to look at Sir Alex Ferguson’s goalkeeping debacle during the early 2000s to see how difficult the departure of a veteran custodian can be.