FRIENDLY:AUSTRALIA COACH Pim Verbeek has named a strong squad made up almost exclusively of European-based players for next Wednesday's friendly international against the Republic of Ireland at Thomond Park, with three newcomers included along with a string of far more established names.
The Dutchman will use the game to start his preparations for next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa as it will be the side’s first outing since wins over Bahrain and Japan in June which clinched Australia’s place in the tournament.
Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and Lucas Neill are all included in the 22-strong panel for the trip to Limerick but Verbeek has also included Bolton’s Aaron Mooy, Nikita Rukavystya of FC Twente and Cheltenham Town midfielder Oliver Bozanic, none of whom have yet played for their country.
Mark Viduka, who like Neill is presently without a club, is omitted so as to allow him to concentrate on sorting out his future ahead of the new season and like his opposite number in the Irish set up, Giovanni Trapattoni, Verbeek has been concerned by the fact that some of his most established players might struggle to command the regular first-team football he says they must if they are to feature in South Africa next summer.
‘‘I’m a little bit worried about those players,” he said yesterday. “They have to start playing games. Wherever they play, they have to play games.
“I think that message is clear,” he continued. “They have 10 months to go. They have to be 100 per cent fit when I make my final selection in May, and it’s up to them to make decisions this year.”
Trapattoni still has fitness concerns of his own about a couple of squad members ahead of next week’s game with Kevin Doyle, in particular, struggling to complete his return from a hernia operation.
The striker was omitted from the Wolves squad for last night’s pre-season friendly against Scunthorpe but is reckoned to be in with a chance of featuring for some part of Saturday’s game against Real Valladolid. If he makes his Molineux debut in that game then he is likely to be allowed to travel to Limerick although he would not be expected to start.
Wolves play West Ham at home on the opening day of the new season and the hope is that Doyle can do enough over the course of the two friendlies to prove that he is fit enough to play some part in that fixture.
“Kevin will be training this week but probably not in full training, and that will be a big plus for us,” said Wolves manager Mick McCarthy when asked about the Irishman’s progress. “He might be fit for the start of the season, but I don’t think it’s likely he’ll be fully fit. He’ll be fit when he’s fit.”
AUSTRALIA SQUAD: Bozanic (Cheltenham Town), Bresciano (Palermo), Cahill (Everton), Carle (Crystal Palace), Carney (Sheffield Utd), Covic (Elfsborg), Holland (AZ Alkmaar), Holman (AZ Alkmaar), Jedinak (Genclerbirligi), Kewell (Galatasaray), Kisnorbo (Leeds Utd), Madaschi (Portogruaro-Summaga), McDonald (Celtic), Mooy (Bolton Wanderers), Neill (Unattached), North (Incheon Utd), Rukavystya (FC Twente), Scwharzer (Fulham), Spiranovic (Nurnberg), Vidosic (Nurnberg), Williams (Middlesbrough), Wilkshire (Dinamo Moscow).
