Australia World Cup Squad Preview

Written by Tony Concannon Tuesday, 11 May 2010 16:42

World Cup Squad Previews

Australia could well spring a surprise or two was my initial thinking but trying to progress from Group A, which has them up against Germany, Ghana and Serbia is going to be a tall order.

World Cup 2010 qualification was a lot easier than normal for the Socceroos squad, helped by their switch to the Asian qualifying route. Hence no 26-0 victories over Papua New Guinea and the obligatory play-off against Uruguay. Coach Pim Verbeek has tried to balance experience and youth in his 30-man squad.

Euro league enthusiasts will be familiar with Mark Bresciano (Palermo), Scott Chipperfield (Basel) and Jason Culina (who has just returned to Australia after many successful years at PSV Eindhoven). Everton star Tim Cahill and Harry Kewell complete an impressive, if aging midfield/attack and both will be hoping to stay fit to spearhead the Aussies main offensive threat.

The little and large partnership of Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough) and Josh Kennedy will hope to be amongst the goals up front. Kennedy has started the season in good form for Nagoya Grampus Eight (just wanted to write that!) in Japan. Blackburn duo Brett Emerton and Vince Grella add further experience to the midfield.

Lucas Neill, a team-mate of Kewell's at Galatasaray, will be the main man in defence, but again with doubts about his pace and aging legs, he will be looking for help from some if his younger defensive colleagues. Craig Moore doesn't fall into that category. The veteran ex-Rangers centre-half is in the squad despite being without a club at the moment.

Mark Schwarzer may well be a busy man in goal. Nick Carle,  Adam Federici, Brad Jones, Rhys Williams and Richard Garcia will have Championship fans hoping for a mention of their team. A surprise exclusion was Mile Sterjovski, formerly of Derby County, and a regular of recent years. His Perth Glory team-mates Chris Coyne (ex-Southend and Luton) and Jacob Burns (once of Barnsley and Leeds) also missed out. To complete a miserable day for the Glory, there was also no place in the squad for their new marquee signing and once Anfield ace Robbie Fowler!

One new much younger face that could make the final cut is 18-year old wing sensation Tommy Oar, who was named Young Footballer of the Year for the recently concluded Hyundai A-League 2009/10 season, earning him a move to Utrecht in the Netherlands. Oar will hope to steer the Socceroos to the knockout stage, where they lost narrowly to Italy in 2006. I've got a feeling however that after 3 games Aussie fans will be looking for the next pool of players to emerge for 2014, as progression in this World Cup could be a bridge too far for the current squad.

Australia Preliminary squad in full:

Michael Beauchamp (Al-Jazira Club, UAE), Mark Bresciano (Palermo, Italy), Tim Cahill (Everton, England), Nick Carle (Crystal Palace, England), David Carney (FC Twente, Netherlands), Scott Chipperfield (FC Basel, Switzerland), Jason Culina (Gold Coast United, Australia), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers, England), Adam Federici (Reading, England), Richard Garcia (Hull City, England), Vince Grella (Blackburn Rovers, England), James Holland (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Brett Holman (AZ Alkmaar, Netherlands), Mile Jedinak (Antalyaspor Kulubu, Turkey), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, England), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus Eight, Japan), Harry Kewell (Galatasaray, Turkey), Shane Lowry (Aston Villa, England), Scott McDonald (Middlesbrough, England), Mark Milligan (JEF United, Japan), Craig Moore (Unattached), Lucas Neill (Galatasaray, Turkey), Jade North (Tromsø, Norway), Tom Oar (FC Utrecht, Netherlands) Nikita Rukavytsya (FC Twente, Netherlands), Mark Schwarzer (Fulham,  England), Carl Valeri (Sassuolo, Italy), Dario Vidosix (FC Nurnberg, Germany), Luke Wilkshire (FK Dinamo Moscow, Russia), Rhys Williams (Middlesbrough, England).

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