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Socceroos' coach Van Marwijk announces squad for pre-World Cup friendlies

Xinhua,March 06, 2018 Adjust font size:

   CANBERRA, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Australia's new national men's football team coach Bert van Marwijk has announced his first squad 100 days out from the FIFA World Cup.

   The 29-man preliminary squad was revealed on Tuesday with a final squad for the Socceroos' friendlies against Norway in Oslo on March 23 and Colombia in London on March 27 to be revealed shortly before the team departs.

   Of the 29 players, 22 were in the squad for the Socceroos' Inter-Confederation play-off against Honduras which secured the Socceroos' World Cup qualification.  Players from Australia's own A-League feature prominently with four in contention to make the final squad while eight of the 29 players are currently playing for clubs in the United Kingdom.

   Defender Aleksander Susnajar, 22, was the major surprise selection having never previously been considered for national team selection  while playing for clubs in Serbia, Lithuania, Romania and the Czech Republic.     "Since my appointment with the Socceroos, my staff, scouts and I have monitored over 100 Australian players in the Hyundai A-League, as well as in leagues across Europe and Asia," Van Marwijk said in a media release on Tuesday.

   "There are still a couple of weeks before the group gathers in Oslo, so we will continue to monitor the health and fitness of all the players in the preliminary squad, as well as those on our longer list of potential World Cup squad members," Van Marwijk said.

   The playoff against Honduras was the last game in charge for former coach Ange Postecoglou who resigned shortly afterwards to take up the job as coach of Yokohoma F Marinos in the J-League.

   The friendly against Norway will be Van Marwijk's first match in charge after he was announced as Australia's coach for the World Cup in January having previously taken his native Netherlands to the final in 2010.  Australia has been drawn against France, Peru and Denmark in the group stage of the World Cup in Russia.

   "Our upcoming matches against Norway and Colombia will provide a great chance for the players selected to press their claims for Russia, however the door remains ajar for all players not picked for the March window, "  Van Marwijk said.  Enditem

 

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