Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek claims his own arduous journey back to Australia could influence whether he brings back overseas-based players for the decisive Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia in Brisbane in March.

Verbeek arrived back in Sydney on Friday following Australia’s 2-2 draw away to Kuwait, a result which left the his side needing to take at least a point from their clash at Suncorp Stadium to book a berth in next year’s tournament in Qatar.

With March 3 designated as a ‘friendly’ date for international fixtures by governing body FIFA, Verbeek can get access to his overseas-based players, but they would probably only arrive one or two days before the game.

Asked whether he was considering picking European based players for the game Verbeek said: “I’m thinking of that, I’ve not decided.

“It is a 30-hour flight, if they feel like I feel, I can’t play a ball and I had only 14 hours in the aeroplane.

“I have to think about it, which players are available and which players I need.”

The Indonesia game looms as potentially one of the last opportunities for locally-based players to push their World Cup claims before Verbeek selects his squad for the tournament.

“A few of the A-League players have got a good opportunity over the last two weeks to show what they can do and hopefully we get another chance,” said Central Coast Mariners defender Dean Heffernan, who scored Australia’s second goal in Kuwait.

Sydney striker Alex Brosque was hoping the groin injury he suffered in the lead up to the game in Kuwait, which ruled him out of the match, would not damage his World Cup prospects.

“If I can get back on the paddock as soon as possible and get back to what I was doing before I got injured then hopefully (it won’t affect my World Cup chances) too much.

“There’s another game (against Indonesia) coming up in March, so hopefully I can play well enough to get myself back into that camp.”

Brosque said it was frustrating and painful to watch rather than play the game, but hoped to miss just one A-League game with his injury.

Verbeek described the draw in Kuwait as “a nice result” despite Australia squandering an early 2-0 lead.

He wasn’t concerned about his team’s defence or the fact that neither goal was scored by a striker.

Verbeek will remain in Australia until just after the Indonesia game, while a couple of his assistants will stay in Europe to check on the form of overseas based players.

Football Federation Australia and Verbeek have yet to decide whether he will continue on past the 2010 World Cup and onto the 2011 Asian Cup finals, should the Socceroos qualify.

“I haven’t made my mind up at all and so far I think the FFA haven’t, so there is no reason now to speak about it,” Verbeek said.

He said he had no plans to sit down with the FFA in the short term to discuss his future.

Asked if he would like to stay in Australia, Verbeek’s response was: “I enjoy Australia.”

Heffernan confirmed some members of the crowd in Kuwait had shone laser lights into the eyes of Australian players.

“I noticed it a few times when the boys were taking corners,” Heffernan said.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) is likely to investigate the matter.

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