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Will Ange select cut Socceroos for the Asian Cup?

30th July, 2014
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Despite boasting a similar side to the time they last met, the Omanis were lacklustre against Australia. AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy
Roar Guru
30th July, 2014
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1278 Reads

The Asian Cup is fast approaching, kicking off at the start of 2015, and Ange Postecoglou and his Socceroos are thinking ahead to the tournament.

A number of players who were left out of the World Cup squad, or missed out due to injury, will be pushing for a place in the Asian Cup, which kicks off January 9 in Melbourne.

So what do these players need to do to push their claims for selection for the tournament?

Alex Brosque
An automatic selection under previous coach Pim Verbeek, Brosque will be hoping he can start the season strongly as Sydney FC’s Australian marquee.

Despite a successful two seasons in the United Arab Emirates with Al Ain, in which he scored 14 goals from 39 games, it is hard to see Brosque being picked under Ange Postecoglou, who showed in Brazil he is all about the future of Australian football.

Brosque turns 31 later this year, it seems he is no longer a part of Ange’s plans.

Robbie Kruse
Socceroos fans were left distraught when Kruse was injured months before the start of the World Cup, seeing him play no role in Brazil.

If injury-free and playing well for German side Bayer Leverkusen, expect him to walk straight into the starting 11.

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Curtis Good
After being named in the original 30-man Socceroos squad, Good was forced to pull out of Brazil with a hip injury. The tall, handy defensive-minded player is currently on loan at Dundee United and if he can secure consistent game time he will most certainly be a part of the squad.

Josh Brillante
At the age of 21, Brillante has to be one of Australia’s most promising young players. After a move to Serie A side ACF Fiorentina, the versatile player passed his medical with flying colours, earning the respect of former Roma legend and coach Vincenzo Montella.

While it is too early to say Brillante will force his way into the squad, if he can manage consistent game time in Serie A it will be hard for Postecoglou to ignore the young talent.

Carl Valeri
After many years spent in Italy’s Serie A and B, the Canberra-born midfielder has returned to Australia to play for the Melbourne Victory.

A regular face in Australia’s line-up before the arrival of Postecoglou, the midfielder will be keen to impress in the A-League with the hope of making the squad. He faces stiff opposition, going up against Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak and now teammate Mark Milligan.

Can he place some pressure on his Melbourne Victory partner to find a place in the squad, or will the emergence of Brillante end Valeri’s 50 game international career?

Rhys Williams
An automatic selection for the squad assuming he is injury free and playing regularly for club side Middlesborough. After succumbing to an Achilles injury that left him unavailable for Brazil, the extremely versatile player will comfortably slot into the starting 11 for Australia’s first match.

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Luke Wilkshere
A surprise omission from the final 23-man squad Postecoglou chose for the World Cup. A regular at right back for Australia in previous years, many expected Wilkshere to line up in an inexperienced back four. Instead, Postecoglou decided to let Wilkshere go from the Socceroos training camp, which came back to bite him when Ivan Franjic went down with a hamstring injury.

Will losing a right back to injury allow Wilkshere to enter the squad for the Asian Cup or will Rhys Williams provide adequate cover should first choice Franjic be unavailable?

Josh Kennedy
Although being in his early 30s, it would come as a huge shock if the six foot four striker was not a part of the squad come December.

Kennedy, who made the trip to Brazil only to be cut at the last minute due to some injury concerns, is one of Australia’s main target men and his goal-scoring ability while playing in Japan for Nagoya Grampus and the Socceroos is impressive (63 goals from 128 appearances in Japan and 17 goals from 33 matches for the Socceroos).

His ability to find the back of the net could be vital for Australia and his proven track record should be enough to earn him a spot alongside Tim Cahill and Adam Taggart.

Tom Rogic
After returning to the A-League last season on loan from Scottish giants Celtic, Rogic managed only eight games and while showing signs of brilliance, his inability to find game time in Scotland showed significantly. Despite this, Rogic was picked for the Socceroos squad to travel to Brazil but he did not make the final 23.

After showing so much promise as a youngster at the Central Coast Mariners, Rogic has failed to improve and unless he can find regular first team football in Scotland or on loan elsewhere, it is hard to see Rogic making the final squad.

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Who of these players makes the squad for you? Who else could emerge as a bolter for Asian Cup?

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