Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek believes the lure of next year’s World Cup will keep striker Mark Viduka’s soccer career alive.
A central figure in Australia’s 2006 campaign, Viduka has never featured in the national squad on Verbeek’s watch and last represented his country at the 2007 Asian Cup.
The 33-year-old is also without a club after his contract with Newcastle expired at the end of last season, when the Magpies were relegated from the English Premier League.
“I think the only motivation for him to start playing football again is to go to the World Cup, so that’s good for us,” Verbeek said as he assembled the Socceroos squad in Limerick for their friendly against the Republic of Ireland on Thursday (AEST).
“The door is open for him – not because he’s Mark Viduka but because he is a good football player – and he has 10 months to show me that he is good enough to be a part of the selection.”
Viduka, who has most recently been linked with a move to Premier League side Portsmouth, last spoke with Verbeek at the end of May ahead of Australia’s clutch of World Cup qualifiers against Qatar, Bahrain and Japan in June.
“I did everything to at least get him in the squad,” Verbeek said.
“But at that moment he was so disappointed about what happened in Newcastle, that they were relegated and all the things around it.
“So he said, `my motivation and mentally I cannot do it again and come into the Middle East at 40 degrees, I need time to think about my future.'”
Verbeek added that Viduka’s first step was to join a club.
“So far he has not been one time with my selection, not because he didn’t want to but because of injuries,” Verbeek said.
“He is very, very popular in the group … that’s very important because besides that he was a fantastic striker.
“He is very, very popular in Australia of course because of everything he did for the World Cup team and the last years for the Socceroos, so the boys would love to have him back.”
Socceroos captain Lucas Neill, who is also without a club after his contract with West Ham expired, has joined his team-mates in Ireland.
Verbeek said he and Neill had discussed his club prospects, but would not be drawn on which way his player was leaning and the defender has said he remains undecided.
The 31-year-old has been linked with moves to Premier League rivals Sunderland and Manchester City and Turkish club Galatasaray.
He said on Tuesday he could remain with the Hammers, whom he captained last year, but he was also weighing up offers from other clubs, including two outside England.
“He’s a fantastic player,” Verbeek said.
“I am not worried at all. I would be worried if it was two months before the World Cup.
“I am 100 per cent sure he will find an interesting club for himself and for his career and if you see that even without having a club he looks so fit, he is ready and has trained very hard for himself.”
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