Key Europe-based stars will remain in the lineup for this week’s World Cup qualifier against China despite the Socceroos’ guaranteed progression, coach Pim Verbeek said today.
Australia’s 3-1 win over Qatar in Doha early on Sunday sealed the Socceroos a spot in the final 10 Asian teams for the last qualifying stage starting in September.
“I’m very pleased with the performance. I think the boys did a great job (in) difficult conditions,” Verbeek told journalists.
Verbeek said Sunday’s ANZ Stadium clash with China would provide an opportunity to test some of his key younger players, but they would line up alongside a core group of senior stars.
“We’re going to keep some players here because we’re going to win, we like to win, we’d like to finish with 13 points after the six games,” he said.
“A lot of tickets (are) sold so we want to show the fans that we really are the best team in this group.”
He said the players that would remain in the squad for the China match included Michael Petkovic, Michael Beauchamp, Jade North, Harry Kewell, Carl Valeri and Brett Holman.
They would be joined by “a lot of very promising younger players who deserve to play this game because they did very well in training camp”, the coach said.
Verbeek also noted that three members of the squad were suspended following the Qatar match, with a further three players having received one yellow card caution.
“They have two be very careful because the second yellow card, they are out in the next round, so that’s (something) of course we have to try and avoid,” he said.
“And you have some players who (would) like to play, of course, who need some rhythm, like Harry and Beauchamp and Jade North.”
Verbeek arrived at Sydney Airport on a delayed flight from the Middle East early today with the bulk of the Socceroos squad touching down about an hour later.
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