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Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has excluded Harry Kewell from Australia’s squad in one of several changes for the international friendly match against South Africa in London on Wednesday morning.
Verbeek has decided not to call on Michael Beauchamp, Brett Emerton and Kewell, but instead has added David Carney, Bruce Djite, Richard Garcia, Mark Milligan and Matthew Spiranovic to the squad.
Garcia, 26, will make his Socceroos debut if he takes the field at Loftus Road Stadium against South Africa.
Having helped Hull City gain promotion to the English Premier League in May this year, a Socceroos cap will be another remarkable achievement for the Perth-born right winger.
Scott Chipperfield joins the Socceroos for the first time this year after recovering from a foot injury that has prevented him from appearing in the previous eight international matches, while goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has the chance to become the ninth-most capped Socceroo, equal with legendary defender Milan Ivanovic.
“This camp is good opportunity for us to see the players after their off-season break,” Verbeek said from London.
“Most of the players have just started, or are about to start, their respective domestic competitions and we can now start focusing of the World Cup qualifiers which are just around the corner.”
Australia’s fourth-stage 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification matches start on September 10 when the Socceroos meet Uzbekistan in Tashkent.
The squad gets together prior to that all-important away match for an international friendly against the Netherlands on September 6.
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