Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has declared there will be no more experiments with his squad before next year’s World Cup.
Verbeek welcomed back stars Tim Cahill, Harry Kewell and skipper Lucas Neill when naming a 24-man squad for this month’s matches against the Netherlands and Oman on Thursday, and said it was time to get serious about his World Cup preparations.
“We don’t experiment anymore,” Verbeek said.
“We did that against Ireland because we gave some players a possibility and a chance. We played a different system and different players against Korea and that’s it.
“From now on we just prepare for the Asian Cup and the World Cup and that’s all.”
Cahill, Kewell and Neill all missed the Socceroos’ 3-1 loss to Korea in Seoul last month, while Verbeek’s squad includes a return for midfielder Brett Emerton, who underwent a knee reconstruction in January.
“I was with him at Blackburn Rovers a few weeks ago … he looks very, very fit,” Verbeek said of Emerton.
“He’s ready, he’s eager to start playing games. Great to have him back. Perfect timing with a season to go.”
Verbeek said he was happy Neill and midfielder David Carney had sorted out their futures with moves to English club Everton and Dutch team Twente respectively.
“I was not worried at all because I know a player with that quality will always find a club,” Verbeek said of Neill.
“He (Carney) has to pick up his spot in the first team and that will be a tough job. Good club, very good club, I think it’s a good decision for him, that club suits him.”
Verbeek said it was too early to assume the 24 players named would be the main contenders for his World Cup squad but that news is small comfort to Perth Glory trio Mile Sterjovski, Jacob Burns and Chris Coyne.
Brisbane Roar skipper Craig Moore and Gold Coast United’s Jason Culina are the only A-League players in the squad.
“If you see the selection there’s not much chance that they will get a minute of game time,” Verbeek said of the Glory trio.
“It’s better to leave them in their club. They don’t like it and that’s good. It’s up to them to show us that they can do what they have to do.
“For next Saturday this is the selection and for the World Cup? We will see in May. It’s too early.”
The squad only included one new face, with WA-born Irish under-21 defender Shane Lowry in line to win his first Socceroos cap.
One big name who doesn’t appear to be returning to the gold jersey is striker Mark Viduka, with Verbeek saying he appeared to have “made up his mind” on his playing future.
“I tried everything to get him to come to the June camp and then he made up his mind not to come and think about his future,” Verbeek said.
“And probably he has now made up his mind for the future.”
Verbeek conceded facing his home nation at the Sydney Football Stadium on October 10 would be special but he wants the Asian Cup qualifier against Oman to be the focus for his team.
“Wednesday (against Oman) we have to win, on Saturday we’d like to win, I think that’s the difference,” he said.
“For me, it’s nice to play against them (the Dutch) but that’s all. I have no special emotions, it’s just nice. I’m just focussing on my team, and my team is the Australian boys at the moment.”
Australian squad: Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill, Nick Carle, David Carney, Scott Chipperfield, Ante Covic, Jason Culina, Brett Emerton, Vincenzo Grella, Brett Holman, Mile Jedinak, Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell, Patrick Kisnorbo, Shane Lowry, Scott McDonald, Mark Milligan, Craig Moore, Lucas Neill, Mark Schwarzer, Carl Valeri, Dario Vidosic, Rhys Williams, Luke Wilkshire.
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