Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has cut striker Scott McDonald, midfielder Nick Carle and defender Jade North from the provisional 28-man World Cup squad he will take to a training camp in South Africa.
Verbeek trimmed his squad from the original 31 to 28 – one more than originally flagged after convincing Football Federation Australia to let him take four goalkeepers to the camp.
Youngsters Tommy Oar and James Holland are also part of the squad, but Verbeek said they were effectively going for the experience and were unlikely to be part of the final 23-man World Cup squad he names on June 1.
McDonald, who played for most of Monday night’s 2-1 win over New Zealand at the MCG, was the surprise omission.
With a dearth of strikers, Verbeek opted not to plump for McDonald, who has failed to score in 16 matches for his country.
Instead Belgian-based Nikita Rukavytsya and Josh Kennedy will back up Harry Kewell.
Verbeek admitted the Middlesbrough striker struggled in his lone striker system, and had missed out for that reason.
“Scotty is a typical two-striker player, and that’s where he feels happy also,” Verbeek said.
“But we don’t play with two strikers. We play with one striker up top and wingers, so Scotty doesn’t fit in this system.
“He knows it, and he tried everything.”
Everton star Tim Cahill and Fulham goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer also headline the squad.
Verbeek said the players from this squad who did not make the final 23 would be kept on in South Africa for the duration of the tournament.
The Socceroos will depart Melbourne on Wednesday for a pre-World Cup training camp in Johannesburg.
They play friendlies against Denmark on June 1 and the United States on June 5 in Roodepoort ahead of their opening World Cup group match against Germany in Durban on June 14 (Australian time).
Provisional Socceroos World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer, Adam Federici, Brad Jones, Eugene Galekovic.
Defenders: Scott Chipperfield, David Carney, Lucas Neill, Michael Beauchamp, Shane Lowry, Craig Moore, Mark Milligan, Rhys Williams, Luke Wilkshire.
Midfielders: Vince Grella, Carl Valeri, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Tim Cahill, Brett Holman, Dario Vidosic, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Richard Garcia, James Holland, Tommy Oar.
Strikers: Nikita Rukavytsya, Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell.
preciouspress
Guest
I rate Verbeek and thought his post match comments regarding those tackles were spot on. However I believe he should have gone the next step by shedding Grella (who is depensible) and giving Cahill(who isn't) a severe 'never again'. I also think it's a great shame he has released Carle and ignored Griffiths. All the best for what is a tough road ahead.
Luke10
Roar Rookie
I am no soccer coach let that be said. But what happens during the WC tournament if you want to change your formation for a strategic reason? I understand it is not that easy for a team to just click fingers and play a fluid new formation. Yet as a strategy if you want to score, a change to a 4-4-2 might throw the opposition off and create chances. As a specialist forward, McDonald should have been selected.
James
Guest
I feel sorry for Jade North. He hasn't done a lot wrong and is a solid performer. Would love to see him back in the A-League one day.
David
Guest
I feel really bad for Scott McDonald. Since 2006 McDonald has scored 70 in 133 appearances and Kennedy only 22 in 70. I cant understand why Verbeek persisted with forcing McDonald to play a formation that doesn't suit him when he is (IMO) THE inform Australian striker. Surely when coaching an int'l team, without the luxury of buying a player to fill a hole, there needs to be a balance with picking the best players and working out a strategy that suits them too???