Osieck pledges strong Socceroos team

Even though the Socceroos are safely through to the final round of World Cup qualifying, coach Holger Osieck has pledged to pick a strong and experienced line-up for the upcoming clash with Saudi Arabia.

The concluding Group E game on February 29 is a must-win encounter for Saudi Arabia and their Dutch coach Frank Rijkaard if they are to advance to the second phase of qualifiers.

But it’s effectively a dead rubber for Australia, who will top the group regardless of the result.

As the match takes place on a FIFA-nominated date, Osieck has the right to call on as many of his overseas-based players as he likes.

“I definitely won’t approach this game as an experiment,” Osieck said on Tuesday.

“We are in the process of getting the group together and there won’t be too many changes.

“I’m pretty happy that I can count on experienced and well-tested players and they will definitely be the core group of our team.

“Of course, I will also open the door for talented players, but it’s a fine line.”

Osieck said age would not be an issue when he considered which players could be added to his squad, which was good news for 33-year-old striker Archie Thompson, one of the few bright lights so far this season for Melbourne Victory.

The marksman is back to his best after overcoming knee and hamstring injuries and would be a major drawcard for the clash against the Saudis at AAMI Park.

“If I keep performing and doing well then hopefully an opportunity will come,” said Thompson, who has played 34 times for Australia.

“But I need to be performing well. I need to be scoring goals because there’s a hell of a lot talent out there at the moment, especially young talent.

“If an opportunity comes my way, I need to take it because I am getting to an age where these opportunities might not come around very often.”