The Socceroos squad for the 2015 Asian Cup has been announced, with manager Ange Postecoglou whittling down his original 46-man squad to a final 23 players.
There’s a strong local flavour in the side, with no less than seven A-League representatives, while there aren’t too many big surprises either.
Postecoglou hasn’t strayed too far from what the experts were predicting beforehand, and has played it pretty safe.
Goalkeepers
Mitch Langerak (Borussia Dortmund), Mathew Ryan (Club Brugge) and Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United)
Defenders
Trent Sainsbury (PEC Zwolle), Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk Motors), Aziz Behich (Bursaspor), Ivan Franjic (Torpedo Moscow), Jason Davidson (West Brom) and Chris Herd (Aston Villa)
Midfielders
Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace), Terry Antonis (Sydney FC), Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar), Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town), James Troisi (Zulte Waregem) and Marco Bresciano (Al-Gharafa)
Forwards
Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Tomi Juric (Western Sydney Wanderers), Robbie Kruse (Bayer Leverkusen), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht), Nathan Burns (Wellington Phoenix) and Mathew Leckie (FC Ingolstadt)
Well, overall Postecoglou’s played it safe, but those youngsters included in the original 46-man squad that failed to make the cut – Danny De Silva, Mustafa Amini, Aaron Mooy, Bernie Ibini, Josh Risdon and Luke Brattan – can take confidence in the fact they’re on the Socceroos radar.
Rhys Williams, Bailey Wright, Josh Kennedy, Mitch Nichols and Adam Taggart have been unable to prove their fitness to be in the running.
Brad Jones, Nikita Rukavytsya and Ben Halloran found first team football too late in the season to be considered, while Brad Smith and Josh Brillante were victims of a lack of minutes.
World Cup members Oliver Bozanic, James Holland and Dario Vidosic seem to have lost favour with Postecoglou and A-League representatives Carl Valeri and Nikolai Topor-Stanley also miss out.
The two real surprises are the inclusions of Chris Herd and Jason Davidson. Both haven’t been playing first team football with respective clubs Aston Villa and West Brom, but have been chosen to compete for the fullback positions with Ivan Franjic and Aziz Behich.
It goes against Postecoglou’s usual ploy of only picking players that are getting minutes under their belt.
The Socceroos will meet up for their training camp on December 27 before taking on their first Group A opponents Kuwait on January 9 in Melbourne.
They then face Oman in Sydney on January 13, before meeting South Korea on January 17 in Brisbane.
“It’s been almost six months in the making since the FIFA World Cup,” Postecoglou said.
“We’ve had a series of games where there have been some pretty clear objectives, particularly in terms of broadening the pool and seeing whether we could get some better balance in the squad and more depth.”
“In the end, I’m pretty pleased with the 23 we’ve ended up with, there’s a good combination of the core of the group that went to the FIFA World Cup, there’s some experience there, but also a sprinkling of guys who will enhance the squad we took to the FIFA World Cup.”
Full Socceroos squad
| Name | Club, Country | A International Caps (Goals) |
| Terry ANTONIS | Sydney FC, Australia | 3 (0) |
| Aziz BEHICH | Bursaspor, Turkey | 7 (2) |
| Mark BRESCIANO | Al Gharafa, Qatar | 81 (13) |
| Nathan BURNS | Wellington Phoenix, New Zealand | 7 (0) |
| Tim CAHILL | New York Red Bulls, USA | 76 (36) |
| Jason DAVIDSON | West Bromwich Albion F.C., England | 13 (0) |
| Ivan FRANJIC | FK Torpedo Moskva, Russia | 12 (0) |
| Eugene GALEKOVIC (gk) | Adelaide United, Australia | 8 (0) |
| Chris HERD | Aston Villa, England | 3 (0) |
| Mile JEDINAK | Crystal Palace FC, England | 52 (6) |
| Tomi JURIC | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 5 (1) |
| Robbie KRUSE | TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen, Germany | 32 (3) |
| Mitchell LANGERAK (gk) | B.V. Borussia 09 Dortmund, Germany | 5 (0) |
| Mathew LECKIE | FC Ingolstadt 04, Germany | 16 (1) |
| Massimo LUONGO | Swindon Town FC, England | 5 (0) |
| Matt McKAY | Brisbane Roar FC, Australia | 50 (1) |
| Mark MILLIGAN | Melbourne Victory FC, Australia | 33 (2) |
| Tommy OAR | FC Utrecht, Netherlands | 20 (1) |
| Mat RYAN (gk) | Club Brugge KV, Belgium | 13 (0) |
| Trent SAINSBURY | P.E.C. Zwolle, Netherlands | 4 (0) |
| Matthew SPIRANOVIC | Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia | 21 (0) |
| James TROISI | S.V. Zulte Waregem, Belgium | 16 (1) |
| Alex WILKINSON | Jeonbuk Hyundai FC, Korea Republic | 11 (0) |
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
"as most professional leagues around the world have some sort of team of the year." What is the relevance of those teams? Who picks the teams? What's the criteria for selection? And, above all ... why should any football fan give a stuff who is selected for any meaningless team, when there are meaningful teams & competitions that require scrutiny?
Jack Russell
Roar Guru
That's actually quite amusing that you had never heard of it, as most professional leagues around the world have some sort of team of the year.
Jack
Guest
His only 21 so years ahead of him
Bondy
Guest
Jb You're right to assume what predominately took to the park for Ange in Brazil would feature prominently at the AFC , Franjic @ Cruze ...
Bondy
Guest
Midfielder I've got a query on Antonis in midfield Bresciano preferred then possibly Oar other than that the lineups ok, 3 former Mariners in the starting line up too...
j binnie
Guest
Fuss- Thanks again,point noted. I should have remembered that Ange's first choice at right back would be Franjic who got injured at the WC. By the way I was not picking "my" team simply trying to read where Ange's thoughts would take him now that he has to settle on what he considers his best selection for the job at hand. Cheers jb
Fussball ist unser leben
Roar Guru
jb McGowan isn't in the 23 man squad, so won't be in the tournament unless there's an injury & McGowan is the replacement.
Batou
Guest
Probably just a serious lack of options at left back I'd say.
j binnie
Guest
As things get serious on the home front again,(an actual competition to be won), Ange's squad does not really contain many surprises and,failing injury or total loss of form I would reckon his first selection will be along these lines----- Ryan,McGowan,Spiranovic,Wilkinson and Davidson,----Jedinak,Bresciano ,Mackay,----Leckie Cahill and Oar.Some surprises????? My reasoning??? ,these 11 guys made up the three teams in the World Cup with most of them (7) playing in 3 games, and the other 4 playing in 2 games.There could be a few "tweaks" but obviously the time for playing the "numbers game " is over and we are back to reality.I will await the first selection with interest. jb
Domitian
Guest
Hoping Antonis gets some time.
Catnap
Guest
One who shouldn't be there is Davidson can't get a game not even on the bench do I smell a bit of nepotism?
punter
Guest
I agree too, he reminds me of what in cricket they say 'flat track bully', he looks good at a certain level, but when he has to step up, I have always found him quite average.
James Anderson
Roar Guru
AZ_RBB: If you look back 12 months ago I think the Socceroos have a come a huge way in the battle for positions on the park. Especially seeing as we were struggling to fill the 11 positions under Holger, and now we've got a squad of maybe 26-30 players who could play well for the Socceroos (when fit) Left back and right back have competitors, everyone has different opinions about who should be playing in the middle three spots, and the front three attackers are also up in the air. Lots to love about this squad chosen.
James Anderson
Roar Guru
Depends what formation you play, but I would disagree in terms of the Asian Cup. Mooy is better suited as a ball-playing no.8. rather than no. 10. He works well with a Jedinak next to him and a Bresca in front of him. Too much to ask of him as Australia's creative midfielder.
Josh
Guest
Enjoy that small fact, Western Sydney was, is and always will be the production line for Socceroos.
Bruce
Roar Rookie
A reasonable squad given the players available to Angie. Victory is Ours! (And by 'ours' I mean Japan's obviously).
c
Guest
you missed the sarcasm in my post read again midi
Midfielder
Guest
The event itself...
James Anderson
Roar Guru
Brilliant at the world cup. Not my favourite player either but im not bias enough to say he hasnt deserved his 50 socceroos caps. He is better than milligan when alongside jedinak.
Batou
Guest
That we agree on!