The Socceroos squad to face Thailand in their upcoming World Cup qualifier during November has been named on Wednesday, with seven new faces in a 30-man training group.
While it is a squad of 30 for the time being, it will be cut down to 23 following this weekend’s matches, with the Socceroos having an extended training camp in this international period rather than taking on another team in a friendly.
Coach Ange Postecoglou has made the decision to add Luke Brattan, Tommy Oar, Jason Geria, Josh Risdon, Nathan Burns, Milos Degenek and Aziz Behich to their squad who drew with Saudi Arabia and Japan in early October.
Postecoglou, talking to Fox Sports said ‘“It’s a little bit of an unusual window, we only have one game and decided not to play a friendly before,”
“It’s an opportunity to bring in two or three guys on the fringes to have a good look at.
“They might be unlikely to play, but they’ll have meaningful training, five or six sessions.
“It’s a good opportunity for us in areas we think we’re light on, or guys we really want to see, or guys who haven’t been involved for a while.
The match against Thailand, which was facing cancellation but will go ahead as planned on November 15 with no team colours, logos, banners or chants to be allowed in the stadium after King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away.
Australia currently sit in second place of Group B in what is the third round of qualification having won two and drawn two of their matches so far.
Only the top two teams in the group gain a direct trip to the 2018 World Cup, with Australia currently holding a slender one point lead over Japan for second spot.
Full 30-man squad for Thailand qualifier
Adam Federici (Bournemouth), Mitch Langerak (Stuttgart), Mat Ryan (Valencia), Aziz Behich (Bursaspor), Milos Degenek (1860 Munich), Jason Geria (Melbourne Victory), Alex Gersbah (Rosenbory), Ryan McGowan (Henan Jianye), Josh Risdon (Perth Glory), Trent Sainsbury (Jiangsu), Brad Smith (Bournemouth), Matthew Spiranovic (Huangzhou Greentown), Bailey Wright (Preston North End), Luke Brattan (Melbourne City), Chris Ikonomidis (Aarhus), Jackson Irvine (Burton Albion), Mile Jedinak (Aston Villa) James Jeggo (Sturm Graz), Massimo Luongo (Queens Park Rangers), Mark Milligan (Baniyas), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield), Tom Rogic (Celtic), Nathan Burns (FC Tokyo), Tim Cahill (Melbourne City), Apostolos Giannou (Guangzhou), Craig Goodwin (Sparta Rotterdam), Tomi Juric (Luzern), Robbie Kruse (Bayer Leverkusen), Mathew Leckie (Ingolstadt), Tommy Oar (Brisbane Roar)
Paul
Guest
Federici out, Brad Jones in and to start!
paul
Guest
The squad is an extended squad. Brattan on competition for Ikonomidis bench spot. Geria and Risdon in competition with McGowan and Degenek Oar brought in to back up Kruse out wide Brattan is favourite with Postecoglou so might get a bench warmer spot. Degenek and Risdon most likely with McGowan to be dropped Oar is a question mark
j binnie
Guest
What is my point Punter?. If you don't understand then it is pointless trying to explain it to you but because it is you ,I'll try.. Let's just wait until the next time AP puts a team on the field in a World Cup match and we'll see how many "A League stars feature in the squad" (substitute "run-on" eleven.) Go back and look at the headline and the accompanying info. "no name no pack drill", just some misquoted fodder for the football masses, You obviously think there is a chance that Geria,Risdon ,Brattan,Cahill and/or Oar have a chance at starting, if you do, you have missed the point. Cheers jb. ps my comment was addressed to Kaks who had also commented on the headline. jb
punter
Guest
What is your point JB?
j binnie
Guest
Kaks -This is a ploy used to maintain interest in the local league.AP plays this game very well. Unfortunately the scribes who write the headlines don't bother to look at the "run-on" teams that AP puts on the field, line- ups that usually make a mockery of this headline and others like it. Not to worry,some of the younger players will enjoy the inclusion and, never forget ,it costs much less to fill a preliminary squad with a few locals than it does to bring them from the other side of the world. Cheers jb.
Midfielder
Guest
Tis great to see... loving the A-League
tully101
Roar Guru
i'd like to see Brattan play ahead of Jedi, watching the game against japan he was really struggling to complete any meaningful pass, i think its time to find a new Number 6. Although i think Milligan should/would get the start
tully101
Roar Guru
Aziz has being playing consistently well in turkey apparently. Funny how 24 months ago our Left full back spot had no depth, now there is about 6 players who could lay claim to it
96er's
Guest
Crazy to pick him? Nice to see Aziz featuring again, he deserves it
Kaks
Roar Guru
I fail to see how A-league stars feature heavily in the squad? At the end of the day, the squad is pretty standard and the starting line-up wont be featuring many of the A-league players who were selected.
punter
Guest
Hehe!!!! very lucky boy!!!!!
tully101
Roar Guru
Jason Geria has received the call up as a result of two MOTM awards for city in the last two derbys?