Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek liked what he saw from the A-League stars who opened Australia’s Asian Cup campaign against Indonesia last week. It’s just that he didn’t like them enough.
Veteran defender Craig Moore was the only locally-based star to win a berth in Verbeek’s 22-man squad to take on Japan in next week’s World Cup qualifier in Yokohama, the rest made up of the plethora of players plying their trade offshore.
Australia drew 0-0 with Indonesia in Jakarta last week with a squad made up only A-League players, the game played in oppressive conditions and on a hard to handle pitch.
“I was very pleased with what I saw from some players in the Indonesia game but again Indonesia away is different than Japan away,” Verbeek said.
“Yeah they did (impress), but so far they were not better than the players I have.”
Despite Moore being the only local in his list of 22, which will be trimmed to 18 the day before the game, Verbeek claimed A-League players had not been snubbed, saying the A-League finals should be the focus.
“Normally I can take 24 players so it’s not so difficult to take players from the A-League over there, some of them really deserve it,” Verbeek said.
“But as you all know there is also the semi-finals coming up and some teams play (next) Friday (meaning) they come back on Friday morning and then play Friday night.
“I will only select A-League players I am more or less 100 per cent sure that they will be in the final 18 and at this moment I think I have enough players with experience and enough quality.”
The first leg of the A-League semi-finals will be held this weekend with Central Coast to host Queensland on Friday night and Melbourne away to Adelaide on Saturday night.
Are you the ultimate team manager? Pick your own superstar team and go head to head with other football fans for glory and cash prizes on Draftstars. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
The Sky Blues took the lead at home but couldn't hold on as the Mariners came back to claim a 2-1 win in the first leg of the semifinal.
A fresh punishment was imposed after the club failed to comply with profitability and sustainability rules during the three-year cycle to 2022-23.
The two spot kicks levelled the score on aggregate over the two legs, but Bayer Leverkusen then scored two late goals for a draw…
Just four teams remain in the hunt for the 2023/24 A-League Championship and the action will be intense in the opening legs of the…
Bayern Munich led 1-nil at the 87th minute mark until the Spaniard's two goals.
Alphonso Davies looked to have undone all his hard work of scoring the first goal when the ball went into his own net off…
