Graham Arnold has cast the net wide for his first training camp back as Socceroos coach at a camp to be held in Antalya, Turkey, next week at the same venue where the Socceroos prepared for the World Cup.
Arnold named 31 players for the camp on Thursday including previously uncapped players, giving them a chance to impress the new boss, as well as some 'old hands'.
The squad includes Ben Garuccio, Kenneth Dougall, and Awer Mabil, and also includes recalls for Bailey Wright, Mustafa Amini, Mitchell Duke, Apostolos Giannou, Ajdin Hrustic, Mitchell Langerak, Alex Gersbach, and Aleksandar Susnjar. Dutch-based duo John Iredale and Denis Genreau, who are both eligible for the Young Socceroos and the U-23 team, will also be given the chance to impress.
Only two A-League players are included amongst the 31: Dimi Petratos and Josh Risdon, both of whom were in the World Cup squad.
In additon to Tim Cahill who has retired from international competition, notable omissions include Mathew Leckie, James Meredith, Andrew Nabbout and Tom Rogic, all of whom were in the final 23 at the World Cup. Leckie was named by ESPN as one of the 'breakout stars' of the Russian World Cup. Both he and Rogic are dealing with niggling knee injuries. Nabbout has returned to Japan after treatment in Australia, but is still recovering from the injury sustained in the second game at the World Cup against Denmark.
“Next week’s camp in Turkey marks the start of a new phase for the Socceroos,” said Arnold. “While we will have numerous field, tactical, and video sessions during the seven days that we are together in Turkey, we will also spend plenty of time off the pitch discussing our individual and team objectives and identity.
He said he wanted the camp to be as close as possible to where most of the players are located.
“This will lighten the travel load on the majority of the group, ensuring that they arrive in camp and back at their clubs as fresh as possible.”
He says there is a “long list of players” that his staff are monitoring.
“We will continue to assess them as we seek to add to the depth of the team,” he said.
Others absent, who have previously been included in recent squads, are Josh Brillante, Fran Karacic, Nikita Rukavytsya and James Troisi.
The Socceroos will play an international friendly match in the Middle East in October, before returning to home soil in November for two international friendly fixtures against South Korea in Brisbane on 17 November, and Lebanon in Sydney on 20 November. Suggestions in today's News Corp papers were that the match v Lebanon may also be a farewell match for Tim Cahil.
SquadNameClubA-internationals (goals)Mustafa AminiAarhus, Denmark2 (0)Daniel ArzaniCeltic, Scotland5 (1)Aziz BehichBursaspor, Turkey26 (2)Milos DegenekRed Star Belgrade, Serbia18 (0)Kenneth DougallBarnsley, England0 (0)Mitchell DukeShimizu S-Pulse, Japan4 (2)Ben GaruccioHearts, Scotland0 (0)Denis GenreauPEC Zwolle, Netherlands0 (0)Alex GersbachRosenborg, Norway4 (0)Apostolos GiannouAEK Larnaca, Cyprus5 (0)Ajdin HrusticFC Groningen, Netherlands1 (0)John IredaleSC Heerenveen, Netherlands0 (0)Jackson IrvineHull City, England22 (2)Mile JedinakAston Villa, England79 (20)Brad JonesAl-Nasr, Saudi Arabia6 (0)Tomi JuricFC Luzern, Switzerland38 (8)Matthew JurmanAl-Ittihad, Saudi Arabia4 (0)Robbie KruseVfL Bochum, Germany67 (5)Mitch LangerakNagoya Grampus, Japan8 (0)Massimo LuongoQPR, England36 (5)Awer MabilMidtylland, Denmark0 (0)Jamie MaclarenHibs, Scotland6 (0)Mark MilliganHibs, Scotland71 (6)Aaron MooyHuddersfield, England37 (5)Dimi PetratosNewcastle Jets2 (0)Josh RisdonWestern Sydney Wanderers11 (0)Mathew RyanBrighton and Hove Albion, England47 (0)Trent SainsburyPSV Eindhoven, Netherlands38 (3)Aleksandar SusnjarMŠK Žilina, Slovakia1 (0)Danny VukovicGenk, Belgium1 (0)Bailey WrightBristol City, England22 (1)