New-look Socceroos unveiled for England friendly
UPDATED: A string of new faces – including young Adelaide United midfielder Stefan Mauk and just-departed winger Craig Goodwin – will line up for the Socceroos against England later this month, in a major shakeup to a Socceroos squad hit by a raft of absentees.
Socceroos-bound: Craig Goodwin. Photo: Nat Rogers, InDaily.
Mauk, Goodwin and fellow A-League star Jamie Maclaren headline the new-look Socceroos squad for their high-profile friendly at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on May 27.
Unable to select Asia-based players as the match falls outside of a FIFA window, coach Ange Postecoglou has made nine changes to the squad that beat Tajikistan and Jordan in March’s World Cup qualifiers, handing debut caps to Maclaren, Mauk and midfielders Milos Degenek and Brad Inman.
Former Olyroo Degenek plays for 1860 Munich while Inman, originally from Adelaide, has scored 10 goals in 39 appearances for English League Two side Crewe Alexandria this season.
The likes of Tim Cahill, Apostolos Giannoi, Trent Sainsbury and Nathan Burns were unable to be selected, while Mathew Leckie was not included for personal reasons.
“We have had to cast the net far and wide again and at the same time I think we have come up with a squad that will be really competitive on the day,” Postecoglou said.
“More importantly for me, it gives me a chance to see some further growth in some players playing against the best possible opposition.”
Goodwin, who this week left Adelaide to link up with newly-promoted Dutch first-tier side Sparta Rotterdam, has been given the chance to add to the two appearances for the Socceroos he made at the East Asian Cup three years ago.
Also included are Brisbane Roar skipper Matt McKay and Bursaspor left-back Aziz Behich, who hasn’t featured for the national team in nearly 12 months.
Postecoglou acknowledged the match will be a huge test for a depleted Australia against a star-studded England side, featuring the likes of Leceister City star Jamie Vardy, preparing for the Euro 2016 tournament in France.
“As an Australian, it is always a special event when we face England in any sport, probably more so with football,” he said.
“England is obviously a quality team and will be good challenge for us especially away from home.
“Having come off the back of the first stage of qualifying against Asian opposition, it will be good to face up to something different and see how we are tracking with our progression.”
Socceroos: Aziz Behich, Milos Degenek, Adam Federici, Craig Goodwin, Chris Ikonomidis, Jackson Irvine, Brad Inman, Mile Jedinak, Tomi Juric, Robbie Kruse, Mitchell Langerak, Massimo Luongo, Jamie Maclaren, Stefan Mauk, Matthew McKay, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Josh Risdon, Tom Rogic, Mathew Ryan, Brad Smith, Bailey Wright, Alex Wilkinson.
-AAP
