Tom Rogic and Martin Boyle back for Socceroos for crucial World Cup trip to Jordan
The Socceroos have received a big boost for their World Cup qualifier in Jordan, with two key stars returning from long-term injuries.
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The Socceroos’ path to the World Cup has been bolstered by the return of long-term absentees Tom Rogic and Martin Boyle, giving coach Graham Arnold a reinforced arsenal with which to attack Jordan in Amman next week.
Rogic returns for the first time since January’s Asian Cup, having completed some 400 minutes for Celtic since a minor operation in the off-season, while Boyle – injured on the eve of the Asian Cup and out since – is picked on the back of just 24 minutes for Hibernian since an operation in July.
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Boyle was set to be a key player for Australia at the Asian Cup until getting injured in a friendly beforehand, and his rapid return underlines how much Arnold believes the winger can offer.
Nor will his club manager be making waves about his selection for Australia so quickly – when Arnold sought a phone number from Boyle for Paul Heckingbottom, the response an hour later was that the coach had just been fired.
With Mathew Leckie’s involvement dependent on when his wife gives birth to their second child, the inclusion of Boyle and Rogic is well timed for what is widely seen as the Socceroos’ most difficult encounter in this phase of qualifying.
“I envisage Marin coming in to give us something off the bench,” said Arnold. “He’s played a couple of cameo roles for Hibs, and I expect him to get more minutes this weekend.
“He’s shown he’s fit and ready, and he’ll give us an extra weapon off the bench.
“With Tomi, all my info is that he’s ready – if we have any pullouts we’ll replace them, but we have to name the squad now by FIFA rules.”
Mark Milligan misses out, to nurse a minor injury at his club Southend, as does Mustafa Armini, while Jamie Maclaren’s hamstring injury suffered for Melbourne City has ruled him out for several weeks.
Teenage sensation Al Hassan Toure will play for the Olyroos next week, with Arnold keen not to overwhelm the Adelaide United forward.
Goalkeeper Adam Federici returns to the squad at 34 after a two-year absence, highlighting again the dearth of promising young goalkeepers coming through the system.
“In the A-League we’ve got five Australian goalkeepers playing regularly,” Arnold said. “Something needs to be done.”
Though the Socceroos have won their first three games comfortably and scored 15 goals along the way, Jordan beat Arnold’s side at the Asian Cup – and have recorded victories over them twice in Amman in recent years.
“Overall I am delighted with the strength and balance of the squad that we have selected to play Jordan next week,” Arnold said.
“We will have three training sessions together before the match, and with competition for places for every starting position I expect I will have to make some tough decisions.”
Originally published as Tom Rogic and Martin Boyle back for Socceroos for crucial World Cup trip to Jordan