Jamie Maclaren will be out to make the most of his stunning World Cup reprieve
JAMIE Maclaren’s selection in the Socceroos’ World Cup squad marks a remarkable three-week turnaround after he was informed on May 12 that he would not be going to Russia.
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FIVE days ago he was sitting by a swimming pool in Dubai, his World Cup dreams apparently destroyed.
Now Jamie Maclaren has the chance to play on the biggest stage of all after earning a stunning late reprieve as part of Bert van Marwijk’s final squad for Russia.
The striker’s inclusion sits alongside those of Daniel Arzani, promising to be the youngest Australian to play at a World Cup, and veteran Tim Cahill who aims to create history of a different kind by scoring at his fourth.
A-League pair James Troisi and Josh Brillante, plus Nikita Rukavytsya and Fran Karacic, were the quartet to miss out when van Marwijk cut his initial squad of 27 to the maximum 23 allowed.
For Maclaren it marks a remarkable turnaround, after he was informed on May 12 that he would not be going to the World Cup.
His response was to score a hat-trick for his club Hibs, before starting a two-and-a-half week holiday in Dubai on May 23.
But injury concerns over Tomi Juric forced van Marwijk to summon Maclaren to the Socceroos’ camp in Turkey as back-up, and the latter was one of the 23 final names distributed to the team via text message on Saturday.
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The four left out were told in person by van Marwijk - for Brillante it was a particularly tough conversation, as he was similarly omitted at the last minute just before the last World Cup.
All four flew out of Antalya on Saturday night (Turkey) time, en route to their respective homes and/or holiday destinations.
Van Marwijk told the 23 remaining players over dinner on Saturday night that “tough decisions had to be made”, but that the final squad now had the chance to “make some memories” in Russia.
It means A-League bolters Arzani (Melbourne City) and Dimi Petratos (Newcastle Jets) are preferred as attacking reserves for Mathew Leckie, Robbie Kruse, Tom Rogic, Andrew Nabbout and Jackson Irvine.
Karacic, 22, was called up to contest the right-back positions, but van Marwijk opted for Josh Risdon, who booked his first XI spot against France with a stellar effort against Czech Republic, and Milos Degenek as back-up.
“I have been very pleased with the effort and application of all of the players during our time in Turkey, and in Austria,” van Marwijk said in a statement.
“Every step of the selection process has been difficult because the players have all given everything to make the final selection.”
Football Federation Australia will now submit their final 23-man list to FIFA, ahead of their World Cup games against France, Denmark and Peru, while the players themselves can focus on what is to come in Russia.
“Everyone’s been on their toes because genuinely none of us knew for certain if we’d be staying,” said defender Matthew Jurman.
“Once we found out, obviously we just felt a huge sigh of relief. It’s a massive occasion, for me personally it’s just a dream come true.
“Now we have the friendly with Hungary to prepare for on Saturday, and I’m sure it’ll be a big week of training leading up to that.”
SOCCEROOS’ FINAL 23-MAN SQUAD FOR 2018 WORLD CUP
GOALKEEPERS
Mat Ryan (Brighton and Hove Albion FC, England), Danny Vukovic (KRC Genk, Belgium), Brad Jones (Feyenoord, Holland)
DEFENDERS
Aziz Behich (Bursaspor, Turkey), Milos Degenek (Yokohama F. Marinos, Japan), Matthew Jurman (Suwon Bluewings, Korea), James Meredith (Millwall, England), Mark Milligan (Al Ahli, Saudi Arabia), Josh Risdon (Western Sydney), Trent Sainsbury (Grasshoppers Zurich, Switzerland)
MIDFIELDERS
Jackson Irvine (Hull, England), Mile Jedinak (Aston Villa, England), Massimo Luongo (Queens Park Rangers, England), Aaron Mooy (Huddersfield, England), Dimitri Petratos (Newcastle Jets), Tom Rogic (Celtic, Scotland)
ATTACKERS
Daniel Arzani (Melbourne City), Tim Cahill (Millwall, England), Tomi Juric (FC Luzern, Switzerland), Robbie Kruse (Bochum, Germany), Mathew Leckie (Hertha Berlin, Germany), Jamie Maclaren (Hibernian, Scotland), Andrew Nabbout (Urawa Red Diamonds, Japan)
KEY DATES
June 10 – Final friendly versus Hungary in Budapest (1.30am AEST)
June 11 – Arrive at their World Cup base in Kazan, Russia
June 16 – Opening World Cup game against France, Kazan (8pm AEST)
June 21 – Game 2 versus Denmark, Samara (10pm AEST)
June 27 – Game 3 versus Peru, Sochi (midnight AEST)
Originally published as Jamie Maclaren will be out to make the most of his stunning World Cup reprieve