Injury may rob Socceroo Lewis Miller the chance of gaining redemption for his Asian Cup nightmare

Lewis Miller is in doubt for the Socceroos’ World Cup qualifiers against Lebanon, while A-League star Josh Nisbet is an unlucky omission from the squad.

Lewis Miller (left) is shattered after the Socceroos’ Asian Cup quarter-final loss to South Korea. Pictured: Hector Retamal / AFP

Socceroos defender Lewis Miller has learnt from his Asian Cup nightmare, but may not get the chance to make amends against Lebanon next week after injuring his hamstring playing for his Scottish club side Hibernian.

Miller, who was subjected to a barrage of online abuse after making two game-defining mistakes in Australia’s 2-1 Asian Cup quarter-final loss to South Korea, has been named in a 25-man Socceroos squad for AFC second-round FIFA World Cup qualifiers against the Cedars in Sydney next Thursday and Canberra on March 26.

However, the 23-year-old former Central Coast right-back is now in doubt to travel to Australia after being forced off injured in the first half of Hibs’ 2-2 draw with Ross County on Thursday morning (AEDT).

“Lewis called me straight from the dressing room,” Socceroos coach Graham Arnold said.

“He said that it’s too early to rule him out. He’s going to have scans (on the hamstring) and get checked on, and then we’ll deal with that in the next couple of days.”

Arnold said Miller had bounced back well for his club since his Asian Cup torment.

“I’ve been through plenty of moments and these type of things in my career. Those type of players learn from those mistakes, and no doubt Lewis will and has,” he said.

“I’ve been watching him and Hibs, and it looks like the way he’s defending, he’s learnt a big lesson in that moment in time.

“What’s important is that the kid keeps going and working hard and keeps believing in himself.”

Harry Souttar (left) consoles a devastated Lewis Miller after the Socceroos’ Asian Cup quarter-final loss to South Korea. Picture: Hector Retamal / AFP

From the Socceroos’ Asian Cup contingent, missing from this squad are injured quartet Martin Boyle (concussion), Aziz Behich (ankle), Marco Tilio (hamstring) and Aiden O’Neill (ankle), although O’Neill was ineligible for selection after being suspended for two international games after being sent off in Australia’s loss to South Korea.

Also not selected from the Asian Cup squad is back-up goalkeeper Lawrence Thomas, with Middlesbrough’s Tom Glover preferred.

Joining Glover in being recalled to the squad are playmaker Ajdin Hrustic and attackers Adam Taggart and Brandon Borrello.

Arnold said uncapped Hearts midfielder Calem Nieuwenhof would have been in the squad if not for a hamstring injury, while there was no room for in-form Central Coast star Josh Nisbet.

“The kid’s doing fantastic,” Arnold said of the Mariners midfielder.

“It’s just at the moment with World Cup qualifiers, (I’m) bringing boys in that more or less know what needs to happen, and what we do, because we get one training session (with the whole squad together before the first game) pretty much by the time the boys come in (from overseas.

“(It’s) just (about) having boys that know exactly what we’ve got to do to win these two games.”

Also not selected was Italy-based defender Alessandro Cercati, with Arnold also admitting the Parma centre-back was also at long odds to be available for the Olyroos’ Olympic Games qualifiers – which double as the Under-23 Asian Cup – in April when clubs are under no obligation to release players as it’s not a FIFA window

“That’s one thing that a lot of people need to understand, the pressure that kids get put under from their clubs overseas,” Arnold said.

“It’s just at the moment the timing’s probably not right … especially with Alessandro. (He’s) going for promotion with Parma to get up to the Serie A (Italian first division).

“(Olyroos coach) Tony Vidmar at the moment is getting quite a number of overseas-based clubs refusing to release players in April, so I think it’ll be predominantly (be) the A-League boys and (players based in) Asia.”

Socceroos squad: Nathaniel Atkinson, Keanu Baccus, Brandon Borrello, Jordy Bos, Cameron Burgess. Thomas Deng, Mitchell Duke, Bruno Fornaroli, Joe Gauci, Thomas Glover, Craig Goodwin, Ajdin Hrustic, John Iredale, Jackson Irvine, Gethin Jones, Riley McGree, Connor Metcalfe, Lewis Miller, Kye Rowles, Mathew Ryan, Sam Silvera, Harry Souttar, Adam Taggart, Patrick Yazbek, Kusini Yengi.