Wanderers’ Ante Covic hits out at Ange Postecoglou for overlooking him in Socceroos’ Asian Cup squad

ANTE Covic hits out at his omission from Ange Postecoglou’s squad for the Asian Cup, claiming selections had been made on age rather than form.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - DECEMBER 03: Ante Covic of the Wanderers reacts after a penalty kick was awarded to the Roar during the round four A-League match between the Western Sydney Wanderers and Brisbane Roar at Pirtek Stadium on December 3, 2014 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)

WESTERN Sydney goalkeeper Ante Covic has hit out at his omission from Ange Postecoglou’s extended squad for the Asian Cup, declaring selections had not been made on form but purely on age.

The veteran custodian, whose last cap came against Singapore in 2008, said Postecoglou - who also released Covic from Melbourne Victory in 2012 - had never called him “and that speaks louder than anything else”.

Postecoglou’s 46-man Asian Cup squad featured five goalkeepers, but only Eugene Galekovic from the A-League. Covic has been in excellent form for Western Sydney in their run through the Champions League, culminating in a trophy-winning performance in the final.

Ante Covic of the Wanderers has criticised Ange Postecoglou for his Socceroos snub.

“To be honest, I think with me that form didn’t really have a part to play in whether I got selected for the Socceroos or not,” Covic said in Rabat ahead of the Club World Cup. “It’s something I’ve never even received a phone call about. I know my form is good enough to be in there but we’ve got a coach that clearly has a different view.

“There’s not much I can do about it. It doesn’t change the fact that I go out for the Wanderers every game and want to put those performances on the field every single week. Obviously it would be nice to play again for the Socceroos and I think every player would say the same thing.

“Who wouldn’t put their hand up for a Socceroos gig? But to be realistic, I’ve never received a phone call – and that speaks louder than anything else. They’ve got five keepers in there [the extended Asian Cup squad] and two of them haven’t even been playing. Make of that what you will. Supposedly, it’s meant to be on form, but that’s a bit of a spanner in the works, isn’t it?”

Asked if he felt Postecoglou had excluded him on the grounds of his age, the 39-year-old said “without question” that was the case, something he termed “the easy way out”.

“I think he [Postecoglou] has mentioned it once, this whole four-year-plan about looking ahead and everything. I suppose it’s the easy way out. But it doesn’t change my focus as a football player. I’ve never played football with those kinds of visions ahead of me.

“I want to play because I want to be part of the Socceroos, I want to play to win, because I enjoy it, and because I play with the lads I enjoy playing with each and every week. I get motivated by that. I want to win things for myself and the team that I’m with.

“Whatever accolades get thrown upon me after that, fantastic. But first and foremost, so long as I’m playing at the highest level and enjoying myself and I’m as motivated as I always am, that’s all I’m concerned about.”

Originally published as Wanderers’ Ante Covic hits out at Ange Postecoglou for overlooking him in Socceroos’ Asian Cup squad