Asian Cup: Socceroos injury crisis deepens

The Socceroos’ Asian Cup injury crisis has plunged to new depths, with Andrew Nabbout likely to be ruled out.

Socceroos Andrew Nabbout is likely to be ruled out for the rest of the Asian Cup

The Socceroos’ Asian Cup injury crisis has plunged to new depths, with Andrew Nabbout likely to be ruled out of the tournament.

Nabbout re-injured his groin at training on Monday afternoon, ahead of Australia’s final group clash against Syria early this morning.

It comes as a massive blow for the Urawa Red Diamonds forward, who first sustained a strain the day before the team’s opening loss to Jordan but was set to return and play some part in the decisive Syria match.

Nabbout has been back in full training in recent days, and coach Graham Arnold declared him fit as recently as his pre-match press conference 15 minutes before the session when it occurred.

It also compounds Arnold’s injury crisis, which has already claimed key personnel in Daniel Arzani, Aaron Mooy and Martin Boyle, with Mat Leckie back training but still yet to play any part in Australia’s Cup defence.

Josh Risdon also remains sidelined with a groin issue and played no part in the Syria game, while Tom Rogic has been playing through a broken hand on top of an ongoing knee issue.

Nabbout, who led the Socceroos’ line at the World Cup and was first choice to do so again in the United Arab Emirates, is a perfect fit for Arnold’s interchangeable front three as a winger-cum-striker with pace to burn.

The setback is especially disheartening for the 26-year-old, who dislocated his shoulder in Russia and pushed himself to complete double the prescribed rehab in order to recover in time for the Asian Cup.

“Initially I was told six months but because I had this Cup to look forward to, it kind of drives you to do it double time,” Nabbout said in camp earlier this month.

“I did rehab three times a day to get ready for this. I was on the pitch twice a day to do fitness work to try and get back, and I came back in three months which was a big bonus for me.

“It was really good to get game time before the Asian Cup because I knew I wouldn’t be here hadn’t I had game time.”

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that the alternatives have already stepped up. Both Jamie Maclaren and Boyle’s 11th-hour replacement Apostolos Giannou scored in Friday’s comfortable 3-0 win over Palestine.

Ahead of this morning’s match, a key member of the Syrian team lashed out at sacked coach Bernd Stange. Defender Ahmad Al-Saleh said Syria’s stuttering start to the tournament was “100 per cent” the fault of the ex-Perth Glory boss.

Stange was sacked by the Syrian FA following last week’s 2-0 loss to Jordan. He was replaced by former coach Fajr Ibrahim.

“Of course 100 per cent I would blame the previous head coach who did not have the right plan for us,” Al-Saleh said.

Ibrahim has coached Syria on three previous occasions and is familiar with several of the team’s top names.

Al-Saleh said he brings a level of understanding Stange never had with the playing group.

“As soon as Fajr arrived at the hotel we knew his tactics and his plans,” Al- Saleh said. “We all like him and our desire previously was to have him as our head coach.”