Australia coach Tony Popovic has unveiled the first eight members of what he terms a train-on squad heading to a pre-camp in Florida ahead of the World Cup. Speaking before departing for Sarasota, the Socceroos boss explained he wanted to give players returning from injury or those with limited club minutes an opportunity to push their claims for final squad selection.
Popovic noted the alternative would have been granting these players time off, but that would have left them behind given the narrow preparation window. The initial eight includes half a dozen players who recently wrapped up their A-League domestic campaigns, including Macarthur FC duo Mitch Duke and Anthony Caceres, Brisbane forward Nick D’Agostino, returning Mathew Leckie, Melbourne Victory forward Nishan Velupillay, and Western Sydney’s Brandon Borrello.
Key defender Harry Souttar, who has endured multiple injury setbacks over the past 18 months, also joins the USA camp, along with Portsmouth defender Hayden Matthews. Popovic expressed delight at seeing Souttar back in contention, praising his quality as a fantastic player and the importance of recent game time. Australia will announce their final 26-man squad on June 1, with the coach estimating he is roughly 75 to 80 percent certain about the final group, leaving room for players to impress during the camp.
