Caltex Socceroos Head Coach Graham Arnold today named an initial 25-player squad for next week’s training camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as well as his first international friendly match back in charge of Australia against Kuwait on Monday, 15 October 2018 (local time).
Arnold’s squad selections for October’s FIFA window includes 21-players that featured in the Caltex Socceroos’ recent training camp in Turkey, and also marks the returns of attacking weapons Mathew Leckie and Tom Rogic to the squad for the first time since the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
The squad that will convene in the Middle East from Monday features four players yet to make their senior international debuts – youngsters Thomas Deng (21), Denis Genreau (19), and Awer Mabil (23) – as well as 25-year-old attacker Martin Boyle. While Deng, Genreau, and Mabil will each be aiming to achieve maiden match minutes for the Socceroos in Kuwait City, Boyle will travel will the squad for the UAE leg of the camp only.
Boyle – who is a teammate of Socceroos Mark Milligan and Jamie Maclaren at Hibernian FC in Scotland – is yet to receive clearance to play for the green and gold, however he has expressed his desire to pursue international football with Australia, the nation of his father’s birth. Football Federation Australia (FFA) is assisting Boyle with his eligibility requirements and believes he will soon be cleared to represent the Socceroos.
Emerging young talents Alex Gersbach (21) and Daniel Arzani (19), who share nine caps between them, have also been included in Arnold’s squad.
“We believe we have selected a well-balanced squad to travel to the UAE and on to Kuwait City for our October camp,” Arnold said. “This group will have the opportunity to build upon the standards and principles of play that we established in Antalya, and crucially have the chance to implement the new style that we are working towards in an international match situation when we play Kuwait.”
“While some players have missed out on this camp, they, along with many other players globally, remain firmly on our radar as we work towards selecting the best possible squad to help us excel at next year’s AFC Asian Cup,” he said.
The Caltex Socceroos’ international friendly against Kuwait will take place at the 18,500-capacity Al Kuwait Sports Club Stadium in Kuwait City on Monday, 15 October 2018 (local time). The match venue and kick-off time of 7.30pm (3.30am AEDT – Tuesday, 16 October 2018) was recently agreed by the Kuwait Football Association and FFA.
Australia and Kuwait have played 11 matches at senior men’s international level in the past, with the first meeting between the two nations coming in Sydney in 1977, and the most recent being played in Melbourne during the opening match of the AFC Asian Cup in 2015, where Australia won 4-1.
Following the October FIFA window, the Caltex Socceroos will return to Australia in November. On Saturday, 17 November 2018 the Socceroos will play Korea Republic at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, before meeting Lebanon on Tuesday, 20 November 2018 at ANZ Stadium at Sydney Olympic Park.
All three of the Caltex Socceroos’ upcoming international friendlies will be broadcast LIVE in Australia on FOX SPORTS and Network TEN.
Caltex Socceroos Squad – United Arab Emirates/Kuwait – October 2018
|
Name |
Club, Country |
A-International Caps (Goals) |
|
Mustafa AMINI |
AGF Aarhus, Denmark |
2 (0) |
|
Daniel ARZANI |
Celtic FC, Scotland |
5 (1) |
|
Aziz BEHICH |
PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands |
26 (2) |
|
*Martin BOYLE |
Hibernian FC, Scotland |
0 (0) |
|
Milos DEGENEK |
Red Star Belgrade, Serbia |
18 (0) |
|
Thomas DENG |
Melbourne Victory, Australia |
0 (0) |
|
Denis GENREAU |
PEC Zwolle, Netherlands |
0 (0) |
|
Alex GERSBACH |
Rosenborg BK, Norway |
4 (0) |
|
Apostolos GIANNOU |
AEK Larnaca, Cyprus |
5 (0) |
|
Jackson IRVINE |
Hull City AFC, England |
22 (2) |
|
Brad JONES (Gk) |
Al-Nasr Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
6 (0) |
|
Tomi JURIC |
FC Luzern, Switzerland |
38 (8) |
|
Matthew JURMAN |
Al-Ittihad Jeddah, Saudi Arabia |
4 (0) |
|
Robbie KRUSE |
VfL Bochum, Germany |
67 (5) |
|
Mitchell LANGERAK (Gk) |
Nagoya Grampus, Japan |
8 (0) |
|
Mathew LECKIE |
Hertha BSC, Germany |
56 (8) |
|
Massimo LUONGO |
Queens Park Rangers FC, England |
36 (5) |
|
Awer MABIL |
FC Midtjylland, Denmark |
0 (0) |
|
Mark MILLIGAN |
Hibernian FC, Scotland |
71 (6) |
|
Aaron MOOY |
Huddersfield Town AFC, England |
37 (5) |
|
Josh RISDON |
Western Sydney Wanderers FC, Australia |
11 (0) |
|
Tom ROGIC |
Celtic FC, Scotland |
40 (7) |
|
Mathew RYAN (Gk) |
Brighton & Hove Albion FC, England |
47 (0) |
|
Trent SAINSBURY |
PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands |
38 (3) |
|
Daniel VUKOVIC (Gk) |
KRC Genk, Belgium |
1 (0) |
