Football Federation Australia has named the 23-man squad that will represent Australia at the AFC Asian Cup 2007. "Australia was united as never before in their support of the Qantas Socceroos at the World Cup last year and the AFC Asian Cup will provide another opportunity for the country to get behind their national football team at a major event on the world stage," said FFA CEO Ben Buckley. "It's an honour for us to be playing in such an historic event and we will continue to give the team all the support they need to achieve success."
National Coach Graham Arnold said selecting the final 23 players had been a difficult task. "I have worked closely with the players and their clubs to manage the difficult balance between full time jobs in the clubs, for whom July is an exceptionally important time, and the players absolute desire and commitment to play for Australia in a tournament where although their is no financial reward as there was at the World Cup, their is the real possibility of some silverware. Since I was given the opportunity to coach the Qantas Socceroos I have worked hard to build depth with a view to the Asian Cup and also the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. This squad is reflective of the need to continue to build depth but we also want to win the tournament. We want to be the pride of Asia," he said.
The squad will assemble in Singapore on 21 June and play Singapore on 30 June. Australia will play in the Asian Cup's Group A in Bangkok along with Oman, Iraq and co-hosts Thailand.
Socceroos squad: Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, England), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, England), Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor, Turkey); Defenders: Lucas Neill (West Ham, England), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers, England), Michael Beauchamp (Nuremberg, Germany), Michael Thwaite (Wisla Krakow, Poland), Mark Milligan (Sydney FC, Australia), Patrick Kisnorbo (Leicester City, England); Midfielders: Mark Bresciano (Palermo, Italy), Harry Kewell (Liverpool, England), Tim Cahill (Everton, England),Vince Grella (Parma, Italy), Mile Sterjovski (Basel, Switzerland), Luke Wilkshire (Twente, Holland), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven, Holland), Carl Valeri (US Grosseto, Italy), Nick Carle (Newcastle Jets, Australia), David Carney (Sydney FC, Australia); Forwards: Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough, England),John Aloisi (Alaves, Spain), Archie Thompson (Melbourne Victory, Australia), Brett Holman (NEC Nijmegen, Holland).
National Coach Graham Arnold said selecting the final 23 players had been a difficult task. "I have worked closely with the players and their clubs to manage the difficult balance between full time jobs in the clubs, for whom July is an exceptionally important time, and the players absolute desire and commitment to play for Australia in a tournament where although their is no financial reward as there was at the World Cup, their is the real possibility of some silverware. Since I was given the opportunity to coach the Qantas Socceroos I have worked hard to build depth with a view to the Asian Cup and also the 2010 World Cup qualifiers. This squad is reflective of the need to continue to build depth but we also want to win the tournament. We want to be the pride of Asia," he said.
The squad will assemble in Singapore on 21 June and play Singapore on 30 June. Australia will play in the Asian Cup's Group A in Bangkok along with Oman, Iraq and co-hosts Thailand.
Socceroos squad: Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer (Middlesbrough, England), Brad Jones (Middlesbrough, England), Michael Petkovic (Sivasspor, Turkey); Defenders: Lucas Neill (West Ham, England), Brett Emerton (Blackburn Rovers, England), Michael Beauchamp (Nuremberg, Germany), Michael Thwaite (Wisla Krakow, Poland), Mark Milligan (Sydney FC, Australia), Patrick Kisnorbo (Leicester City, England); Midfielders: Mark Bresciano (Palermo, Italy), Harry Kewell (Liverpool, England), Tim Cahill (Everton, England),Vince Grella (Parma, Italy), Mile Sterjovski (Basel, Switzerland), Luke Wilkshire (Twente, Holland), Jason Culina (PSV Eindhoven, Holland), Carl Valeri (US Grosseto, Italy), Nick Carle (Newcastle Jets, Australia), David Carney (Sydney FC, Australia); Forwards: Mark Viduka (Middlesbrough, England),John Aloisi (Alaves, Spain), Archie Thompson (Melbourne Victory, Australia), Brett Holman (NEC Nijmegen, Holland).