Neill and Cahill Ruled out of Australian Squad

August 27, 2009

Australian captain Lucas Neill and star midfielder Tim Cahill have been omitted from next week’s friendly against South Korea, while Harry Kewell is also in doubt.

Coach Pim Verbeek has named Kewell in a 24-man squad for the September 5 clash in Seoul, but says an ankle injury might keep him at bay.

Neill and Cahill were not named, with Neill concentrating on efforts to find a new club, while a foot injury has forced Cahill’s omission.

Cahill was the two-goal hero in the national team’s last match a fortnight ago, when the Socceroos downed Ireland 3-0 in Limerick.

The Everton midfielder was sidelined for six months by a similar foot injury last year, but Verbeek said the latest problem was unrelated and not nearly as serious.

“It’s a totally different injury, at this moment it’s much better to leave him in England because I have enough other players,” Verbeek said.

“He’s okay, but it’s better for those players to stay in England and prepare themselves for the long, long season to go.”

The coach was similarly non-plussed about Neill’s so-far fruitless efforts to find a new playing home.

Verbeek scoffed at suggestions the ex West Ham skipper is chasing the big money.

“He’s a transferring player of 31 years old, he’s just waiting for the right moment to sign with the right club for the right deal and I think there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said.

“What other people are thinking of his decision, they don’t know what he’s talking about, what are his motivations and I have no worries at all.”

He said Neill was omitted so he could be free to talk to prospective clubs and undergo medical testing.

Kewell’s fitness will also need testing, after he was injured representing his Turkish club Galatasaray last week.

“He got a very nasty kick on his ankle, I was with him on Friday when he had his medical, it didn’t look good,” Verbeek said.

The word on Kewell is he may possibly play with Galatasaray in a European League game on Thursday and Turkish league match on Sunday, but Verbeek was uncertain what that meant for the Socceroos.

“The staff were confident, Harry was confident, but let’s wait and see what the reaction is when he plays,” he said.

Meanwhile, Jason Culina and Shane Stefanutto have been brought in as the only representatives from the A-League, along with Japanese-based striker Josh Kennedy.

Verbeek said other A-League players were in contention, but he did not want to disrupt the domestic competition by removing players not guaranteed to start the game.

Vince Grella returns from injury, with Michael Beauchamp, Mark Milligan and Michael Petkovic the other inclusions.

Verbeek said Kennedy and Celtic striker Scott McDonald were likely to play a dual role.
SQUAD FOR MATCH AGAINST SOUTH KOREA IN SEOUL, 5TH SEPTEMBER 2009

Michael Beauchamp, Mark Bresciano, Nick Carle, David Carney, Ante Covic, Jason Culina, Vincenzo Grella, Brett Holman, Danny Invincibile, Mile Jedinak, Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell, Patrick Kisnorbo, Scott McDonald, Mark Milligan, Jade North, Michael Petkovic, Nikita Rukavytsya, Mark Schwarzer, Matthew Spiranovic, Shane Stefanutto, Dario Vidosic, Rhys Williams, Luke Wilshire
JD/AAP

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