Striker Bernie Ibini was the only uncapped player named in a 23-man Australia squad Thursday for next month’s internationals against UAE and Qatar as preparations for the 2015 Asian Cup.
The Nigerian-born Ibini, 22, is one of just four A-League players in the squad with the national competition kicking off the same time as the matches in Abu Dhabi (October 11) and Doha (October 15).
The Socceroos line-up includes 14 members of the squad from this year’s World Cup in Brazil.
Coach Ange Postecoglou said the composition was a balancing act between the local competition and the needs of the national team.
“We were mindful that the matches coincide with the first weekend of the A-League and we tried to not be too disruptive,” he said.
“But ultimately this is our national team and everyone agrees this is the highest honour in the game and we will always pick players deserving of that honour.”
Postecoglou said he wanted to give players an opportunity at international level to create more depth ahead of the Asian Cup in Australia in January.
“These two games give us a few more players to throw into the mix with an experienced core group of players to see how they cope with the training intensity and the demands of international football before we start monitoring them all leading into the Japan match,” he said.
The Socceroos face Japan in Osaka on November 18.
Australia – Aziz Behich (Bursaspor/TUR), Mark Bresciano (Al Gharafa/QAT), Josh Brillante (Fiorentina/ITA), Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls/USA), Jason Davidson (West Bromwich Albion/ENG), Adam Federici (Reading/ENG), Ivan Franjic (Moscow Torpedo/RUS), Chris Herd (Bolton Wanderers/ENG), James Holland (Austria Vienna/AUT), Bernie Ibini-Isei (Sydney FC/AUS), Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace/ENG), Tomi Juric (Western Sydney Wanderers/AUS), Mitch Langerak (Borussia Dortmund/GER), Mathew Leckie (Ingolstadt/GER), Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town/ENG), Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory/AUS), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht/NED), Mat Ryan (Club Brugge/BEL), Trent Sainsbury (PEC Zwolle/NED), Brad Smith (Swindon Town/ENG), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Western Sydney Wanderers/AUS), James Troisi (Zulte Waregem/BEL), Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk Hyundai/KOR)