The Hyundai A-League might not be starting until October but it didn’t stop three players earning a call-up to Ange Postecoglou’s Caltex Socceroos squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
All three are based in Melbourne with a pair of midfielders from Victory selected while City’s Tim Cahill is also there.
Learn a bit more about the experienced trio from the Hyundai A-League who made the 30-man squad.
Mark Milligan
Milligan recently re-joined Melbourne Victory after two years playing in the UAE at Bani Yas.
The 32-year-old – who made his international debut in 2006 – has 59 caps to his name and remains one of the Caltex Socceroos most important players.
It’s not only his experience which is vital. Versatility is also a big strength of Milligan’s, with Postecoglou deploying him in central midfield, right-back and centre-back during his tenure.
Tim Cahill
He may only be a few months short of his 38th birthday but Cahill is still delivering in the green and gold.
While he hasn’t played a competitive match since earning his 100th-cap against Chile at the FIFA Confederations Cup, Ange knows that Cahill has a knack of delivering in big games.
And they don’t get much bigger than the two crucial qualifiers coming up.
Has been training hard in pre-season with Melbourne City and if there’s one player Japan will fear coming off the bench in Saitama, it’s ‘Super Timmy’.
James Troisi
Troisi committed his future to Melbourne Victory last month, signing a new two-year deal with Kevin Muscat’s side.
The classy playmaker has 32 caps for Australia and was one of the standout performers at the recent FIFA Confederations Cup, scoring in the draw against Chile.
The 29-year-old’s best moment in a Caltex Socceroos shirt came in the final of the AFC Asian Cup in 2015, when he scored the winning goal against Korea Republic.
