Brisbane Roar youngster Tommy Oar is the big surprise packet in Pim Verbeek’s 23-man squad for the Socceroos upcoming Asian Cup qualifier against Kuwait, with the teenager included in the national set-up for the first time alongside 14 other Hyundai A-League players.
With many of Australia’s first-choice XI unavailable because the match doesn’t fall on an official FIFA match day, Verbeek has included only eight overseas-based players. However, Harry Kewell is not among them despite the fact the Turkish league will be in recess when the game is played.
Turkish-based players Mile Jedinak and Bruce Djite are in the squad along with German-based Dario Vidosic and Matthew Spiranovic, Plymouth Argyle’s Shane Lowry, Crystal Palace’s Nick Carle, FC Twente’s Nikita Rukavystya and Dynamo Moscow’s Luke Wlikshire.
The local contingent is headed by Socceroo regulars Craig Moore and Jason Culina, while Melbourne Victory’s Archie Thompson earns a recall and team-mate Matthew Kemp gets his first national call-up.
Brisbane has featured heavily in the squad with Oar and Moore joined by Matt McKay, while Sydney is represented by Alex Brosque and Simon Colosimo. Perth duo Jacob Burns and Mile Sterjovski are also in as well as Adelaide’s Scott Jamieson and Newcastle’s Matt Thompson.
Verbeek suggested Oar won-t necessarily be just a peripheral squad member for the crucial qualifier.
“If you are good enough, you are old enough is what they have said for a long time in football,” Verbeek said.
“There-s definitely a chance he can play (against Kuwait). Let-s say 50-50 because I have two players for that position.”
If he is deployed against Kuwait, Verbeek expects the 18-year-old to utilise the strengths that has made him such a difficult proposition in the A-League this season.
“He is a fantastic attacking player, he has skill, he is fast, he has a very good cross,” Verbeek said.
“He has guts to go against (defenders) one-on-one. It-s time for him to show us that he can do it when the bigger boys are there under a different game.”
“It will be interesting for him and even if he-s not playing, then it-s still a great experience for him.”
An ‘ecstatic’ Oar was still in shock when he spoke to reporters after the announcement, revealing he had yet to be briefed by Verbeek.
“He’s spoken to me indirectly through staff at the Roar, but I’ve never personally met him face to face … or talked on the phone,” Oar said.
“I wasn’t looking into the speculation too much, I was just concentrating on playing every week.”
“It hasn’t really sunk it yet, but I’m very excited.”
“To an extent (it is the realisation of a childhood dream), but the hard work is yet to be done.”
“I’ve gotten this far but I’ve got to try and go in there and make an impression first, that’s my next goal.”
Verbeek won’t bring any of his European-based goalkeepers back with Adelaide’s Eugene Galekovic and Central Coast’s Danny Vukovic to fight out the top spot with Perth’s Tando Velaphi, included in his first Socceroos squad, as back up.
