Three big name Socceroos have been recalled by coach Ange Postecoglou for the side’s two upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers against Bangladesh and Tajikistan.
Tom Rogic, Massimo Luongo and Robbie Kruse will all return after stints on the sidelines.
Rogic has not featured for the Socceroos since the side’s 4-3 defeat to Ecuador in a friendly in March 2014, after an unrelenting groin injury kept him out of the 2014 World Cup and Australia’s triumphant Asian Cup effort earlier this year.
Robbie Kruse, on the other hand, has not featured for the national side since the triumph against South Korea in the Asian Cup final.
Postecoglou has welcomed the inclusion of his three star players. “It’s a positive that we’ve been able to recall Massimo, Robbie and Tom Rogic after they missed recent matches, and they add attacking options to the squad for the two matches in Perth and Dushanbe,” he said.
“All three have regained fitness and started the season in form so they come back in and give us plenty of options and good depth in an attacking sense.
“When you add them to the likes of Tim Cahill, Mat Leckie, Tomi Juric, Nathan Burns and Tommy Oar, the fans in Perth have a lot to get excited about.”
The Socceroos defeated Kyrgyzstan 2-1 in their first qualifier and will play Bangladesh at Perth Oval on September 3, and then face Tajikstan in that country’s capital Dushanbe on September 8.
Squad:
Aziz Behich, Nathan Burns, Tim Cahill, Alex Cisak, Jason Davidson, Tarek Elrich, Adam Federici, Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak (capt), Tomi Juric, Robbie Kruse, Mathew Leckie, Massimo Luongo, Ryan McGowan, Matt McKay, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tommy Oar, Tom Rogic, Mat Ryan, Matthew Spiranovic, Alex Wilkinson, Bailey Wright.