Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou has revealed his provisional 30-man squad for the upcoming World Cup finals in Brazil, giving Greek Australian James Troisi a ticket to Brazil.
The half Greek, half Italian Melbourne Victory player was named as one of six forwards in the squad.
Defender Bailey Wright and midfielder Josh Brillante among the shock inclusions, while crowd favourites, Tim Cahill and potential captain Mile Jedinak also made the squad.
Postecoglou has lived up to his promise of giving the younger generation of Socceroos a chance in the squad, naming the likes of Ben Halloran, Oliver Bozanic, Adam Taggart and Massimo Luongo alongside Wright and Brillante for his initial World Cup squad.
Postecoglou emphasised a changing of the guard in Australian football as he looks ahead to not only this World Cup, but next year’s Asian Cup in Australia as well.
“I think from the moment I took over, we have been pretty consistent in saying that we needed to change the direction of our national team and this wasn’t going to be an adjustment.” Postecoglou said at the squad announcement event in Sydney.
“It was a meaningful change and we needed to regenerate the team
“At the same time, understand this is a World Cup.
“If people had the form and the fitness, regardless of experience or age, they would be in the squad.”
Postecoglou’s teams are renowned for their attacking flair, and he said his Socceroos team has an obligation to continue this trend.
“I want fans to be excited to watch this team, it’s our responsibility to excite them,” he said.
“Hopefully (the players) have a similar fire in the belly to myself.”
The 30-man squad will convene for a week-long training camp in Gosford on Thursday, before Postecoglou trims it down to a final 23-man squad on June 2.
Australia’s farewell game before the tournament is against South Africa in Sydney on May 26, before the first World Cup fixture against Chile in Cuiaba on June 13.
Full squad:
Goalkeepers: Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United), Mitch Langerak (Borussia Dortmund), Mat Ryan (Club Brugge)
Defenders: Josh Brillante (Newcastle Jets), Jason Davison (Heracles Almelo), Ivan Franjic (Brisbane Roar), Curtis Good (Dundee United), Ryan McGowan (Shandong), Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Bailey Wright (Preston North End)
Midfielders: Oliver Bozanic (Luzern), Mark Bresciano (Al Gharafa), Ben Halloran (Fortuna Dusseldorf), James Holland (Austria Vienna), Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace), Massimo Luongo (Swindon Town), Matt McKay (Brisbane Roar), Mark Milligan (Melbourne Victory), Tommy Oar (Utrecht) , Tom Rogic (Melbourne Victory), Adam Sarota (Utrecht), Dario Vidosic (FC Sion)
Forwards: Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus), Mathew Leckie (FSV Frankfurt), Adam Taggart (Newcastle Jets), James Troisi (Melbourne Victory)
Source: ABC