Huddersfield Town star Aaron Mooy is in the preliminary 32-man Australia squad for this summer’s World Cup.
The 27-year-old midfielder - who will get precious little rest once Town duties are over because of a 20-day training camp in Turkey – has caught the eye of Caltex Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk, who has named six new faces.
And Mooy and his colleagues are going to be very busy as soon as the Premier League season is over, with a number of European friendlies lined up for next month.
With all 26 players from the Caltex Socceroos squad that faced Norway and Colombia in March included, Van Marwijk has also found room for Hyundai A-League youngster Daniel Arzani after his impressive breakout season for Melbourne City.
Another first time call up is Fran Karacic, a 21-year-old right back who has been a regular starter for Lokomotiva Zagreb in the Croatian First Division.
Van Marwijk has also handed recalls to Jamie Maclaren, Mitchell Langerak, Alex Gersbach and Apostolos Giannou.
“I am not a person who changes all the time and we thought for a long time about the first squad that we selected,” said van Marwijk on his 32-man squad.
“I had a good experience with the 26 players in the ten days that I worked with them, so I had no reason not to nominate them again. But we have since seen other players so there will be a few new names in the squad.”
The squad will be whittled down to 26 next week before the team travels to Turkey for a 20-day training camp.
The squad is:
Goalkeepers: Brad Jones, Mathew Ryan, Mitchell Langerak, Danny Vukovic.
Defenders: Aziz Behyich, Milos Degenek, Alex Gersbach, Matt Jurman, Fran Karacic, James Meredith, Josh Risdon, Trent Sainsbury, Alek Susnjar, Bailey Wright.
Midfielders: Josh Brillante, Jackson Irvine, Mile Jedinak, Robbie Kruse, Massimo Luongo, Mark Milligan, Aaron Mooy, Tom Rogic, James Troisi.
Forwards: Dan Arzani, Tim Cahill, Apostolos Giannou, Tomi Juric, Mathew Leckie, Jamie Maclaren, Andrew Nabbout, Dimi Petratos, Nikita Rukavytsya.
The Socceroos will play pre-World Cup friendlies against Czech Republic and Hungary prior to travelling to Kazan in final preparations for the first Group Stage match against France.
Friendlies:
Australia v Czech Republic on Friday, June 1 in NV Arena, St. Polten, Austria.
Hungary v Australia on Saturday, June 9 in Groupama Arena, Budapest, Hungary (5.30pm).
At the World Cup Australia play France, Denmark and Peru in their Group.
