That's totally correct. There is actually no difference between the 6 cut today and the 3 that will get cut during the camp. Injury replacements for the final 23 can come from any of those 9 who don't make the squad. 

Both JMac and Wright very stiff to miss out - you wouldn't complain if there were genuinely better options than them in the squad, but it just deflates blokes who have done the right thing and played good football at a reasonable level (SPFL for JMac, Championship for Wright). I sincerely hope it spurs these blokes on to bigger and better things.

Fmd. What bullshit. FUFFA.

Agree with Bozza RE: just name the fucking 23 man squad, none of this gradual drop down of squads.

Completely stupid way of doing things.

-PB

if we were a top nation this would happen.. very often guys retire pretty early 32/33 as they want to help progress the national team.. my guess is FFA think they will get more viewers if Cahill is there... for Maclaren to miss out is very dissapointing some guys start their careers off the back of a good world cup.. it was exactly what he needed to progress his career.. I just cant understand Ruka being there.

I can understand why Ruka is there, he is absolutely rapid and we'd have no one to bring on from the bench with any pace at all apart from him.

The reason for picking Cahill is simple.  With 10 to go and needing a goal and sitting on the bench is Kruse or Cahill you'd throw Cahill on every single time.

None of this is Cahill's fault.  The shame of it all is we have no one  else.

Scott McDonald and him are probably players of a similar mould.  Scottie never quite fitted.  Round peg, square hole syndrome I think.

Maybe it's just the same way that van Marwijk wants the forward line structured.

That's all I can think of.

Main sponsor uses only recognisable player who happens to have a name similar to the business....fuck you FFA.

Should have been a Cajuricex sign. Maybe grab some petrol and a luongo black coffee?

Feel bad for McLaren but it's not Cahill I would be dropping from the squad to squeeze him in.

We can't start playing an entire new system based off a small poacher 2 months from the world cup so it does make sense in that regard. 

Also, I heard this morning Paul Wade thinks Brillante must start at the cup so opinions are a funny thing

Squad selection reeks of Pim Verbeek.

I expect all those calling for Irvine to start up front will get their wish. It'll be richard garcia all over again

So, I'm not sure if I'm reading this press release correctly, but it appears the 'Cahilltex' branding is part of a personal sponsorship between Cahill and Caltex? - source

Cahill has the run on the board even if I don't agree. McLaren should be there instead of troisi. I think ruka should be as he's been in good form too. I hoped Gerlach would make it as I think he deserves it. 

That's not how I read it

Doubt Gallop would be there if that was the case either

The reality is this team is devoid of a star other than Cahill’s reputation who can pull in the sponsorship revenue.

FFA need the Caltex $ and Caltex need Cahill. Simple transaction.

No worries - the line that confused me was this:

'The special tribute to Cahill also marks the celebrated footballer’s new partnership with the proudly-Australian fuel supplier.'

Tom Rogic also has a big picture on some caltex pumps. Saw it on his insta

Aight, I'm the first to jump on anything to take a dig at Cahill, but are people seriously up in arms about some marketing? :lol:

Yes but we aren't a top nation, and many nations in a similar position to us play their "golden" boy as long as possible. He has shown he can step up to the level so many times you'd be crazy not to take him if you were a new coach to the national side with a major tournament on the horizon. Many other countries that have had similar chances of winning the World Cup previously have taken players maybe past their prime for one final fling in a World Cup ... hoping that they can rediscover some of that old magic (it may only take one touch from them to make the decision worth it).

Le'ts also not forget he was our top goal scorer in qualification (how many starts did he have), with Jedinak the next best (with most of his from the spot). Who scored the two goals against Syria to send us through to the final phase of qualification??

Yeah,   "also",
Maybe 2 deals

What do you reckon his Caltex themed Goal Celebration will be ?
 

Yea  I think if Maclaren hadn't have scored a hat trick over the weekend we might not all be clamouring as much for his inclusion .

Think about the way BvM is likely to set us up to play - we will almost certainly play with only one striker, and we'll likely be playing on the counter where you need a striker who can either hold the ball up extremely well (Juric, much better than Maclaren at this), or a super fast striker who can latch on to through balls (Ruka, much quicker than Maclaren and can finish). Maclaren operates most effectively in and around the 18 yard box, with other players creating space around him that allows him to lose his man in the box. Realistically we will very rarely have these attacking opportunities, we will be primarily feeding the lone striker operating 5-10 yards inside their half, and either wanting the striker to hold the ball up for attacking support, or to use pace to run onto through balls. In both of these scenarios Juric and Ruka are significantly better options than JMac.

I feel people's opinions of Ruka are somewhat soured by him featuring for the Roos on the wing recently - IMO he's wasted on the wing, because his delivery from wide areas is usually not great. Play him centrally and let him use his pace to get in behind, and the boy can finish too. 9 goals from 20 starts this season.

I do feel for JMac, he's made the effort to get to Scotland and he's done reasonably well, albeit in a short period of time. But I think he just does not fit into the system BvM will play as well as Juric and Ruka (playing as a striker).

IMO Cahill should've stepped down after the qualifiers and JMac could've had his spot - take Cahill as an assistant or something, he offered nothing for Milwall and I doubt he'll offer much at a significantly higher level at the WC. The man's ego is a sight to behold #legacy

Surprised Susnjar was dropped.

Based on the Caltex stuff politics and self-interest still reigns in Australian football it seems based on the Cahill selection and MacLaren omission. 

Also not selecting Bailey Wright is also sdaft given hes playing in the championship.

Sometimes i wonder why we dont just pick the best team available, no more cutting corners.

What do you reckon his Caltex themed Goal Celebration will be ?

Get the Caltex Pentagram going I reckon

Unfortetly Cahill is there due to his repuation of getting us a goal in the dying stages of the game, although i think MacLaren should have made it also as i think we could afford to have another striker. 

But Bert knows what he wants.

Even Better

us. troisi is in the squad.

these are all good points. jmac is not the type of player to be left alone in the oppositions half.

i thought sunsjar looked good to go.

its a rare player that can score from open play at world cup level

I think we have cahill (5)
kewell (1)
aloisi (1)
holman (1)

and thats it. I suppose based on that you would keep playing cahill and he probably gets at least 1 start