Australia's likely first XI anyone's guess
By DAN SILKSTONE
Sydney Morning Herald
It has become almost an article of faith: Pim Verbeek's Socceroos first XI to face Germany on June 13 will be - more or less - the same one that starred in Germany four years ago.
Don't bet on it. With plenty of Australia's first-choice selections battling back from injury or having not played much football, the question vexing the Socceroos' brains trust has become: how many underdone players can one team tolerate?
''People are making assumptions that almost the entire 11 that played the first match against Japan will start, except for Mark Viduka,'' goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer said. ''Who knows if that will be the case?''
Verbeek has been notable previously for his caution and for his loyalty to established players. They are associations that stand in some contrast to predecessor Guus Hiddink, who plucked the likes of Luke Wilkshire and Josh Kennedy from semi-obscurity and took several selection gambles during Australia's 2006 run.
Maybe, just maybe though, we are yet to see the real Verbeek. World Cup qualifiers are one thing. A smaller squad flies in just days before a match. The chances for experimentation are slim. You go with what you know.
This is different. The Australian coach has the greater part of a month - a week of it already passed - to see his fringe players in action. So far he has had little to do other than watch and assess the likes of Dario Vidosic, Michael Beauchamp, Mile Jedinak and Nikita Rukavytsya.
The established favourites - Tim Cahill (who did not start in 2006 against Japan but came off the bench to score) and Harry Kewell, Brett Emerton and Kennedy (also a bench player in Germany) - have been busy on the physiotherapist's table or running laps away from the main group. Others, such as Craig Moore, Vince Grella and Mark Bresciano, have trained and played but are underdone and desperately searching for form and fitness.
New players, then, have had their chance to shine. Some have taken it. The axing of Scott McDonald in favour of Vidosic and Rukavytsya indicates Verbeek has the capacity to duck the group think and pull a surprise or two. He is said to be in a decisive frame of mind.
''He will look at some players cold-bloodedly,'' one source said yesterday. ''He is only interested in who is best placed to do the job.''
While some of Australia's convalescing heroes remain untouchables (think Kewell, Emerton and Schwarzer), others may feel that status waning.
Bresciano and Grella remain favourites to take the field against Germany on June 13 but the old friends have a lot of work to do.
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Mile Jedinak and Carl Valeri jousted for a spot against New Zealand but Verbeek has plenty of players who can act as midfield stopper. They may not have Grella's mad-dog intensity but some have superior fitness, touch and passing range.
Moore - a Verbeek favourite - is clubless also and another who needs to rediscover form and match nick. Schwarzer is considered unlikely to play in the weekend's friendly against Denmark - his sprained thumb still covered by a splint and Verbeek determined to protect a player among his most important. Schwarzer was yesterday linked to a shock move to Arsenal
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/sport/football/3744648/Australias-likely-first-XI-anyones-guess