Australia coach names youthful preliminary 30-player squad for World Cup
Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has named a youthful 30-man squad for the World Cup.
Five players survive from the 2006 party which excelled in Germany, with the rest made up of emerging prospects.
Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill, Josh Kennedy, Mark Milligan and Luke Wilshere all went eight years ago and all have a strong chance of doing so again.
Rising Fortuna Dussledorf striker Ben Halloran is one of two uncapped players in the group, alongside Bailey Wright of Preston.
"We're excited to announce the preliminary 30-man Socceroos squad for the World Cup," Postecoglou said. "We've selected a squad we believe will represent the people of Australia with pride on the biggest stage in world sport.
"The squad has been selected with form and fitness as key indicators as well as having one eye on the future.
"We face a formidable challenge in Brazil but it is also a big opportunity and we head to the World Cup with no barriers as we look to write a new chapter in our rich football history."
The squad will be trimmed to 27 after a friendly with South Africa on May 26, with the final 23-man party submitted on June 2.
Australia squad:
Mark Birighitti (Newcastle Jets), Eugene Galekovic (Adelaide United), Mitchell Langerak (Borussia Dortmund), Mat Ryan (Club Brugge), Jason Davidson (Heracles), Ivan Franjic (Brisbane), Curtis Good (Dundee United), Ryan McGowan (Shandong Luneng Taishan), Matthew Spiranovic (Western Sydney Wanderers), Alex Wilkinson (Jeonbuk Hyundai), Luke Wilkshire (Dynamo Moscow), Bailey Wright (Preston), Oliver Bozanic (FC Luzern), Mark Bresciano (Al Gharafa), Joshua Brillante (Newcastle Jets), James Holland (Austria Vienna), Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace), Massimo Luongo (Swindon), Matthew McKay (Brisbane Roar), Tommy Oar (FC Utrecht), Tommy Rogic (Melbourne Victory), Adam Sarota (FC Utrecht), James Troisi (Melbourne Victory), Dario Vidosic (FC Sion), Tim Cahill (New York Red Bulls), Ben Halloran (Fortuna Dusseldorf), Josh Kennedy (Nagoya Grampus 8), Matthew Leckie (Frankfurt), Adam Taggart (Newcastle Jets).
