WC2010 - Verbeek turn to youth

Australia coach Pim Verbeek has turned to youth with some surprise inclusions as he announced his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad in Sydney.

Youngsters James Holland, Nikita Rukavytsya, Shane Lowry, Tommy Oar and Dario Vidosic will join a near-full strength complement of established Socceroos stars at a Melbourne training base ahead of Australia's first pre-World Cup friendly against New Zealand on May 24.

There was no room for Mile Sterjovski, who played under Guus Hiddink in Germany and featured in many of Australia's qualifiers, and Sterjovski's Perth Glory team-mates Chris Coyne and Jacob Burns also missed out. Another A-League star expected to at least participate in the preliminary squad was Simon Colosimo, but his World Cup dream is over.

Brad Jones pipped Eugune Galekovic to the third goalkeeper slot behind Mark Schwarzer and Adam Federici, although Galekovic has been called into the training camp as a 31st player in case of injury to any of the other three 'keepers. Australia's most fiercely debated selection battle, that over the claims of attacking midfielders Nick Carle and Brett Holman, will rage on as both players were selected. They will compete for what will likely be one spot available on the plane to South Africa.

Aside from injured Leeds defender Patrick Kisnorbo and some potential fringe players, Verbeek's selection wasn't hampered by injury as first XI stars Harry Kewell and Mark Bresciano were included despite clouds over their ongoing fitness. The squad will be trimmed to 23 on June 1, but Verbeek said he would take three or four back up players to South Africa in case of injuries.

The squad

Michael Beauchamp, Mark Bresciano, Tim Cahill, Nick Carle, David Carney, Scott Chipperfield, Jason Culina, Brett Emerton, Adam Federici, Richard Garcia, Vince Grella, James Holland, Brett Holman, Mile Jedinak, Brad Jones, Josh Kennedy, Harry Kewell, Shane Lowry, Scott McDonald, Mark Milligan, Craig Moore, Lucas Neill, Jade North, Tommy Oar, Nikita Rukavytsya, Mark Schwarzer, Carl Valeri, Dario Vidosic, Luke Wilkshire, Rhys Williams