Sydney (AFP) – Veteran Tim Cahill was included Tuesday in Australia’s squad for a double-header against Greece, one of 10 changes from the Socceroos line-up unveiled last week to play England.
The Australians face the Greeks on June 4 in Sydney and three days later in Melbourne.
The games follow a clash with Roy Hodgson’s England at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland on May 27, which falls outside the FIFA international window, meaning those playing in Asia were unavailable.
That included China-based striker Cahill and a host of others, many of whom return for the Greece matches with coach Ange Postecoglou able to consider all available players.
“The matches against Greece are about continuing to expose our players to a high level of international football,” said Postecoglou.
“The competition and intensity of these matches will definitely give us that and gives us the right preparation for the next round of World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup.”
Australia squad: Mark Birighiti (Newcastle Jets/AUS), Nathan Burns (FC Tokyo/JPN), Tim Cahill (Hangzhou Greentown/CHN), Adam Federici (Bournemouth/ENG), Jason Geria (Melbourne Victory/AUS), Alex Gersbach (Rosenborg BK/NOR), Apostolos Giannou (Guangzhou R&F/CHN), Chris Ikonomidis (Salernitana/ITA), Jackson Irvine (Ross County/SCO), Mile Jedinak (Crystal Palace/ENG), Robbie Kruse (Bayer Leverkusen/GER), Matthew Leckie (FC Ingolstadt/GER), James Maclaren (Brisbane Roar/AUS), Ryan McGowan (Henan Jianye/CHN), Mark Milligan (Baniyas/UAE), Aaron Mooy (Melbourne City/AUS), Josh Risdon (Perth Glory/AUS), Tom Rogic (Celtic/SCO), Mat Ryan (Valencia/ESP), Trent Sainsbury (Jiangsu Suning/CHN), Brad Smith (Liverpool/ENG), Matthew Spiranovic (Hangzhou Greentown/CHN), Bailey Wright (Preston North End/ENG)
