Australia trims squad to 28 for FIFA World Cup
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Australian Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has trimmed his squad from the original 31 to 28 for FIFA World Cup Tuesday afternoon. The squad will departure for South Africa on Wednesday morning.
Verbeek cut striker Scott McDonald, midfielder Nick Carle and defender Jade North from the provisional 28-man World Cup squad he will take to a training camp in South Africa.
The 28-player squad is one more than originally flagged 27-player squad after convincing Football Federation Australia to let him take four goalkeepers to the camp.
Youngsters Tommy Oar and James Holland are also part of the squad, but Verbeek said they were effectively going for the experience and were unlikely to be part of the final 23-man World Cup squad he names on June 1.
Verbeek said the players from this squad who did not make the final 23 would be kept on in South Africa for the duration of the tournament.
The Socceroos will depart Melbourne on Wednesday for a pre-World Cup training camp in Johannesburg.
They play friendlies against Denmark on June 1 and the United States on June 5 in Roodepoort ahead of their opening World Cup group match against Germany in Durban on June 14.
Australian Socceroos newly trimmed Squad includes Goalkeepers: Mark Schwarzer, Adam Federici, Brad Jones, Eugene Galekovic.
Defenders: Scott Chipperfield, David Carney, Lucas Neill, Michael Beauchamp, Shane Lowry, Craig Moore, Mark Milligan, Rhys Williams, Luke Wilkshire.
Midfielders: Vince Grella, Carl Valeri, Jason Culina, Mile Jedinak, Tim Cahill, Brett Holman, Dario Vidosic, Mark Bresciano, Brett Emerton, Richard Garcia, James Holland, Tommy Oar.
