Australia have received a major blow ahead of their crucial World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates, with key midfielder Tom Rogic retiring from Graham Arnold.
With just over a week to go before the Asian Socceroos playoffs in Doha, Rogic notified the Socceroos staff of his decision to retire, citing personal reasons.
Without one of his most creative attacking players, Arnold is left with a headache from the national team, but Football Australia said on Tuesday that the Socceroos would not call up any substitutes.
“My focus now has to be on the players we have here in Qatar,” Arnold said. “We have selected an expanded team of quality players and I think we will get something special for Australia over the next two weeks.”
Australia must win next Wednesday’s one-off match to keep their hopes of reaching a fifth consecutive World Cup at the end of the year alive. A final playoff of a long qualifying campaign against Peru awaits the winner next week.
Rogic has no club after announcing he will end his nine-year relationship with Celtic following the club’s victory in the Scottish Premiership under Ange Postecoglou.
Favoring Arnold’s midfield options is the return to the squad of Aaron Mooy, who has not played any competitive football matches this year but has a chance to prove his fitness in a friendly against Jordan on Wednesday (Thursday in the morning AEST).
Mooy has been one of the big names missing for the Socceroos, as his qualifying campaign derailed in the latest international windows, when consecutive defeats in Japan and Saudi Arabia shattered his hopes of automatic qualifying for the tournament. of Qatar.