Maclaren looks set to miss selection

JAMIE Maclaren’s gamble to leave the A-League a year out from the World Cup to cement a World Cup spot seems to have failed, with the former Brisbane Roar striker set to miss out on Australia’s squad for Russia 2018.

A reduced Socceroos squad of 26 that will go to a pre-World Cup training camp in Turkey will be announced today, with McLaren expected to be among the six players last week named in a preliminary 32-man squad to be chopped.

That’s despite his good run of form for Hibernian in the Scottish Premier League since his loan move from German second-division club Darmstadt.

In 15 appearances for Hibs, Maclaren scored eight goals, including a hat-trick in his side’s thrilling 5-5 weekend draw with Rangers.

But his goals have not been enough to convince Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk to take him to Russia for the World Cup starting next month.

Former Socceroos attacker Robbie Slater told Fox Sports that Maclaren had missed out on the 26-man squad, which will be reduced further after the Turkey camp.

“I’ve got on good information that Jamie Maclaren has been cut and will not be going to Turkey,” a surprised Slater said.

Former Socceroos defender Craig Moore, who during his time as Roar football director helped bring Maclaren to Brisbane, said the ex-Perth Glory player would have been better off staying in the A-League for another season.

Maclaren scored 40 A-League goals in two seasons with the Roar before last year moving to Darmstadt where he struggled for game time before his loan move to Hibs.

“We wanted Jamie Maclaren to stay at the Roar for another season,” Moore said.