Trent’s tough injury battle
THE Socceroos will converge on Tokyo on Sunday but defender Trent Sainsbury will battle to prove his fitness for next Thursday’s FIFA World Cup qualifier against Japan.
While Sainsbury has extra time, the pair of qualifiers against Japan in Saitama and Thailand in Melbourne have come too soon for captain Mile Jedinak, who has a groin injury and was left out of the 23-man squad yesterday.
Ange Postecoglou has named an experienced squad with only two capless players.
The coach said that was a byproduct of the regeneration work done to get the team ready for matches like these, when everything was on the line. With two games left, one point separates Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia in the battle for two automatic qualifying spots for Russia.
“The bulk of this squad was on zero caps when I took over,” Postecoglou said.
“We’ll never have another cycle like this.
“The plan was that when we got to this pivotal point – and, more importantly, when we get to the World Cup – that we’ve got 20 or 30 games under their belt.”
Sainsbury, 25, suffered his groin injury at the Confederations Cup and the Jiangsu Suning central defender has not played since.
Postecoglou insisted Sainsbury was good to go.
“He’s had some issues, but he’s back in full training now,” Postecoglou said.
“We’d have preferred he played (some minutes), but he’s been pretty resilient coming into camp before when he hasn’t played and he’s performed for us.”
Fit-again stopper Matthew Spiranovic is back. Matthew Jurman was left out after being named in the 30 last week, but remained on standby.
A Tuesday night phone call between Postecolgou and Jedinak led to the skipper’s omission. He was nearing a return for Aston Villa, but has not played since June’s qualifying win over Saudi Arabia, after which he had surgery.
Jedinak, Jurman, Adam Federici, Jimmy Jeggo, Riley McGree and Ajdin Hrustic missed the final cut.
Did Gold Coast City win last night’s FFA Cup match? Visit our website goldcoastbulletin.com.au to find out the result.