Striker switch fails in bid

JAMIE Maclaren’s gamble to leave the A-League a year out from the FIFA World Cup to cement a Socceroos 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 preWorld 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 games for Hibs, Maclaren scored eight goals, including a hat-trick in his side’s 5-5 weekend draw with Rangers at Easter Road.

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.

Former Socceroos defender Craig Moore said he would have been better off staying in the A-League for another year.