Nix hinder Oz World Cup hopes

FOOTBALL

The lacklustre performance of Wellington Phoenix could hinder the chances of players from the A-League’s best team being chosen for the Socceroos.

Newly appointed Socceroos coach Bert van Marwijk and his assistants were unimpressed with the quality of Friday’s match between the New Zealanders and Sydney FC.

Despite thumping Wellington 4-0, the likelihood of Sydney FC players being included in the next Australian squad were done no favours because the coach could not properly analyse the ability of Sydney’s players, according to sources close to van Marwijk.

Several players from the runaway league leaders are in the frame for selection and were looking to impress van Marwijk, who was watching in the stands.

There was little chance of that happening due to what sources described as a ‘‘terrible’’ performance of the Phoenix, landing a blow to hopefuls Josh Brillante, Alex Wilkinson, Luke Wilkshire and Michael Zullo.

Sydney FC are on course to win successive A-League premierships, sitting nine points clear at the top of the table while the Phoenix remained anchored to the bottom.

Theirs was one of three A-League games van Marwijk attended last weekend as he started his scouting of Australian players, but only one game impressed the new coach – Saturday afternoon’s match between Newcastle Jets and Melbourne Victory.

‘‘It was different, the level of the games, but I saw one good game. I was positively surprised at the level of that game,’’ he said.