Socceroos want public to get behind them
SOCCEROOS defender Trent Sainsbury has pleaded for the nation to get behind the team as FIFA World Cup qualification reaches its climax.
Australia will host world No.1 Brazil tomorrow night at the MCG before departing for Russia on Wednesday to battle more world heavyweights at the Confederations Cup.
Bournemouth fullback Brad Smith has been ruled out of ‘‘Super June’’ after it was revealed he strained a hamstring during Australia’s win over Saudi Arabia in their World Cup qualifying series clash on Thursday night.
Former Melbourne City star Aziz Behich, who replaced Smith at halftime in the Adelaide match, is favoured to take his spot in the first XI tomorrow while Rosenborg’s Alex Gersbach was drafted into the 23-man squad.
Sainsbury felt the negative reaction to the 3-2 win, which left the Socceroos in a good position to qualify for Russia 2018, was unfair.
“It just seems like everything that we do these days is getting hammered, especially in the media,’’ he said.
“It’s nice for ourselves to stay together and get the three points and we won’t worry about what people say.
“It fortifies the unit and belief that we’ve got. It would just be nice for the Australian public to be on our side.
“We don’t focus on it but it’s hard to ignore when it comes up every single day and it’s the same nit-picky stuff that makes the headlines instead of the three points.
“We made it difficult for ourselves, but our objective was to win and we did that.
“We’re working hard and we’re trying to achieve the goals and objectives that we’ve set out, to win and qualify for the World Cup and do it our way.’’
Mark Milligan is one of the likely inclusions after missing Thursday’s clash in Adelaide through suspension.
Like Sainsbury, who was on loan from Jiangsu Suning to Inter Milan, UAE-based Milligan could find a new home in coming months.
Sainsbury said Brazil would be a great yardstick for the Socceroos tomorrow.
“It’s a nice game to see where we’re at, we get to gauge ourselves against one of the world’s best (teams),’’ Sainsbury said.