Socceroos name Hibs midfielder Boyle in squad for double-header

Australia boss Graham Arnold has backed former Dundee star Martin Boyle to shine for the Socceroos after naming the Hibs player in his latest squad.

The Hibernian midfielder is one of three Easter Road stars to be selected for the Aussies’ upcoming encounters against South Korea and Lebanon, with Jamie Maclaren and Mark Milligan also getting the nod.

Boyle, 25, eligible to represent Australia courtesy of his Sydneyborn father, was part of the Socceroos’ training camp last month but was unable to feature in the 4-0 win over Kuwait due to a delay in receiving his passport.

However, with the paperwork now in order, he is likely to make his debut in green and gold next Saturday in Brisbane.

Arnold said: “I’ve watched him at Hibs when I was over there – he’s an exciting player.

“He’s a player that is great in one-on-one action, you can give him the ball and leave him free and he will always have the positive attitude to try and go past players, and he scores goals.

“So he’s got a lot of speed and he gives us a great addition in the front half of the field that we’ve been looking for.”

On Maclaren’s inclusion, Arnold added: “I know Neil Lennon holds him in high regard and I look forward to working with Jamie.

“Again, I haven’t seen him really in a game situation that I’ve worked closely with him.

“I know what his qualities are, his qualities are scoring goals and I expect that to happen.”

Celtic playmaker Tom Rogic has also been named among the 27-strong group alongside former SPFL stars Aaron Mooy and Jackson Irvine.