In the Australia squad, midfielder Tom Rogic will be absent for the crucial World Cup playoff against the United Arab Emirates next week, the Socceroos confirmed on Tuesday.
Australia will travel to Doha to face the United Arab Emirates on June 7 in the Asian qualifying playoff, with the winner facing Peru a week later for a place at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Football Australia said Rogic, who has 53 appearances for the Socceroos, cited personal reasons for withdrawing from the playoffs and will not be replaced in a team that has been reduced to 28.
Oceania coach Graham Arnold described the move as “unfortunate” but insisted “now he must focus on the players we have here in Qatar.”
Rogic was named the Australian Professional Football Association Player of the Year last week and has been a key midfielder at Scottish club Celtic for nearly a decade.
Despite the blow, Arnold said he has faith in the players already reunited.
“We have selected an extended squad of quality players and I think we will achieve something special for Australia in the next two weeks,” he said.
The future of Rogic’s club is also unclear after he delivered an emotional farewell at Celtic Park this month, having been instrumental in helping secure the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup for the Glasgow outfit.
/DBD/
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