With 100 days to go until the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ kicks off in Russia, Caltex Socceroos Head Coach Bert van Marwijk has named a 29-player preliminary squad for this month’s important international friendly fixtures against Norway in Oslo, and Colombia in London.



Twenty-two of the players involved with Australia’s successful FIFA World Cup™ Inter-Confederation play-off against Honduras last November have been selected in the first preliminary squad of van Marwijk’s reign, while seven new or returning players have been added to the Caltex Socceroos mix.



The Hyundai A-League is well represented with four current players in contention to feature in the Dutchman’s final squad to be confirmed next week.

James Troisi from Melbourne Victory is joined by Western Sydney Wanderers FC’s Josh Risdon, Sydney FC’s Joshua Brillante, as well as uncapped Newcastle Jets attacker Dimitri Petratos. Andrew Nabbout, who joined Japanese giants Urawa Red Diamonds from Newcastle Jets on Monday, has also been selected. Read more about the Hyundai A-League players here.



Goalkeeper Brad Jones, defender James Meredith, and attacker Jamie Maclaren are among the capped Caltex Socceroos players to be included in van Marwijk’s preliminary squad, while uncapped 22-year-old defender Aleksandar Susnjar could receive his first senior international call-up. Read more about the overseas-based inclusions here.

Susnjar, who plays for FK Mlada Boleslav in Czech Republic, impressed in the heart of defence for Australia at January’s 2018 AFC U-23 Championship held in China. Read more about Susnjar here.



“Since my appointment with the Socceroos, my staff, scouts and I have monitored over 100 Australian players in the Hyundai A-League, as well as in leagues across Europe and Asia,” said van Marwijk.



“We are pleased with the initial 29 players we have picked for our upcoming games against Norway and Colombia and will finalise the squad next week.



“There are still a couple of weeks before the group gathers in Oslo, so we will continue to monitor the health and fitness of all the players in the preliminary squad, as well as those on our longer list of potential World Cup squad members.



“Our upcoming matches against Norway and Colombia will provide a great chance for the players selected to press their claims for Russia, however, the door remains ajar for all players not picked for the March window,” concluded van Marwijk.



The Caltex Socceroos will convene in Oslo on Monday, 19 March 2018. The squad will take on Norway at the Ullevaal Stadion on Friday, 23 March, before shifting to London on Saturday, 24 March. On Tuesday, 27 March Australia will play Colombia at Craven Cottage in west London.

Both friendly matches will be broadcast LIVE on FOX SPORTS and Network Ten.





Caltex Socceroos 29-player preliminary squad for friendlies against Norway (Oslo) & Colombia (London):

Name Club, Country A-International Caps (Goals) Aziz BEHICH Bursaspor, TURKEY 19 (2) Joshua BRILLANTE Sydney FC, AUSTRALIA 5 (0) Tim CAHILL Millwall FC, ENGLAND 104 (50) Milos DEGENEK Yokohama F. Marinos, JAPAN 15 (0) Alex GERSBACH Racing Club de Lens, FRANCE 4 (0) Jackson IRVINE Hull City AFC, ENGLAND 15 (1) Mile JEDINAK Aston Villa FC, ENGLAND 73 (18) Brad JONES (Gk) Feyenoord Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS 4 (0) Tomi JURIC FC Luzern, SWITZERLAND 32 (8) Matthew JURMAN Suwon Samsung Bluewings, KOREA REPUBLIC 4 (0) Robbie KRUSE VfL Bochum, GERMANY 60 (5) Mitchell LANGERAK (Gk) Nagoya Grampus, JAPAN 8 (0) Mathew LECKIE Hertha BSC, GERMANY 49 (6) Massimo LUONGO Queens Park Rangers FC, ENGLAND 32 (5) Jamie MACLAREN Hibernian FC, SCOTLAND 5 (0) James MEREDITH Millwall FC, ENGLAND 2 (0) Mark MILLIGAN Al Ahli SC, SAUDI ARABIA 64 (6) Aaron MOOY Huddersfield Town AFC, ENGLAND 31 (5) Andrew NABBOUT Urawa Red Diamonds, JAPAN 0 (0) Dimitri PETRATOS Newcastle Jets, AUSTRALIA 0 (0) Josh RISDON Western Sydney Wanderers FC, AUSTRALIA 5 (0) Tom ROGIC Celtic FC, SCOTLAND 33 (7) Nikita RUKAVYTSYA Maccabi Haifa FC, ISRAEL 16 (1) Mathew RYAN (Gk) Brighton & Hove Albion FC, ENGLAND 41 (0) Trent SAINSBURY Grasshopper Club Zurich, SWITZERLAND 33 (3) Aleksandar SUSNJAR FK Mlada Boleslav, CZECH REPUBLIC 0 (0) James TROISI Melbourne Victory, AUSTRALIA 36 (5) Daniel VUKOVIC (Gk) KRC Genk, BELGIUM 0 (0) Bailey WRIGHT Bristol City FC, ENGLAND 21 (1)



Match Details:



Norway v Caltex Socceroos

Date: Friday, 23 March 2018 (local time)

Venue: Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo, Norway

Kick-off: 6pm (local) / 4am AEDT (Saturday, 24 March 2018)

Broadcast: Live in Australia on FOX SPORTS and Network Ten



Colombia v Caltex Socceroos

Date: Tuesday, 27 March 2018 (local time)

Venue: Craven Cottage, London, England

Kick-off: 8pm (local) / 6am AEDT (Wednesday, 28 March 2018)

Broadcast: Live in Australia on FOX SPORTS and Network Ten