Maclaren set for Socceroos squad recall
May 21, 2017 - 3:47 AM Days after sealing a move to Germany, striker Jamie Maclaren is set to receive a Socceroos recall for June's crucial set of fixtures.Maclaren is expected to be named in coach Ange Postecoglou's extended 30-man squad on Monday after another sterling A-League season with Brisbane.
Postecoglou overlooked the 23-year-old for March's World Cup qualifiers and threw down the gauntlet, challenging him to "evolve" his game and eliminate inconsistencies.
Maclaren responded by finishing the regular campaign with 19 goals to share the competition's Golden Boot and was also honoured as its best young player for the second year running.
Now, with 43 goals from 60 appearances over two seasons with the Roar, the freshly-minted SV Darmstadt signing appears to have one foot in the door for the Socceroos' must-win June 8 qualifier against Saudi Arabia at Adelaide Oval.
Maclaren, who hasn't been selected for international duty since November's 2-2 draw with Thailand, would yet have to survive the final cut to 23 players.
That group will play Saudi Arabia and then a June 13 friendly with a Neymar-less world No.1 Brazil at the MCG before continuing a jam-packed month at the at the Confederations Cup in Russia.
Fellow striker Tomi Juric pressed his case for retention last weekend with a bullet header for Swiss outfit FC Luzern, his first goal for club or country in more than two months.
It's assumed veteran 37-year-old poacher Tim Cahill will also play a role, especially given Postecoglou's limited options at the pointy end of his new 3-2-4-1 formation.
The revamped set-up, which garnered mixed reviews on its first outings against Iraq and United Arab Emirates in March, will likely be rolled out again in Adelaide, where third-placed Australia must topple second-placed Saudi Arabia to boost their chances of avoiding a World Cup play-off.
Even sterner tests await in Russia in the form of world champions Germany, African champions Cameroon and South American champions Chile.
Meanwhile, Craig Goodwin is well and truly in the selection frame following last week's one-goal, two-assists heroics to save his Sparta Rotterdam from a Dutch relegation dogfight.
The former Adelaide United winger was picked in March's initial 30-man squad but omitted from the final line-up.
Sydney FC pair Danny Vukovic and Rhyan Grant and Denmark-based Mustafa Amini are expected to retain their spots, while highly-rated Dutch-based youngster Ajdin Hrustic shapes as a potential bolter amid an international tug of war with Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Source: AAP
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