Socceroos pick young team for Middle East games as security worries grow

Football Australia has named an inexperienced squad with seven new players for upcoming friendly matches in the Middle East, while safety checks continue for a game in Jordan. Coach Tony Popovic revealed the team at 10:30pm on Saturday night.

Schedule And Safety

The team will play Qatar in Doha on November 13, and then face Jordan in the capital city of Amman three days later. Football Australia chief executive Martin Kugeler stated that the organisation will keep checking the security situation in Amman and share safety updates with players and staff. Professional Footballers Australia reported on Friday that players strongly feel the Jordan match should be moved or rescheduled, noting that Indonesia recently cancelled its own planned friendly in Jordan.

Squad Changes

Captain Maty Ryan, Jackson Irvine, Milos Degenek, and Aiden O'Neill are missing from the line-up, though it remains unclear if they stepped back due to safety worries. There are eight changes from the September games against Brazil in Australia. The new faces include Central Coast defender Diesel Herrington, Portsmouth striker Thomas Waddingham, and FC St. Pauli midfielder Sam Klein. Daniel Arzani and Gianni Stensness also return to the team.

Context

International football friendlies are exhibition matches used by national teams to test new strategies and players outside of major tournament qualifiers. These games often require careful safety planning when teams travel to regions experiencing political tension or security challenges.