Verbeek rules Grella out

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has ruled Vince Grella out of next week’s World Cup qualifier against Qatar, because his Italian club side Torino is playing on Sunday.

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek has ruled Vince Grella out of next week-s World Cup qualifier against Qatar, because his Italian club side Torino is playing on Sunday.

While Mark Schwarzer, who is also playing on Sunday for his English side Middlesbrough, is still being considered, Verbeek believes the recovery time needed by a player like Grella would not be sufficient, just a day out from such an important match.

Verbeek viewed Schwarzer-s position a little differently saying “I think for a goalkeeper it-s different, so he is still open. For field players (Grella and Mark Viduka) it-s different,” obviously referring to the physical impact on players like Grella and Viduka, which in most cases is considerably higher than for a goalkeeper. -

The former South Korean coach was placed in an unwinnable situation with these players, who were not due to arrive in Melbourne until Tuesday, less than 36 hours before the match at the Telstra Dome.

However all his other overseas-based stars are playing on Saturday and expected to arrive in Melbourne on Monday, which Verbeek believes will be enough time for them recover; although that is only if they get through their weekend-s games without suffering an injury.

Verbeek confirmed that he would not name his final 18-man squad for the match until Tuesday, the latest with which he can do so.