Socceroos

Europa League winner Ajdin Hrustic is being backed as the man to fill Tom Rogic's boots in the Socceroos' quest to reach a fifth straight World Cup.

Tom Rogic has withdrawn from the Socceroos’ squad for June 2022, citing personal reasons. “We know he’s got confidence and the team will be looking to him to create, to do something special, and I think he’s got the confidence in himself and obviously the backing from Arnie to be able to do that and take the game to the UAE team. “He played in a Europa League final, won the final, scored a penalty in the shootout as well.

Australia are set to be without playmaker Tom Rogic for their crucial World Cup playoff against the United Arab Emirates.

Rogic was last week named the Australian Professional Football Association's men's player of the year and has been a key midfield playmaker at Scottish club Celtic for nearly a decade. Rogic's club future is also unclear after bidding an emotional farewell at Celtic Park this month, having been central in helping secure the Scottish Premiership and Scottish League Cup for the Glasgow side. The Socceroos are off to Doha to face the UAE on June 7 in the Asian qualifying playoff, with the winner taking on Peru a week later for a spot at the World Cup finals in Qatar this year.

Football Australia remains in the dark over the reason for Tom Rogic's withdrawal from the Socceroos squad for the World Cup qualifying play-offs.

One Australian player who has sealed a major move is Socceroos’ winger Awer Mabil who is set to play in the top tier of Spanish football next season. We just have to move on, we have to look forward to the game and like I said, we have enough players to step up to the plate and get the job done.” “At the same time, the group that’s here have a job to do.