Glory skipper Adam Taggart has today been named in a 23-man Socceroos squad for an intensive training camp in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
The camp will form a key part of Australia’s preparations for the upcoming AFC Asian Qualifiers – Road to 26 fixtures against Japan and Saudi Arabia.
In what will be their final Round Three Qualification fixtures, the Socceroos will take on Japan at Optus Stadium here in Perth on Thursday, 5 June (kick-off 7.00pm local / 9.00pm AEST) and Saudi Arabia at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah on Tuesday, 10 June (9.15pm local / 2.15am WST – Wednesday, 11 June).
The camp – which features players now free from club duties for the 2024/25 season – will give Head Coach Tony Popovic and his staff the opportunity to work closely with both new and returning players, while also ensuring they are in peak physical condition when the final squad is selected later this month.
“Firstly, I’m very grateful to Football Australia for their support with this training camp which is invaluable for the players and staff ahead of our games in June,” Popovic said.
“We’ve got players finishing up their seasons at a range of different times, so it’s important they remain physically and mentally sharp in the weeks leading up to the final squad selection.
“I’m looking forward to the chance to work together for an extended period.
“There are also a lot of players who are currently in-season with their clubs, and we’ll be monitoring them closely over the coming weeks.”
Taggart will make the trip to the UAE off the back of another impressive A-League campaign in which he claimed ten goals and took out Glory’s ALM Members’ Player of the Year Award, as well as the Golden Boot.
Other notable inclusions in the Socceroos squad include Perth local Jack Iredale and former Glory defender Jason Davidson.
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