World Cup goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer of
English Premier League side Middlesbrough was among 18 players named
Thursday for Australia's Asian Cup qualifier in Kuwait City on Sept.
6.
Schwarzer could captain the squad against Kuwait in the absence
of Mark Viduka. Liverpool winger Harry Kewell, Everton's Tim Cahill
and Blackburn defender Lucas Neill are other notable absentees from
the squad.
Australian coach Graham Arnold did not use any Europe-based
players in the home win over Kuwait last month, but has taken a
completely different approach to the away leg by not including any
players from Australia's domestic A-League.
With Australia already qualifying for the 2007 Asian Cup, Arnold
said he purposely avoided selecting players from the top English and
Italian leagues.
``I spoke to all of the Premier League guys and they are feeling
fatigued,'' said Arnold. ``A lot of those players are in the
situation that I felt you can't call on them all the time.''
© The Canadian Press, 2007
