Youthful Socceroo side to face Singapore

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Coach Pim Verbeek has included only four capped players in a youthful and all A-League Socceroos squad to face Singapore in a World Cup qualification warm-up match on March 22.

The friendly match at the Singapore National Stadium is just four days before the Socceroos play their second qualification match against China in Kunming.

Verbeek said he would use the Singapore match as a trial for the A-League hopefuls to push for inclusion in the squad to face China.

The squad contains the bulk of Australia's under-23s Olyroos side with Newcastle's Jade North and Ante Covic, Melbourne's Archie Thompson and Adelaide striker Nathan Burns the only players with previous appearances for the senior team.

It means a stack of youngsters who impressed in the A-League this season, including Central Coast midfielder Mile Jedinak, Queensland winger Michael Zullo and Adelaide striker Bruce Djite, will have the chance to prove their worth to the Dutchman.

"I will not finalise my squad for the match against China until after the Singapore game so these players have a chance to impress and be included in the team for China," Verbeek said.

"There is a good possibility that some Europe-based players will be added to this squad to play Singapore if an early release from club duties can be negotiated.

"It is important that we continue to keep the A-League players fit with vital national team and Olympic team matches coming up so this camp and match is important to us."

A-League champions Newcastle are the most heavily represented club in the squad with five players selected including James Holland, Adam Griffiths and Tarek Elrich.

But Jets star and A-League player of the year Joel Griffiths was not included.

Verbeek was reportedly upset by comments made by the striker after Australia's 3-0 win over Qatar in their opening World Cup qualifier in Melbourne on February 6.

Griffiths, who was forced to pull out of the squad due to a hamstring injury, declared several days after the win: "A State League team could have beaten Qatar: I didn't think they were too good.

"This is an Australian team that had no preparation, one training session, jet-lagged and they could have won by six goals at half-time."

Most of the players will arrive in Singapore on Monday, March 17 to prepare for the match, except those from Adelaide and Melbourne who will join the camp after their Asian Champions League matches are played on March 19.

Socceroos squad: Nigel Boogard (Central Coast Mariners), Leigh Broxham (Melbourne Victory), Nathan Burns (Adelaide United), Billy Celeski (Melbourne Victory), Ante Covic (Newcastle Jets), Bruce Djite (Adelaide United), Tarek Elrich (Newcastle Jets), Adam Griffiths (Newcastle Jets), James Holland (Newcastle Jets), Mile Jedinak (Central Coast Mariners), Jade North (Newcastle Jets), Nikita Rukavytsya (Perth Glory), Archie Thompson (Melbourne Victory), Nikolai Topor-Stanley (Perth Glory), Tando Velaphi (Perth Glory), Ruben Zadkovich (TBC), Michael Zullo (Queensland Roar)

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Ante Covic (Goalkeeper) and Adam Griffiths