´Limited´ attacking options inspire Postecoglou´s selections

Australia coach Ange Postecoglou has strengthened his attacking options for the Asian Cup after conceding the team lacked depth up front.

At the World Cup in Brazil, veteran forward Tim Cahill was Australia’s main threat, scoring two of their three goals, with the other coming from the penalty spot via captain Mile Jedinak.

Cahill has scored eight of Australia’s 11 goals during Postecoglou’s tenure.

Postecoglou named his 23-man squad in Melbourne on Tuesday and it featured A-League top-scorer Nathan Burns, who sits on 10 goals this season for Wellington Phoenix.  

And with Western Sydney Wanderers central striker Tomi Juric added alongside the likes of Cahill, Robbie Kruse, Tommy Oar, James Troisi and Mat Leckie, it is a squad that has a genuine attacking intent.  

“In any tournament going into it with the more attacking options you have – again going back to the World Cup, I thought it was an area we were pretty limited,” the 49-year-old said.

“When you look at games of football they are usually won in the last part of the game.

“So if you can throw some attacking options on there it helps you.”

Postecoglou added it was not just about form and fitness but of players fitting in to the system he will employ.

“I’ve known Nathan [Burns] a long time, since I coached him in the Joeys.

“I’ve always known he had the ability and he’s the type of player who’ll fit in with what we want to do but his form is compelling.”

Postecoglou revealed Burns was close to being named in the squad for November’s Japan game but the 26-year-old was not quite fit enough.

Another exciting striking option is Juric, a recent AFC Champions League winner with the Wanderers. 

“Tomi is one we’ve been keen to get involved with. He was in a couple of camps and missed a couple [of camps] through injury.

“He’s another one for the future. He doesn’t have the same sort of form as Nathan Burns but we’re picking a tournament specific team.

“So Tomi gets an opportunity and we’ve specifically picked more attacking players because of the nature of this tournament.”