Australia head coach Bert van Marwijk has admitted that he has already noted down a core of players who would be travelling for this summer’s World Cup in Russia. The Dutchman has recently announced a 32-man provisional squad but this is expected to be slashed to 26 ahead of an intense training camp in Turkey. Thereafter, Van Marwijk will be tasked with picking his final 23-man squad for the global tournament.

Speaking to reporters, he said:"I should be lying if I didn't say that maybe in head are 26 or 27 players. Every coach has the same feeling.

Australia captain Mile Jedinak is keen to impress for the Socceroos when they face-off against Norway in an international friendly on Friday. The game will be Bert van Marwijk’s first game in-charge of the visitors, and Jedinak is not taking his place for granted, having previously missed valuable playing time through injury.

Jedinak’s 2017 was hampered by a groin injury which forced him to miss the tail end of Aston Villa’s season as well as the Confederations Cup in Russia. The 33-year-old thereafter missed a couple of crunch FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Japan and Syria, before returning for the do-or-die two-legged playoff versus Honduras.