Despite having to go through two unwanted playoff rounds to secure their place in Russia this summer, Australia fans can have high hopes going into group stage action.

The Socceroos feared the worst after they were placed in pot 4 for the group stage draw but they will fancy their chances of matching their best ever performance in 2006 when they reached the round of 16 following the draw. Pitted against France, Peru and Denmark in Group C, Bert van Marwijk’s men will have their sights firmly set on progression to the last 16 and beyond.

Former Australia captain Paul Wade has urged Celtic midfielder Tom Rogic to delay his decision of signing a new Hoops contract until after the summer World Cup in Russia. The 25-year-old has just 14 months left on his existing deal with Brendan Rodgers’ side, and Wade believes the midfielder can put himself on the shot window with a couple of strongperformances for the Socceroos at the prestigious tournament.

Speaking on Sydney Morning Herald, he said: “Tom changes his mind so quickly and fluently that he can make anybody believe anything and with one touch he can completely change the picture. I don’t have a problem with any player thinking to themselves ‘you know what I’m going to put in and deliver here so that I can get a new deal or go to a new club’.Whatever it takes to perform at your best, go with it. As long as you keep the team in mind because the team is the priority, but everything else just go for it I say.”

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.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has refuted rumours which have suggested that Tom Rogic has declined a new contract with the Scottish champions. The Australia international joined the Hoops from Central Coast Mariners back in the summer of 2013 when Neil Lennon was still the club’s head coach. He has since been an influential player in the first-team, but his future has been put in question as he approaches the final year of his current contract.

In an interview with Sky Sports, Rodgers was quizzed about the contractual situation of Rogic after Australian publication The World Game suggested that he had turned down a probable extension. He told the publication: “I am not aware of that to be honest. We have just arrived back from Russia. I know Tom and his representatives have been speaking with the club for a little bit of time but that [the reports] are the first I have heard about that.”

Australia became the 31st country to secure their spot at this summer's 2018 World Cup in Russia when they overcame Honduras 3-1 in their intercontinental play-off tie.

That victory also saw them finish as the Asia best third-placed nation and cement their position on Russian territory, where they have now been thrust into a tough and testing group stage. Within a challenging Group C, the Aussies are set to compete against three solid sides, as they prepare to do battle with all of Euro 2016's hosts and finalists France, South American outfit Peru and European contenders Denmark.

Former Liverpool midfielder-turned-pundit Jamie Redknapp believes Aaron Mooy is capable of being a hit with a top Premier League outfit. The Australia international joined Manchester City from sister club Melbourne City in 2016, and ultimately linked up with Huddersfield Town on a permanent basis last summer.

Mooy, 27, was a relatively unknown when he first stepped on the stage, but he made a name for himself during his loan stint at the John Smith's Stadium, where he helped the club clinch top-flight promotion after more than four decades. As a result, Huddersfield had no second thoughts over a permanent deal for the Australian, and they warded off interest from their league rivals in order to secure his services in the summer.

Australia’s coach Ange Postecoglou claims that he will be making a decision on his future with the national team next week. The Australians have been able to qualify for the World Cup for a fourth consecutive time. The oceanic outfit were able to get a 3-1 victory over Honduras in the play-offs. After having left his role as the Brisbane Roar coach, Postecoglou took charge of the national team back in 2013. He was able to lead the national team to the Brazil 2014 World Cup and later to the first Asian Cup success. Since then, he has been faced with a lot of questions about his future with the national team.

Postecoglou has been able to steadfastly deny rumours about his potential exit. After having reached the World Cup 2018, it looks highly unlikely that will be leaving the national team at this stage. It would be a major catastrophe for Australia to find a new coach in the next six months and prepare for the World Cup at the same time. A great way for Postecoglou to leave his job would be to do well at the World Cup. He refused to dwell about questions on his future. One of the reasons for Postecoglou being linked with an exit is the reported fallout with the football Federation of Australia.

Australia failed to make the most of the away leg of their Asia-CONCACAF World Cup playoff after they were to a 0-0 draw versus on Honduras. Socceroos striker Tomi Juric had glorious chances to put his team ahead in either half, but they were eventually failed to find the elusive away goals against a physical Honduras side.

Despite the draw, Ange Postecoglou's men will return to the home leg on Wednesday as favourites after a resolute display in hot and humid conditions in the Caribbean. Speaking after the game, Postecoglou was pleased with a great performance, and he is looking to guide the Socceroos to their fourth straight World Cup with a win in Sydney.

Not many nations who qualify for a World Cup will see their coach resign just a week after the qualification is achieved but this was the case for Australia. Just one week after the Socceroos beat Honduras to secure their place in Russia 2018, their coach of the last four years, Ange Postecoglou, left his post citing the pressures of international management as a huge contributing factor.

He cut an emotional figure during his press conference and had clearly put a lot of thought into the decision but ultimately the role had taken its toll on the coach “both personally and professionally”. The Greek-Australian had been in charge of the Socceroos since October 2013 after the sacking of previous manager Holger Osiek following successive 6-0 defeats to both Brazil and France.

Much was expected of Ross McCormack at Aston Villa when he joined from Fulham in the summer of 2016. The former Leeds United striker was a massive success at Elland Road and Craven Cottage, and the £12 million that Villa paid for him was going to be money well spent, it was presumed. The Villans were planning to make an instant return to the Premier League following relegation, and McCormack’s extensive experience in the Championship was going to be a key factor.

McCormack, though, failed to make an instant impact at Villa Park. The 31-year-old Scotland international striker fell out with manager Steve Bruce and was sent out on loan to Championship rivals Nottingham Forest in the January transfer window. The former Leeds star was able to make only three starts in the Championship for Forest last season, scoring one goal and providing one assist in the process.