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.

Syria midfielder Mohammed ZaherMidani is hopeful of overcoming Australia in the fourth round play-off of the AFC qualifiers.

The politically unstable country has played its home games in Malaysia, and they will entertain Australia in the first-leg of the play-off from the Hang Jebat Stadium on Thursday.

The Syrians have previously registered wins over Uzbekistan and Qatar at the Hang Jebat Stadium while drawing the remaining games in the third round of the qualification phase. As a result, Midani is optimistic of securing a positive result against the Socceroos to take into the return leg in Sydney five days later.

Aaron Mooy failed to make an impact in English football when he was at Bolton Wanderers, but the Australia international central midfielder is taking the Premier League by storm at the moment. Now on the books of Huddersfield Town, the 27-year-old has been one of the best and most instrumental players in the English top flight so far this season.

Huddersfield have made a stunning start to the 2017-18 Premier League campaign, and the early signs are that they will stave off the drop to the Championship at the end of the season. The Terriers have picked up some important points in the opening weeks of the season, with Mooy playing a key role.

Australia's World Cup hopes are in dire straits following their disappointing performance in the World Cup qualifier against Japan last week.

The Socceroos were convincingly beaten by a 2-0 scoreline by their Far East opponents, and they must register a convincing win over Thailand in their final group game in order to qualify automatically for the World Cup.