Australia head coach Graham Arnold says Ryan Strain deserves another opportunity to impress for his country.
The St Mirren defender was gutted to narrowly miss out on a spot in Socceroos squad that competed so well at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Having had to watch from home while his Saints teammate Keanu Baccus starred as Australia were eventually knocked out in the last-16 by eventual winners Argentina, Strain has been handed a late call-up after Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy pulled out through injury.
Arnold is looking forward to working with both 25-year-old Strain, who has one cap to his name so far, and Baccus again as the Aussies begin to build their squad for the next World Cup.
Ahead of their friendlies against Ecuador this Thursday and next Tuesday, Arnold said: “Ryan has been playing well for St Mirren and deserves this call-up.
“These matches against strong opposition in Ecuador presents us with the opportunity to commence preparations for the next World Cup cycle, which starts again in November, followed by the AFC Asian Cup in early 2024.
“Building depth in the squad is important as we look to build upon what the team achieved at the World Cup in Qatar, and I’m excited by the blend of experience and youth that we’ve assembled for these two matches.
“This camp will also expose these new players to how an international window works, with limited training sessions and preparation time, which will hold them in good stead moving forward.”
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