'Q word' off limits as Socceroos focus

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek says the prospect of impending World Cup qualification
will not distract Australia from getting the job done against Uzbekistan at ANZ
Stadium on Wednesday night.
A win for the Socceroos will move them right to the brink of qualification for South
Africa 2010 and they could secure that in the early hours of Thursday morning if
Bahrain and Qatar draw in Manama.
But standing in their way is a rejuvenated Uzbekistan team which climbed off the
bottom of Group A and revived their own qualification hopes with an impressive 4-0
win over Qatar on Saturday.
While admitting he was "excited" at the prospect of securing a berth at the World
Cup, Verbeek said the Q word had not factored into preparations for Wednesday's
match.
"I'm not sitting the whole day thinking `if we win we maybe are qualified' ... I'm
just interested in three points," Verbeek said on Tuesday.
"I think we've done very well ... and you can be comfortable but we should not be
arrogant and think it's an easy game.
"So I'm sure (the players) are not arrogant and thinking it will be easy ... they
are not thinking we are there (South Africa) already.
"They will be ready."
Verbeek said on Tuesday he would wait until matchday before deciding whether several
key players could start the match.
That included star midfielders Tim Cahill (calf) and Mark Bresciano (back) who have
been hampered by injuries during the week-long camp.
Defender Michael Beauchamp and midfielder Carl Valeri are Verbeek's other fitness
concerns but all of his players took part in a training run at ANZ Stadium on a wet
Tuesday afternoon.
"They're all ready, it's just about do I bring (certain players) in with the risk
they can't play the 90 minutes or do I bring in other players and wait to bring them
in if I need them?" he said.
Josh Kennedy and Scott McDonald are expected to lead the line on home soil after
less adventurous tactics on recent away trips.
Harry Kewell and Jason Culina seem the only certainties in midfield, with the rest
depending on whether Verbeek is willing to risk Cahill, Bresciano and Valeri from
the start of the match.
Beauchamp is favoured to partner Lucas Neill in the centre of defence in between
Luke Wilkshire and Scott Chipperfield on the flanks.
While a win in itself will not secure qualification, either a draw between Bahrain
and Qatar in Manama or a point from any of the Socceroos' remaining three matches
will see them reach consecutive World Cup finals for the first time.
"I'm excited, it's great to play games like this," Verbeek said.
"We are so close (to qualification), we've been working hard for 15 months, we've
been travelling and playing games with no preparations and fighting.
"To get the three points we can make a very, very big step to the World Cup and
that's what we hope for."
Possible Socceroos team: Mark Schwarzer (gk), Luke Wilkshire, Michael Beauchamp,
Lucas Neill (c), Scott Chipperfield, Jason Culina, Carl Valeri, Tim Cahill, Harry
Kewell, Scott McDonald, Josh Kennedy.