Kennedy ruled out of Socceroos team

Socceroos coach Pim Verbeek will ask his weakened Australian side to do the
impossible - forget about the World Cup - when they return to face Bahrain at ANZ
Stadium on Wednesday night.
The Socceroos come into the qualifier having already booked a spot at next year's
tournament in South Africa after a scoreless draw with Qatar in Doha on Saturday.
After a short celebration, a tough three-day turnaround and hectic travel schedule,
they come into the match with essentially nothing to play for while Bahrain have
plenty on the line, needing a point to seal third place in the group.
But Verbeek said he wanted his players to forget the fact they are already going to
South Africa and switch their focus fully to beating Bahrain.
"It's not a friendly match, it's a serious World Cup match and we want to be number
one in the group," Verbeek said on Tuesday.
"Until now, most of the players were still thinking and dreaming of the Qatar game
about the World Cup, which is normal.
"But the moment they are on the field, they have to start concentrating on the game
... forget about tiredness, forget about trips, forget about the World Cup. Just
think about the game."
Verbeek will be forced to field a weakened side after striker Josh Kennedy (muscle
soreness) and Richard Garcia (knee) were ruled out on Tuesday.
They join several other absentees including suspended captain Lucas Neill, injured
Scott Chipperfield (foot) as well as Mark Bresciano and Carl Valeri, who were
allowed to go home after the Qatar match.
It means Verbeek will bring in five new players who did not start against Qatar,
most likely Scott McDonald, Mile Sterjovski, David Carney, Jade North and Luke
Wilkshire, who returns from suspension.
Defender Chris Coyne is also in doubt, but completed training on Tuesday night and
should be fit to play.
Verbeek said he would field the best possible team from his players who were fit
enough to play 90 minutes, opting not to use the match as a chance to give some of
his inexperienced players some valuable game time.
"We still have some friendly matches in the coming months so maybe I am going to use
them at that time," Verbeek said.
"The players want to win the game.
"We are desperate, so I don't give favours, I just bring in the best 11."
The cagey Dutchman justified that decision by recalling the Socceroos' 1-0 loss to
China in Sydney a year ago, when he was criticised for fielding an inexperienced
team in what was a dead rubber after Australia had already booked a passage to the
final stage of qualifying.
"Everybody said `fantastic' before (the match)," Verbeek said.
"Then when we lost 1-0 and half the country was killing me, saying 'How can you play
a young team in such an important game?
"So what are we talking about? I'm looking at you all (the media), because it was
you who said that."
Verbeek said he was undecided as to who would replace Neill as captain but said it
would be either Vince Grella, Harry Kewell or Mark Schwarzer.
Possible team: Mark Schwarzer (gk), Luke Wilkshire, Chris Coyne, Jade North, David
Carney, Vince Grella, Jason Culina, Tim Cahill, Mile Sterjovski, Harry Kewell, Scott
McDonald.