SOCCEROOS coach Pim Verbeek has confirmed he will only use A-League players for the upcoming Asian Cup qualifier against Indonesia.
He said the tight schedule made it impossible to get any of his overseas-based players back in time for the match.
Australia's qualification for the 2011 event in Qatar begins on January 28 in Jakarta and while the Socceroos' European stars have offered to return home for the match, Verbeek will not call on them.
"It's much better to take the A-League players. They have a tough season already, and I want to see them in a big international game," he told Fox Sports.
"We can't get them (the overseas players) back. But it's not an officially FIFA game. We have to ask the clubs, and we don't want to ask anything.
"If we need the players (in the future) we want to be sure that they come. We don't want to create any problems," he said. "I have enough players here in the A-League who can do a job."
The Dutchman said that his mind is far from made up in terms of the make-up of the squad and having attended the majority of A-League matches over the past few weeks, he will wait until after this weekend's matches before deciding on his final squad which will be released on Monday.
"I know most of my players. I will see every game at the moment," he said. "I will see the two games on the weekend and then I will make up my mind. Graham Arnold, Henk Duut and I will make up our mind after the weekend.
"It's not about what they've done in the past. It's about what they're doing at the moment ... it's better to pick players who are in good form at the moment."
Verbeek is predicting a tough time for his players in Jakarta, especially with such a short preparation.
"It will be a difficult game, it will be difficult for every player, especially because of the lack of preparation and the climate," he said.
"We have no preparation, we leave Monday, arrive Monday evening. We have only Wednesday to do a little warm-up at the stadium."
He said the tight schedule made it impossible to get any of his overseas-based players back in time for the match.
Australia's qualification for the 2011 event in Qatar begins on January 28 in Jakarta and while the Socceroos' European stars have offered to return home for the match, Verbeek will not call on them.
"It's much better to take the A-League players. They have a tough season already, and I want to see them in a big international game," he told Fox Sports.
"We can't get them (the overseas players) back. But it's not an officially FIFA game. We have to ask the clubs, and we don't want to ask anything.
"If we need the players (in the future) we want to be sure that they come. We don't want to create any problems," he said. "I have enough players here in the A-League who can do a job."
The Dutchman said that his mind is far from made up in terms of the make-up of the squad and having attended the majority of A-League matches over the past few weeks, he will wait until after this weekend's matches before deciding on his final squad which will be released on Monday.
"I know most of my players. I will see every game at the moment," he said. "I will see the two games on the weekend and then I will make up my mind. Graham Arnold, Henk Duut and I will make up our mind after the weekend.
"It's not about what they've done in the past. It's about what they're doing at the moment ... it's better to pick players who are in good form at the moment."
Verbeek is predicting a tough time for his players in Jakarta, especially with such a short preparation.
"It will be a difficult game, it will be difficult for every player, especially because of the lack of preparation and the climate," he said.
"We have no preparation, we leave Monday, arrive Monday evening. We have only Wednesday to do a little warm-up at the stadium."
