Viduka commits himself to Asian Cup
Saturday, 16 June 2007
SYDNEY, Jun 15 (AFP): Australian striker Mark Viduka has committed himself to playing in next month's Asian Cup after being on the verge of retiring from international football, national coach Graham Arnold said Friday. Viduka, a leading candidate to be named captain of the Socceroos for the Asian football showpiece, came within hours of quitting international football but agreed to play in his last big tournament, reports said.
Australian football officials had scheduled a conference Friday with speculation that Viduka was about to withdraw from the Australian squad for the July 7-29 tournament in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
But it was hurriedly cancelled late Thursday.
The 31-year-old striker signed a two-year contract with Newcastle United in the English Premier League this month and has been wrestling with the decision to quit international football since last year's World Cup.
The Daily Telegraph said Viduka had told friends he intended to withdraw from the Australian squad, feeling unable to offer the 100 per cent commitment required.
Arnold spoke at length with Viduka to get him to change his mind.
"He's made the decision-the first decision was to retire.
But after time thinking about it, he's made his availability clear," Arnold told reporters Friday.
"He's totally committed to the shirt, he's totally committed to the cause. We had three strikers put on stand-by, but now Mark has made the commitment and that's fantastic."
Arnold said the change of clubs, along with the decision of close friend Josip Skoko to rule himself out of the Asian Cup last week, may have been among the catalysts for him to consider his international future.
Australian football officials had scheduled a conference Friday with speculation that Viduka was about to withdraw from the Australian squad for the July 7-29 tournament in Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.
But it was hurriedly cancelled late Thursday.
The 31-year-old striker signed a two-year contract with Newcastle United in the English Premier League this month and has been wrestling with the decision to quit international football since last year's World Cup.
The Daily Telegraph said Viduka had told friends he intended to withdraw from the Australian squad, feeling unable to offer the 100 per cent commitment required.
Arnold spoke at length with Viduka to get him to change his mind.
"He's made the decision-the first decision was to retire.
But after time thinking about it, he's made his availability clear," Arnold told reporters Friday.
"He's totally committed to the shirt, he's totally committed to the cause. We had three strikers put on stand-by, but now Mark has made the commitment and that's fantastic."
Arnold said the change of clubs, along with the decision of close friend Josip Skoko to rule himself out of the Asian Cup last week, may have been among the catalysts for him to consider his international future.