PASADENA, California — As the Socceroos conclude a near month-long pre-World Cup camp in Sarasota, Australia coach Tony Popovic said the scale of the tournament began to sink in once he had to tell players they would not be part of his final squad, according to ESPN. He added that planning travel and Saturday’s friendly against Mexico at the Rose Bowl would further underline the purpose of the preparations.
Popovic and his staff informed eight players on Monday that they would not make the final 26-man group, with three more expected to be told before FIFA’s June 1 squad deadline, according to ESPN. The coach held individual meetings with those released in Sarasota and plans to meet the remaining players after the Mexico friendly.
Describing the task of informing players as difficult, Popovic said the conversations produced mixed emotions — sadness at disappointing players, relief that decisions were made and clarity about the group that will travel. He said the process was not enjoyable but necessary.
Spending up to a month with members of the squad in Florida allowed Popovic and his staff to assess character as well as fitness, he told ESPN. The coach emphasised the need for players to bring personality both on and off the pitch, saying those off-field traits contribute to a strong team dynamic.
Popovic’s handling of cuts comes amid wider discussion of how managers break the news to players. The topic has attracted attention recently, with England manager Thomas Tuchel reportedly calling players personally and United States coach Mauricio Pochettino criticised for informing absent players by email, according to ESPN.
