Formidable Australia looks to make amends

A formidable Australia brings a powerful squad led by Everton's Tim Cahill to the Asian Cup as the team looks to make amends for its disappointing tournament debut four years ago.

After switching from Oceania to the Asian Football Confederation, the Socceroos approached their first Asian Cup in 2007 confident of winning but learned some harsh realities about playing in the region.

They struggled with the heat and humidity in Thailand and Vietnam and crashed out in the quarterfinals to Japan.

Four years on, they are less complacent and more conditioned to Asian football. The milder winter conditions in Qatar should suit them better and German coach Holger Osieck has high hopes.

"I have the confidence that this team is pretty strong and it is ready to really produce something," he said when naming his squad.

"Of course we are going there to have the best possible success."

They are in a tough Group C alongside fellow regional heavyweights South Korea, as well as Bahrain and minnows India.

Only the top two progress to the knockout rounds.

Key players from the 2007 squad - Cahill, Harry Kewell, Lucas Neill, Mark Schwarzer and Brett Emerton - remain the core of the team.

They are, however, all past 30 and the Qatar tournament is likely to be their Asian Cup swansong.

Captain Neill said the team was fired up to win some silverware.

"To justify and put our name on the trophy would be fantastic ... it will improve the rankings and put some icing on the cake on a good era," he told Australian Associated Press.

"Everybody plays the game to win and this is a great opportunity to go out and compete for major honors."

Fulham goalkeeper Schwarzer, now 38, is taking nothing for granted, saying the last campaign showed Australia's status counted for little on the pitch.

"You can talk as much as you want and be as highly ranked as you want that does not guarantee you anything," he said. "You have to put the performances on the pitch and last time our performances did not warrant us winning the tournament hopefully this time we can produce the performances ... and win the tournament.

"I certainly have learnt a lot from those experiences and I like to think the other players have as well."

As well as his big-name stars, Osieck has brought in two uncapped players, including Melbourne Victory striker Robbie Kruse and Nathan Coe, goalkeeper with Denmark's Sonderjysk Elitesport.

Agence France -Presse