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Cahill is no World Cup certainty: van Marwijk

''I know and I heard he is very important for the national team. But it's not a guarantee for him that I will nominate him for the world championship.

''It's important to give him a signal that he is an important player.

''I like to know him, and meet him, I want to see him and then the next two months are very important not only for him, but also for all players to show me that they are fit and they are playing regularly.''

But the Dutchman made clear that squad inclusion for these two games does not mean that a player will be going to Russia for the World Cup.

''It's not a guarantee that a player is nominated now that they are nominated for the world championships. I said it's important that players are playing as much as possible, but there are also every time exceptions,'' he said from the Netherlands.

Tim Cahill is not an automatic World Cup selection.

Photo: Yuya Shino

Cahill's selection has divided opinion. Many believe his importance as a goalscorer over the past 15 years, and his totemic role within the team, should mean that he gets an automatic ticket to his fourth World Cup.

Others argue that his average form for Melbourne City and the fact that he walked out on the club to pursue more game time in England with Championship side Millwall – so far only coming off the bench – means that he is not sharp enough to play at international level.

Van Marwijk also revealed why exciting young prospects like Melbourne City's Daniel Arzani and Brandon Borello, playing in Germany's 2. Bundesliga for FC Kaiserslautern, were excluded, saying it was too early in their careers. He has not ruled them out of future contention.

''We keep looking at them. We already saw Borello and Arzani," he said.

''They are young players, but I think at this moment they are not ready to join the national team, but we keep following them.

''A lot can happen in the next seven or eight weeks. Those players we are also following, but I think it's not relevant to nominate 40 or 50 players, you always have to make choices.''

One of the choices he has made is to leave out Mitch Langerak, so long Australia's second goalkeeper, and recall the Holland-based Brad Jones after a long absence.

Van Marwijk says that it is not just because Jones is playing regularly in the Netherlands for his old club Feyenoord that he has been given a chance, but because he is experienced and is playing regularly.

''I saw him [Jones] a lot of times, he plays every game, and he plays very well for a few years. I think he deserves a chance, he was very motivated," he said.

''It's important that players play, and for goalkeepers it's even more important … Langerak is a good goalkeeper but he didn't play for a long time.

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''I have not made my final decision yet, now I want to see Jones in the squad, and [Danny] Vukovic and [Maty] Ryan.''

Jamie Maclaren was another who was overlooked but van Marwijk says that the door is not closed on his World Cup chances.

''We saw him play last weekend, and he did well. But he is a completely different player to Cahill and [Tomi] Juric. I have a lot of possibilities in the attacking way.

''He is under the radar. For him it's the same. We know him, we see him, we keep following him … this is not the final squad.''

Trent Sainsbury, Australia's key central defender, has been included despite his recent injuries, but is unlikely to play. Van Marwijk said he wanted to look at him and another centre-back, Matt Jurman, in camp, which could pave the way for first-time call-up Aleksandr Susnjar to be given some game time.

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