Influential midfielder Vince Grella has returned but the Australian squad will be without Brett Emerton and probably Harry Kewell for next week s key 2010 World Cup Asian qualifier to face Japan in Yokohama.
Grella, the Blackburn Rovers holding midfielder, was named in a 22-man squad by coach Pim Verbeek on Tuesday for the February 11 showdown with Australia s chief regional rivals.
Grella missed Australia s last three qualifying wins over Uzbekistan, Qatar and Bahrain through injury.
But Verbeek will be without Grella s Blackburn teammate Emerton, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the English Premier League season with a cruciate knee ligament injury.
The Socceroos will also likely be without Harry Kewell, who is recovering from an abdominal h…