Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has challenged Australia's players to put their hands up to earn a spot in his squad for November's World Cup.

World Cup 2022 Socceroos Squad

  • Graham Arnold plans to take a 26-man squad to Qatar.
  • The Socceroos coach has indicated the door is open to all players, even those uncapped.
  • Australia's opening match at Qatar 2022 is on November 22, 2022.

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Arnold will take a 26-man squad to Qatar and insists the door is open to any player to secure a place, including uncapped talents like brothers Alou and Garang Kuol, Scottish-born forward Jason Cummings and Johnny Warren Medallist Jake Brimmer.

"After the game against Peru I said to the boys that there's no guarantees who is going to the World Cup," Arnold told the Australian Associated Press.

"It's all about how you go back at your clubs.

"Now get fit and do everything possible to get on that sheet of paper of 26 players to go to the World Cup because no-one signed a contract, no-one gave any guarantees.

"It's just about over the next four months, that they work their arses off and make sure that they're ready, physically and mentally and technically.

"I don't want any player walking around thinking that they own that shirt because that shirt is only loaned to them for one game at a time, then it's up to them to keep earning it."

Arnold's decision to overlook Cummings and Brimmer for his extended squad for June's World Cup play-offs in Doha raised eyebrows but ultimately ended well after the Socceroos overcame Peru in a penalty shootout to qualify.

With the new A-League Men's season set to kick off on October 7, Arnold says the pair and others' hopes of making it on the plane to Qatar is in their own hands.

"I'm really grateful for the APL for starting the league three weeks early," he said.

"With some mid-week games, it's going to give an A-League player probably eight rounds before we go to the World Cup.

"You only have to announce the squad two weeks before the first game in Qatar (so) every player has an opportunity.

"I'll be watching every game like I do every weekend and every Tuesday, Wednesday, I sit in front of a computer and watch all the boys playing from overseas.

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"Some players who started doing well towards the back end of the season, like Jason Cummings will be looked at for sure."

Arnold will also have his eye on the return from injury of Harry Souttar.

The towering defender's absence after suffering an ACL injury in last November's qualifier against Saudi Arabia was keenly felt as Australia missed out on automatic qualification.

Souttar is expected to make his playing return with Stoke City when the English Championship begins at the end of July and Arnold is excited to watch how the 23-year-old performs.

"He's got to get back to his best and get back playing at Stoke and performing the way he did before he copped the injury," he said.

"If Harry's in that type of form, he's invaluable to us."

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