Australia has named a preliminary 31-man squad for the World Cup but intrigue still surrounds the make-up of the team ahead of the final cut, writes Paddy Higgs .
Just days out from naming Australia's initial World Cup squad, Paddy Higgs believes Pim Verbeek has a far tougher task on his hands than predecessor Guus Hiddink four years ago.
Paddy Higgs is a sports journalist and editor in Melbourne, Australia. He has contributed to a range of football magazines and websites, having followed the Socceroos from their years of World Cup heartbreak to the side's coming of age in 2006 and its bid to become an Asian powerhouse.