Socceroos boss appeases Kossie

Pim Verbeek passed his first significant challenge as Socceroos boss with flying colours, averting a club-versus-country row with Sydney FC coach John Kosmina.

The Dutchman showed he had the required diplomacy skills for the national job after talking Kosmina around to releasing three of his five players for a one-day camp starting on Monday night.

The Sydney boss had on Sunday demanded none of his players take part because of side's opening A-League finals game against Queensland on Friday.

But after speaking with Verbeek, Kosmina released Alex Brosque, Clint Bolton and Mark Milligan, with Steve Corica and Ufuk Talay staying with the club for treatment of niggling injuries.

"We had a good discussion this morning, I promised to keep the players fit, but I cannot just allow the Sydney players to stay away," said Verbeek, who is expected to announce on Wednesday his squad for the Socceroos' opening World Cup qualifier against Qatar on February 6.

"Most of the players will be there. Only the injured players, the players that cannot train at all, he can keep them for medical reasons and prepare them for Friday.

"I'm very happy that the coaches have given me the players for three Tuesdays, so I really appreciate that, I just want to have an easy training session with the boys for me to make the final decisions and they will be ready also for the finals."

Verbeek admitted he was disappointed Kosmina first aired his views through the media, but understood the comments were made in the heat of the moment, shortly after Sydney missed out on a top two berth for the A-League finals following their 2-2 draw with Melbourne.

"As a club coach, I can understand his question, I appreciate his openness, I think it should have been better if he should come to me first before going to the media, but with the emotion after yesterday's game I can understand it," Verbeek said.

"I have no worries, no problems."

Kosmina, too, seemed pleased with the outcome.

"The injured players aren't going into camp, they'll stay with me, but the other guys will go in and (Verbeek) assures me they aren't doing too much work, which is a good thing," said Kosmina.

Verbeek welcomed any similar discussions from the three other coaches involved in the finals.

But with Queensland having just one player in the squad, and Central Coast and Newcastle not playing until Sunday, he should have no further issues.

"We've got a couple of more days off ... so for us, we've got no problem with it, we're happy for them to go," said Jets coach Gary van Egmond.

"You never want to deny any of your players going into something like that because it gives them an opportunity to represent your country and there's no greater honour is there?"

Mariners coach Lawrie McKinna added: "We play on Sunday, we've got an extra two days, so it's not really an issue for us."

After saying last week he was 90 per cent sure of his squad for the Qatar game at Melbourne's Telstra Dome, Verbeek said he will be 100 per cent decided on Tuesday.

"I think I know 100 per cent, but make it 99 per cent and the last per cent I will know tomorrow."

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